Think:- What could Bulgaria offer you?

Could you be interested in a holiday home in the country or a seaside apartment which could be rented out for an income, when your not using it. How about a ski resort location? Did you know that Bansko in Bulgaria is the only Eastern European resort offering to guarantee snow for five months of the year, can you imagine, knowing when you book your winter holiday that there will be snow, no need to keep checking the local weather conditions.

Now is the time to invest, last year (2007) according to the Frank Knight report, Bulgaria had the highest growth rate in the world at 30.6% and set to do around 20% this year (2008). With prices in many other countries including the UK stabilising or worse, you should take a careful look at Bulgaria. So many investors and new companies opening their doors here, don’t be left behind.
Millions of Euros are being pumped in Bulgaria from the EU, new road improvements, new airports opening. Low cost airlines already operating regularly from the UK, it makes a weekend away very achievable. Another airport at Gorna Oriahovitsa only 20 kms from Veliko Tarnovo opening soon and a new link road connecting Varna and Sofia, this area in particular is set to rocket in value.
Do not put off the decision any longer. E-mail me your requirements or questions, change your life forever.

Veliko Tarnovo, the old capital.

Veliko Tarnovo is one of the most ancient Bulgarian towns. The picturesque situation and panoramic view of the town, its rich cultural and historical heritage wins Veliko Tarnovo the recognition as a historical, cultural and tourist centre of contemporary Bulgaria. The town was founder of the foot of the Northern Fore - Balkan Range. Historians date it back to the 4th millennium B. C. The town of Veliko Tarnovo had inherited centuries-old Prehistoric, Thracian and Antique culture and in 1185 it became a centre of the Bulgarian Uprising against Byzantine domination and the capital of the restored Bulgarian state. The medieval town of Tarnovo was rapidly expanding and developed into the strongest Bulgarian fortress during the 12-14th centuries. It becomes the most significant political, economic, cultural and religious centre of Bulgaria. The Tarnovo Schools of Literature and Arts were established and developed here. Remarkable architectural monuments were created; miniature and monumental painting, literature; plastic arts and crafts achieved high artistic level.



During the 15th-19th centuries period Tarnovo was a symbol of the former Bulgarian state system and a stronghold of the Bulgarian national spirit, a leading centre of the struggle for cultural independence. During the Bulgarian National Revival period in the second half of the 18th and the 19th centuries the town was an important administrative, trade and industrial centre. The rapid economic boom was set as a favourable premise for a dynamic cultural and educational process. Unique monuments of the material and spiritual culture were created.

After the Liberation from Ottoman domination in 1877 until the wars in 1912 -1913and in 1915 - 1918 as a historical capital Tarnovo played a significant role in the political, administrative and cultural formation of independent Bulgaria. In 1879 Bulgaria was restored for the second time. Then the Constituent Assembly drafted the supreme fundamental laws of the nation - the Tarnovska Constitution in the hall of the former Turkish konak (municipality building). The 1st, the 3rd, the 4th and The 5th Grand National Assemblies (in 1879, 1887, 1893 and 1911) were held in Veliko Tarnovo.


In 1990 The 7th Grand National Assembly was established in same Town Hall where the Constituent Assembly was in session in 1879. The 7th Grand National Assembly drafted the new Constitution of Bulgaria - the nation’s fundamental laws for modern democratic changes.

Modern Veliko Tarnovo is a town - museum rich in many cultural museums and monuments and architectural preserves. Every year the town is visited by thousands of tourists from Bulgaria and from abroad. It is a prime concern of the whole nation to study and preserve the numerous historical and architectural monuments, the rich museums and the museum stock.

Food in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's cuisine is influenced by the neighbouring Balkan countries of Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and northern Turkey.

Traditional food includes bread, pickled vegetables, salads, soups, stews, casseroles, stuffed vegetables, kebabs, spicy sausages and cheese dishes. Yoghurt is very popular and eaten most days. In fact, Bulgaria is said to be the home of yoghurt and Bulgarian yoghurt is thought to have curative properties.

Pork, lamb, beef, chicken, fish and vegetarian dishes are served with staples such as rice and bulgar wheat. Vegetables include aubergines, beans, cabbage, carrots, corn, courgettes, cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and olives.

Favourite desserts are pancakes, baklava, baked apples and fresh fruit: apricots, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, melons, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, pears, plums and quinces.

Traditional alcoholic drinks are rakiya (a fruit brandy, often plum), wine and boza (a type of beer made with grain, usually millet). Non-alcoholic drinks include coffee, tea, juices, buttermilk and mineral water.

Prices in Bulgaria

The unit of currency in Bulgaria is the lev, divided into 100 stotinki. The nominals are: Coins: 5, 10, 20, 50 stotinki & 1 Lev; Banknotes: 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 BGN

Visitors from Western Europe and America find prices in Bulgaria 2-3 times cheaper. For example a beer is about 0.5 €, a bottle of excellent red wine is 3 €, a dinner in good restaurant is 6 € a person. Craft souvenirs, textile, shoes etc. are also good purchase but be careful not to mix them with the cheaper and low quality turkish immitations.

In big shops and hotels, you would not have a problem paying by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, Access and Airplus), however in small restaurants and shops it is advisable to have cash in hand.

Why choose Bulgaria?

Bulgaria is known for its mild climate, which it enjoys most of the year. The summers in Bulgaria are hot on the coast. Because of this favourable climate Bulgaria is being sought out more and more as a tourist destination. There has also been a recent influx of airline carriers making flights to and from Bulgaria.

Bulgaria remains a relatively low key and largely unknown country. This fact entices people that like to discover what the country has to offer. Bulgaria offers many cultural and leisure activities as well as great scenery and rustic villages.

Bulgarians are generally a friendly bunch of people. In fact most people you meet in Bulgaria will go out of their way to help you, which makes for great neighbours.

Living in Bulgaria you will notice that the cost of living is relatively cheap, especially compared to Western Europe and the United States. Expat retirees that purchase a home in Bulgaria and live off of a pension are able to live quite well.

If you buy a home in a more tourist area of Bulgaria you may be able to make some extra money by renting all or part of it out to tourists. There is a growing demand for rental accommodations in the resort areas of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria, which joined the EU in January 2007, has so many advantages as a destination for pensioners. It has a vastly superior climate to that of the UK; its beaches and mountains are already well known, but central Bulgaria with its huge areas of unspoiled natural beauty is a hidden treasure.

Buying Process.

Step 1: Plan your trip to Bulgaria. Decide your property requirements and e-mail me the details. I will identify potential properties offered for sale for you to select to view.
Step 2: Contact me for further arrangements. Let me know when are you coming, how long you have planned to stay, your specifications and arrangements, also if your require accommadation to be booked.
Step 3: Arrival in Bulgaria. On your request a team member of my friendly staff can wait for you at the Airport (Sofia, Varna or Burgas). Your next stop is Veliko Tarnovo. Here, your viewing trip's plan will be made according to your requirements. I have negotiated discounts for our clients at Veliko Tarnovo's hotels and private houses, as well as rent-a-car companies. Other discounts are available too.
Step 4: Viewing trips. We advise you to plan 3-5 days to view the properties.During your daily viewing trips, you will be accompanied by one of my fluently English speaking real estate consultants and you will be provided with comfortable transportation. On the property inspections we will also inform you about the region's details.
Step 5: Select a property/properties. At any moment of your inspection trip you can select a property to buy. I will guide you through the rest of the buying process. At NO point you will be urged by myslf or my staff to make a property purchase.
Step 6: Sign a preliminary contract. The preliminary contract is similar to "Sold subject to contract" in UK and is needed to reserve the desired property. It will be signed by the seller and by you. I strongly recommend you to sign such a contract and pay 10% of the asking price of the purchase price in order for it to be removed from the market. This is due to the growing interest in rural houses and possibility that the house may be purchased by someone else. After Your company has been registered , you pay the remainder of the final price of the real estate.
Step 7: Buying property with or without land. According to the Bulgarian Constitution, foreign individuals can buy buildings but not land. The normal practice is to set up your own Limited Liability Company, which will possess the purchased property (land and buildings). It is expected that the law will be changed in 2014 when an LLC will no longer be required, after Bulgaria joins EU fully. As managers of the company, you then own the land and properties.
Step 8: Register a company, I collaborate with a respected law firm, which will advise you on the registering process and prepare all the documents, required to establish your company (Articles of incorporation, Memorandum for appointment of Director/ Directors, Proof that at least 70 per cent of the registered capital has been paid). It is a straightforward process which takes 2-4 weeks. If you require help, I can provide assistance with opening a bank account with 5000 levas (€ 2 500, 1 800 pounds) initial company capital, needed for your company registration. After listing your company with the National Tax Register Authority you can withdraw your money or transfer it to your personal bank account. I will make sure that you are involved with the entire process and will be assisting you along the way.
Step 9: Checks on Title documents, Licence and Permissions, Debts on Titles, Terms of Contract. After you have reserved the property, the lawyer will make checks on property's Title documents.
Step 10: Sign Notary Act (Contract of Purchase) Complete the purchasing process by signing the final legal contract in front of a Bulgarian Notary Public. For this purpose the following fees should be paid that are formed on the basis of the selling price - fee for the tax service which amounts up to 2 % of the property price - fee for a notary.
Congratulations!!! You are now officially owner of a Bulgarian property!