paying monthly properties!!
I saw on ebay and several websites a guy who sells Bulgarian properties valued around 10,000 up to 16,000 and all you pay is 500 a month until it is paid for. I am of the thought that if it appears too good to be true, it really is. These are 2 or 3 bedroom, modern looking houses with about 800-1000m2 of land. Are prices that cheap, really in reality in Bulgaria?
I read some other recent posts which make buying property in Bulgaria sound scary. I am not looking to invest and make money though, I just want to buy a cheap summer house but have no intention of selling it. Someone told me if I am buying in remote areas you can get houses with a lot of land (4000m2+) for very little money?
I guess the best place to get a lawyer is ask the British embassy to recommend one they know and trust? I did that in Greece and it worked for me there.
Thank you in advance for opinions or advice.
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So over 3 years I'd own the house outright without any real horror stories it's down to the individual I am available to answer further though if required?
Regards Steve
Yes, property in Bulgaria can be cheap. But dont forget, in rural areas there is often very little if any infrastucture if you are lucky a shop that does everything and bus services twice a day if that.
Sofia on the other hand is another ball game althogther. Generally, its the same as in the UK, if it sounds too good it probabaly is. Stephen on this site I am sure can advice you on the Sofia market.
I have met him personally and he is one of the few estate agents I actually trust!
Also, I have to warn people about buying on a pay monthly scheme - basically we have been advised by our solicitors that this is a bad thing.
The problem with any of these payment plans is they don't allow for the fact that if the owner was to pass away during the term, under the Bulgarian inheritance law rights to the property are always given to the next of kin of the owner as stated on the notary act. Even with a contract the law won't protect those that aren't the actual owners, so if you had to go to court to fight it, there would be a lengthy battle, especially with Bulgarian owners, and there's no guarantee you will actually win.
You could even lose all payments you have made because the next of kin will not have received them, and if living in the property while paying you could lose your home as well.
Is it really worth the risk buying a property this way?
Rural properties are wonderful investments, and Sofia is not the only place in Bulgaria worth buying in.聽 Plenty of expats have chosen to buy in Varna, Bourgas, Yambol, Elhovo, Sliven, Nova Zagora and Veliko Tarnovo. The North West of the country is lacking investment and so is subsequently poorer, so I would recommend you double check before buying there. Villages that are dying or not well looked after, are fairly obvious. Villages with small populations would be considered bad news, but if they are very close to villages with amenities then it's not usually a problem.
The process of buying a property here is not a scary one if you choose who you buy with/from very carefully. People who recommend buying privately have been lucky although I would bet that if they got their documents checked, 8 out of 10 would have something wrong on them.
Nearly every resale we are dealing with now has a legal issue on the paperwork, which was passed though originally by a notary - of which there are many who will 'let it go through' regardless, passing on any problem to the new buyer.
Do not be caught out by this, get a recommended lawyer, or an established estate agent, with an office. Those who don't have an office/work from home, will more than likely NOT be legal and NOT be paying taxes remember.
Don't be blinded by people who say you can save this and save that by buying direct, and you will get ripped off by agents, this is untrue, yes you will save some commission by buying direct, but you could lose a heck of a lot more if documents aren't checked correctly,聽 so agents can save you a lot of hassle later on if they are any good.
1. Check the property onsite
2. Estimate your repair costs .....
And yes, a lawyer in all cases.
A very good piece of advice would be ... get in touch with Ideal homes in VT. The manager is called Ves, and is honest and reliable and will save you money.. you will not need a lawyer.. We have bought 2 properties through him and his help in all aspects is amazing.
Regards
Phil
Many thanks
Dave
do check the property prior any contracts and any payments .... onsite!
Any info would be good ..looking at Mowlem.eu atm. They need 拢500 to reserve...if you don鈥檛 buy do you get that back?
Has anyone had any problems, is it a lengthy process and did you get a private survey done etc.
Thanks in advance.
habitable聽 without a lot of work.
I have done new electrics in both although was told it was fine by bulgarian standards I met an English builder and have also have a bulgarian one. So far have found the work very cost effective. It depends what you want. I was foolish looking at IVF in Veliko and bought a house the following day on pay monthly instead... me nor my partner had ever been to bulgaria 馃う鈥嶁檧锔 don't regret it at all. I paid the deposit before going and am lucky to have a surveyor and builders in my family who received alot of pictures prior to me signing the paperwork!
The work out there is no where near the cost of work in the UK and this factors into the prices.
I'd love to hear anyone else's experience.
Mowlems houses need work and are above the average prices however they are helpful, monthly payments is convenient and they help open a bg bank account etc and translate there contracts so you have a bg and British one.
very helpful.聽 I have been living in the house 3 years now....聽 聽I rewired it before i moved in..聽 other than that, no major work needed.
If i buy again here....聽 聽it will be with Mowlem.
drialardnas wrote:I have messaged them about a few but noone ever replies.
Hello drialardnas
Mowlem is owned by a bloke called Paul Hawtin.聽 He flits between Bulgaria and UK....聽 聽What with the pandemic / brexit and all, he may not be on top of his property sales.聽
Or maybe he is in the UK and because business is slow....聽 聽he may not be聽 paying anyone at the mo to man the Ruse office.聽 I know he deals in property in Hungry and Germany also.
I don't want to give out his personal contact details without his permission....聽 聽that wouldn't be right....聽 聽however, he has a parent company that is UK registered called Emerge (UK) ltd.聽 聽
When he first started selling properties he had 2 websites, mowlem.eu for the EU market and bulgarianoverseasproperty.com (Emerge UK ltd) for the British market. The same properties were advertised on both sites
Now I have just checked and bulgarianoverseasproperty.com聽 is still live however, the properties are聽 not up to date.
i'm not sure if i can post hyperlinks on this forum......聽 聽 but....聽 聽if you go to that website,聽 and hit the "contact" tab...聽 you will see his UK phone number.
Give him a bell, and ask him what's the score with Mowlem. He'll probably give one of his sales guys a nudge and get your inquiries answered.
I bought from him on a pay monthly just after the Brexit referendum...聽 only because i was a bit hesitant at the time.....聽 聽Also,i didn't want to shell out a load of money in one tax year.聽 I put down a substantial deposit in the March and moved in......
i paid the first installment at the end of March.聽 And i paid the second instalment in April....聽 聽
By then, i was confident i had made the right choice so, in May, I paid the full outstanding balance, thus spreading the cash purchase over two tax years.
If you get in touch via his UK number you will find that he is a real nice guy and very flexible.
If you have no response from the UK phone number on聽 bulgarianoverseasproperty.com, let me know and i'll reach out to him via his personal email and ask him whats on with Mowlem.
Good luck!聽 And happy house hunting.
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