| Extracts from the book “There are numerous ways of searching for your home – with perhaps one of the most convenient being to use the Internet. With many estate agents offering properties for sale on the Internet, it’s not difficult to see why this method would be so appealing. But there are drawbacks. Perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks is the fact that many of the properties that you are viewing and setting your heart on, have, in fact, already been sold! Naturally, some sites are better than others, but I would advise you not to be solely reliant on the Internet. I have heard stories about people who have bought properties based only on what they have seen on the Internet. This is certainly not advisable, and I would urge you all to take the time to visit any property you are considering to buy By all means use the Internet for research, but take my advice and do not make your purchase decisions until you have actually seen the property with your own eyes!”
“A good starting point, having decided on the type of property and/or location you want, is to take a viewing trip of properties in Bulgaria. Viewing trips typically last two or three days (but could be longer!) and allow you to visit a good cross section of properties that meet your criteria. When you are unfamiliar with a particular location, these are certainly a good introduction and there are a few companies based in the UK that can provide viewing trips to Bulgaria. “
“The first contract that you will sign will be the preliminary contract. This will be drawn up in the Bulgarian language – in which case it is advisable to have a translator present to translate its contents to you verbally. There are some companies who will provide the preliminary contract in English (together with the Bulgarian contract), which makes the whole process much easier to digest. Do note that the contract must exist in at least the Bulgarian language to be legal."
“Do set up a local bank account in Bulgaria, preferably a euro account, since the majority of properties are advertised and sold in euros. As you will probably be transferring money, not only for the property you are buying, but also for other costs, including builders fees, materials, bill payments etc, it is well worth researching companies that can provide a convenient service for transferring money to and from Bulgaria. Your average high street bank (which will not thank me for pointing this out) does not offer you the best rate of exchange on currency, no matter what they tell you.” |
