Fri, Feb 10 2012
Israeli conglomerate Africa Israel Investments has bought land with office buildings in Bulgaria's Black Sea coastal city of Varna, a company official said.
For 76.5 million euro, Africa Israel bought the existing buildings and the right to construct other buildings in the future.
Africa Israel Investments' business development manager Akiva Azulay told SeeNews that "It is a big plot and part of it is built and the other part we are going to develop."
The company is controlled by billionaire Lev Leviev and operates in the real estate, energy, hotel services and infrastructure sectors. The company also has a commercial project and two residential developments in Sofia.
Average market prices of homes in Sofia fell by one per cent in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to the same period of 2010, according to the Raiffeisen Real Estate Index, as quoted by Klasa daily.
Proportionately, the number of transactions in leva increased as people reacted to speculation that the euro would disappear.
Nearly all banks are ready to finance between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of the price of a home, provided it is a good building in a large city, Bulgarian daily says.
Property prices in Bulgaria were five to 10 per cent lower in 2011 than in 2010, while initial estimates for this year are that they will remain largely unchanged, with transactions remaining at ‘crisis levels’.
Bulgaria’s capital city Sofia ranks 17th, report says, quoting Global Property Guide.