Purchasing a Holiday Home in Bulgaria

This post describes our own particular experiences of purchasing a holiday home in Bulgaria. Bulgaria is a beautiful country and has a lot to offer as a tourist destination. The Black Sea coastline in particular attracts many visitors each year. Stunning scenery, lots of sun, and low property prices make Bulgaria an ideal location for the purchase of a holiday property. A large number of non-residents, particularly Ukrainians, Russians, and English, own property on the Black Sea coastline. Many resident ”ex-pats” are also tempted to purchase a second home in this area.

As ex-pats who have lived here for ten years(at the time of writing this post) we have now collected an array of stray animals! We found ourselves paying money to a pet sitter whenever we wanted a break. Purchasing a holiday home in Bulgaria is so affordable that we decided that it was worthwhile to offset these costs against a second home where our pets could come also!

As we own a holiday business on the Black Sea coastline, we decided that this would be the best location for our second home. If you are thinking of purchasing a holiday home in Bulgaria for the first time – please see my more comprehensive article on purchasing property in Bulgaria.

Choosing a location if you are purchasing a holiday home in Bulgaria

As is the case in most places, purchasing a property on the actual coastline is much more expensive than property a few miles inland. It is possible to purchase an apartment on a complex on the coast at an affordable price (I will write about this elsewhere) but with five dogs and 3 cats we were looking for a house with a garden. Our estate agent accommodated us by showing us various properties that met our needs and budget, and we settled on a lovely village called Dyulevo. The village was quite different from our own village in that it is larger. The house also has a much larger garden which we decided to landscape as our other property requires a lot of work with all of our fruits and vegetables.

Dyulevo is situated in the Burgas region. It is about 20 minutes drive from the coast. It is a large village with two shops and a restaurant and a bar.  These amenities may seem common place in England, but if you are thinking of purchasing a holiday home in Bulgaria, then this is a key factor to look out for. Due to a decreasing population, some of the villages in Bulgaria are dying. This doesn’t just mean empty property and a ghostly silence, it also means that the roads and infrastructure are no longer maintained. A village with a shop and cafe are good signs that the village is alive and that you will be able to sell your property on again when you choose.

Our own village is thriving. There are new buildings being erected (another sign of a progressive village) and an influx of newcomers who prefer village to city life. The village is within commuting distance of Burgas and an increase in access to credit has meant that more people can afford their own transport. This increase in popularity also means that our property has increased in value.

Burgas is a large city with all the amenities that one would expect in England. This includes shopping malls, entertainment and access to modern hospitals. There are also areas of historical interest; some lovely Sea Gardens, and an airport. A further bonus is that we are under an hour from the two beautiful tourist destinations of Nesebar in one direction and Sozipol in the other.

Choosing a property

Driving around the various locations with our estate agent, I was excited to find so many houses in our budget. One in particular caught my eye. It was huge and very spooky. It reminded me of the house in the Adam’s family movie – with turrets and a large exterior balcony. Jeff was the voice of reason here however! It did need an awful lot of work!

Renovation and improvements are further key points to bear in mind if you are thinking of purchasing a holiday home in Bulgaria. Don’t be tempted to purchase something that needs a lot of work unless you are able to do most of it yourself, and know someone who can help you who speaks the language. Materials are not the same as in England – I will Wright more on this elsewhere. Also, it is difficult to find things on the internet due to the language barrier. Many things are simply not available here at all -in particular if you are looking for antique or reclaimed items. And finally, it is often the case that local builders charge a higher price if they discover that you are English. This is sad but true.

Purchasing a holiday home in Bulgaria

We finally found our own ‘dream home’. We fell in love as soon as we saw it. With its’ ornate architecture, it reminded me of the plantation house in Gone with the Wind! I just love this outdoor sweeping staircase and the balcony. Not as grand as the Adam family balcony I had previously seen, but still charming. 😊

Property Prices

Our holiday home cost us a mere 16,000 Euros. Yes, you read that correctly. It required new windows, a replacement bath (the property had been broken into as it stood empty and this had been removed) and some plastering work. But none of this was too expensive. We have subsequently built an extension at the back and a wall around the boundary to keep our animals safe. But even with all of these extra expenses the finished cost is a fraction of English prices. Our next project is a swimming pool!

The Interior

The interior of the house is also very pretty with original wooden beams and stone floors. It lends itself to a ‘country cottage’ style that would prove very expensive to obtain back in England. As you enter, there is a small hallway with a spiral wooden staircase up to the three good sized bedrooms. Off the entrance way is a large bathroom with a corner bath. There is a utility room – very handy; and also a lovely kitchen with a wood burner and country style fireplace. Off the hallway also is a cosy living room – which our furniture from England fitted exactly! And then we have added a large indoor/outdoor room at the rear of the property, perfect for summer dining. As ‘summer’ lasts for many months here, this gets a great deal of use.

our properties

This is a link to our two apartments:

https://www.airbnb.com/users/197639086/listings?user_id=197639086&s=2