Since joining the EU interest in Bulgaria has soared. Amanda Shiel takes at look at what’s on offer in this picturesque country
Case StudyAfter Vicky McElhinney found a seemingly unbelievable offer of cheap properties in Bulgaria online, she promptly called her best friend Nikki Cartmill. Wanting to investigate further, the pair hopped on a plane to Sofia leaving their bemused husbands at home in Northern Ireland.
Driving through the snow-bound countryside, they headed towards Veliko Turnovo were they started house-hunting. They both found houses in the north central village of Malinovo and although they were not the homes they had initially seen on the website, they were delighted with their purchases. Cartmill opted for a 1930s single-storey, three-room house set back from the road, with two outhouses and a garden. McElhinney’s was a two-storey 1940s house on the village green. Although first attracted by the house prices (both cost €4,100), the ladies soon fell in love with the country. McElhinney comments: ‘We weren't about to buy if we didn't like the country. Luckily it’s magical here, so we did.’
They visited again a couple of months later to complete the legal formalities on their house purchases and decided to carry on with their spending spree. This time Cartmill bought a €14,000 traditional Bulgarian stone-built house in Staro Stefanavo, a holiday spot for Sofia's rich and famous. Not to be outdone, McElhinney went home to Northern Ireland and bought a 200-year-old cottage in the hamlet of Bulgarene, near Lovech, for €3,000 that she found on the internet.Both McElhinney and Cartmill adore their new houses in the Balkans. Cartmill said, ‘We have lovely views wherever you look, friendly neighbours and dirt cheap food and wine.’
Although there are ex-pat communities in nearby villages, the pair try to mix in the immediate community. ‘Language is the biggest difficulty for us,’ says Cartmill. ‘But newcomers are made very welcome.’
Bulgaria is becoming increasingly popular and McElhinney and Cartmill feel the area is great for buying a second home. ‘It's still really cheap,’ comments McElhinney who had such a good experience in Bulgaria that she has written a book called The Big Bulgarian Adventure (written under pseudonym Sue Seddon).
And do they have plans to buy anymore homes? ‘We’ll leave it at two for now,’ they say.
The Big Bulgarian Adventure is on sale at £9.50; email vicky@mypropertypal.com to order a copy. See mypropertypal.com for further information about Bulgaria
Central PlaninaSimpliBulgaria’s Geshaview ruro-treat in Central Planina (near the ancient capital of Veliko Tarnova) is a unique development consisting of 147 luxury five star properties.
Featuring a mix of detached houses, apartments, mews homes and townhouses, Geshaview has stunning views and offers a huge variety of sporting facilities including climbing, riding and sky diving. There will also be a hotel, bars, craft studios, shops, an art gallery, organic restaurants, a natural swimming pool, health centre and spa facility with secluded woodland jacuzzis.
Local tourist attractions include the Roman ruins, Nikopolis Adistrum; the Central Balkan National Park and the Dryanova Monastery. Nearby Gorna airport should soon be accepting international flights, including those from low cost carriers – the current nearest options being either Varna or Sofia.
Geshaview studio apartments start at £32,000 and town houses and mews homes cost from £85,000. Due for completion in 2008.
Contact SimpliBulgaria on 0114 252 5060 or see SimpliBulgaria.com.
BalchikWindows to Paradise is a select development of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses. Situated on the Black Sea Coast at Balchik, the development is located on a stepped site directly overlooking the sea and sits adjacent to one of the Gary Player courses. The facilities at the scheme include several outdoor swimming pools, full spa centre with indoor pool, steam bath, sauna, Jacuzzi and children’s pool. Set within landscaped botanical gardens, the scheme also features a restaurant and fully licensed bar, shops, a supermarket and a wine cellar.
Prices at phase three start from €38,546.63 (£26,583.88) for a studio apartment, €57,902.13 (£39,932.50) for a one-bedroom apartment and €81,769.50 (£56,392.76) for a two-bedroom apartment. For further sales information contact Bulgarian Dreams on 020 7614 1240 or visit bulgariandreams.com.
Tankovo Located near the village of Tankovo, Tankovo Mews provides a traditional style Bulgarian home with the quality and safety of 21st Century living on the outskirts of the cosmopolitan resort of Sunny Beach and medieval town of Nessebar.
Tankovo Mews provides a village setting in a courtyard house concept, with a communal swimming pool and public pavilion. The Kableshkovo Golf and entertainment complex - an exclusive development featuring a prestigious 18 hole golf course with swimming pools, a horse-back riding track, tennis courts, a casino, a soccer pitch and polo grounds, is under development 3km away.
Available properties include four-bedroom villas with heated swimming pool priced from £159,516, three-bedroom villas with plunge pool priced from £123,958 and two-bedroom villas with Jacuzzi priced from £94,766.
For more details visit buyland.co.uk.
NessebarSet on the rolling hills just outside of Nessebar, Nexus provides a village setting in a courtyard house concept with 24-hour security and pedestrianised inner roads, giving a safe haven for the village. The central plaza with its communal swimming pool and public pavilion allow residents the option to socialise with other village residents or stay within their own private villas.
Available properties include four-bedroom villas with heated swimming pool priced from £145,547, three-bedroom villas with plunge pool priced from £119,381, two-bedroom villas with Jacuzzi priced from £102,246, one-bedroom apartments priced from £26,899 and studio apartments priced from £19,669. For more details, visit buyland.co.uk.
Pensioners live the high-life in Bulgaria30,000 Britons already own homes in this country, according to the Bulgarian government. And with UK citizens now able to get their pensions paid in Bulgaria, the number of those living or investing in the country is set to rise.
For 66-year-old Alan Lowe and his wife Carol, 58, from Dundee, it was the ideal choice. They moved to Bulgaria in May 2006, to Kozarevo – about 10kms from a main town – and the price of the property was just £19,500.
Carol says, ‘It’s not a quick and easy decision to leave all the comforts of home, family and friends especially when you are a bit older.
‘But, with a mortgage to pay back home, along with the crippling council tax and expensive electricity and gas bills, it was getting difficult and our pension wouldn’t go far in the UK.’
Alan adds, ‘Money had to be the deciding factor and Bulgaria is the country which met our limited pension budget.
“The price of the house included all costs – solicitors, notary, translation of the documents and so on was all included in the price and renovation is going to cost money but it’s affordable.’
Airline announces flights to SofiaEasyjet will be offering direct, scheduled flights from Gatwick to Sofia, Bulgaria from 6 November 2007. Flights from the major no-frills airline are expected to prompt other low-costs carriers to follow suit encouraging increased travel to the country.
Easyjet will fly three times per week from London Gatwick to Sofia on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The average prices for a return trip in November is just over £50 per person including taxes and charges.
Robert Jenkin, managing director of UK estate agent Bulgarian Dreams, is thrilled by the announcement and comments: ‘The increase in direct flights to Bulgaria is a testament to the country’s ongoing popularity and proven investment – something we have been keen to see implemented since we first began operating in Bulgaria in 2002. Bulgaria offers some of the best value for money in Europe – particularly after joining the EU in January 2007.’