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The Bulgarian real estate market is not dissimilar to the Spanish one of thirty years ago, but moving faster and when Bulgaria becomes a member of the EU in 2007 it will probably gain a greater impetus. All over Bulgaria you can see the blue starred flags of the EU going up so the process of buying property in Bulgaria will hopefully be simplified in the future but at the moment it's all very mechanical and needs a lot of legwork to put the bits together.

1.	Finding Your Property
	Like all other property websites we have an on-line property search that is forever changing. We are aware that it's really very difficult to get a good "feel" from searching on even the most sophisticated websites. What seems stimulating on screen often does nothing for you when you are there, whilst what seems to be bland on the screen can stimulate your imagination and interest when you see it. But please try to pick the properties you would like to view and send us the reference numbers. By doing this you give us a "feel" for what you have in mind and we can direct you to similar properties.
2.	Arrange Your Visit
	There are times when decent, but economical, accommodation is difficult to find. If you are able to let us know your plans in advance we can be sure to make the best arrangements for you! If you feel the need we will also be happy to greet you at the airport/station. Alternatively you could buy a package holiday to Varna and we will be happy to fit in with your itinerary. When you plan your visit please keep in mind that you need to allow about two days to view properties and one day to do the paperwork if you decide to buy. Please note that the solicitor and Notary offices aren't open on a weekend, so make sure you are able to stay at least one weekday to do the legal paperwork.
3.	Once in Bulgaria
	Should you need it we can arrange car hire for you and our representative will accompany you to view the selected properties without charge. It is also possible to use our agent's car for the viewing trips at the price of 0.20 Lev / about 7 p / per kilometre. This is to cover the petrol charges and wear costs of the vehicle and is fully refundable if you purchase property from our agent.
4.	The Company
	Foreigners are not directly allowed to buy land in Bulgaria but they can register a Bulgarian limited company and in turn that company can own land. After you have a registered company you can buy from one property to million and one, there's no limit.
5.	Setting Up the Company
	The setting up of the Bulgarian company really involves a lot of running around, accumulating fees for services, the names may change on the company documents but the process remains the same. In theory you can do it yourself but in practice you would be near insane by the time you finish. Everyone involved in the property sales will offer this service at prices ranging from £350.00 to over £1,500.00 for the fur lined service. You will have to open a deposit company bank account and sign some of the documents for the company registration before a local official called Notary at a cost of about £15.00 and sign a document allowing your agent to work in your name. It's all written in Bulgarian and you have to have an official certified translator with legal constrains to be totally honest. This will cost about £40.00. Our agent will offer you an all inclusive price for registering the company. The registration could be started on your first visit if it's required. Allow a full day for the legal proceedings. They will assist you opening a company bank account where a small fee applies. You will need to deposit 5000 Lev, about £1,800.00 which can be withdrawn once the company has been formed. Many clients use it to defray final balance payment on their property purchase. You can sign a Power of Attorney for your agent or a solicitor to set up the company for you. This is done before a Notary. Our agent is an officially recognised translator and will do all the translating that is needed at the Notary. The price of the translation service is included in the fee. Then all your documents are sent to the Court. In about two to four weeks you will have the papers duly stamped, a Bulstat registration done, that means that your company will have an unique state number, a Tax Office registration, a registration at the National Insurance Institute, a certificate for the actual state of the company and a stamp. Please note that some of the District Courts require extra police checks that are done in Bulgaria for which you will need your birth certificate. Please note Credit cards are of little use for paying living expenses, travel costs or deposits etc. You will need to bring cash or travelers cheques. Should have any concerns about how much will be needed for house deposits and company formation costs please contact us and we will offer suggestions.
6.	Purchasing the Property
	Once you have chosen which property to buy our lawyers will check the Title deed and all the Vendor's documents for ownership. You will instruct a Preliminary Contract to be drawn up and pay 10% deposit. This stops the seller gazumping at the last minute. The Initial/Preliminary Contact can be as flexible or as tight as you need it to be. There is actually greater protection for someone buying a house in Bulgaria than when buying in the UK. All purchases are signed before and registered through a Bulgarian Notary who dots every "I" and crosses every "t" to ensure that you are protected in your transaction. You will have to pay a Land tax, which is like stamp duty, and a Notary fee. Please note that the Land tax and Notary fee is dependant on the declared value of property, which by mutual agreement between the buyer and the seller can sometimes be different from price entered on the document sale. The balance of price is paid in cash or transferred just before signing the deed. The agency fee is paid the same day. Most of our Bulgarian property sales are done within a month, but by giving Power of Attorney to your agent you do not have to return to complete the sale. If some legal issue crops up, the sale might take slightly longer. If a property deed isn't 100% in order our agent's solicitors will cancel the sale. Fortunately this is very rare as we try and pre-vet properties and owners. If a sale is not concluded for legal reasons, you will receive a full refund of your deposit, without deduction.
7.	Money Transfer
	Payment of funds from UK or elsewhere to Bulgaria can normally be done from your local bank. The transfer takes up to five working days. Please give yourself plenty of time and transfer at least a week before the due date. When making a transfer please check the forms carefully as even the slightest error sometimes can result and the payment is not made. This can be critical when making payment close to the deadline of the Preliminary Contract. When the Title deed is signed there is just one thing - to do, declaring the purchase with the Local Tax Office.