Are you thinking of Purchasing an older property
If you are thinking of moving to Bulgaria, then you will probably also be thinking of purchasing a property in Bulgaria. Unless you have lived here for a while and are familiar with this process this can be quite daunting. New property is available for much less than the rest of Europe, but many people choose to purchase an older property. One of your main concerns will no doubt be making sure that this property doesn’t have any major defects or problems. You will also need to know how much work will be required to refurbish the property.
You can get a large house here with outbuildings and a big garden for a very reasonable price depending on location and age. However, it is usually the case that they do not have an internal bathroom or a functional kitchen for example. In addition, they have often not been maintained well due to a shortage of money by the owner as this has been historically a poor country.
Although you can pick up a real bargain you can also find yourself in a situation where refurbishing the property is simply not viable due to the expense involved. It is very difficult to find someone you can trust who can advise you as to the viability of a particular property and to give you a rundown of exactly what needs to be done. This situation is compounded by the language barrier if you are not an indigenous inhabitant. The process is especially difficult for people who wish to purchase a property who do not live here on a regular basis, but are planning to do so in the future. Visiting the country multiple times to view properties can be extremely expensive.
Why we set up this service to help individuals who are thinking of purchasing a property in Bulgaria
We are an English couple who live in Bulgaria on a permanent basis. We have owned property here for 17 years. During our time here we have spoken to countless individuals who have found themselves in nightmare situations purchasing a property but who have not understood the ramifications involved in the refurbishment process. Some of these individuals have been unable to finish the refurbishment due to the expense involved and have had to leave the property uninhabited – which is a real tragedy.
we have come across so many individuals in this position that we have decided to set up a service for people who do not have the expertise required to assess how much work is needed, and the possible cost involved in purchasing and refurbishing an old property in Bulgaria. The service is designed to reduce the stress of purchasing property here for individuals who do not have knowledge in construction.
Who we are
Before explaining exactly what we can provide let me explain who we are. My name is Susan and this is my website – do feel free to look at my other posts I have written extensively about life in this country. This particular post, however, is to introduce you to my husband Jeff. Jeff is a retired construction professional with over 40 years experience. Originally trained and qualified as a building surveyor and progressed into site management and was an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Building (ACIOB).
Jeff’s career has been in house building and construction. He has built thousands of houses in England. Jeff has also built schools, hospitals, MOD projects, banks and building societies. He has also undertaken extensive work in historical restoration projects. His work included the financial management, project management and client liaison involved in the majority of these projects. Jeff has also renovated three of our own properties here in Bulgaria.
These are just a few of his many projects
Images from left to right from the top:
- Refurbished Iron Foundry in Cornwall
- Refurbished Iron Foundry in Cornwall
- Refurbished Iron Foundry in Cornwall
- Refurbished Iron Foundry in Cornwall
- New regional centre for the RSPCA
- Refurbished Customs House in Falmouth
- Repairs and refurbishment of house
- Refurbishment of old building to apartments
- Refurbishment of old Manor House
- Refurbished Customs House in Falmouth
- 36 new Timber frame houses in St.Austell
- Extension and refurbishment of hotel
- Extension and refurbishment of hotel
- New build apartments in Gosport marina
- Refurbishment of old Manor House
- we have also renovated two of our own homes here in Bulgaria
What we can provide if you are thinking of purchasing a property in Bulgaria
- A property survey including video footage and photographs
- A written report
- For people who are unable to visit the property themselves or choose not to do so. We can also provide information on the surrounding area if required. This can be paramount in a decision to purchase a property or not. Please see my post Buying Property in Bulgaria
- If you buy a property within the Karlovo district, we can provide help, advice, and recommendations for local workmen etc to help with the refurbishment
- if you are employing the services of a builder, then we can also undertake Site visits to take photographs of progress and notify of any issues.
The service can be adapted to suit individual requirements.
How much does it cost?
Charges are as follows:
- For a survey report, including video footage, photographs, and notes €100 plus travel expenses (see below).
- For additional video footage of the surrounding area €50
An additional charge off 1 Euros per mile and for travel expenses will be applied. We can give you a quotation of how far away the property you are interested in is from us on request.
Both travel expenses and the cost of the survey to be paid upfront. We can provide bank account details on request.
Email us by copying and pasting this address:
pleasantplacesbulgaria@gmail.com
Or ring for an initial chat: 00359 895719001 (this is a Bulgarian number) if you are thinking of purchasing a property in Bulgaria.