Fri, Feb 10 2012
Almost 40 000 Britons currently have property in Bulgaria and the demand remains sufficiently high to lead to a steady price increase.
UK daily The Independent said that Bulgaria featured as one of the most attractive destinations for property buyers where one could still buy flats worth 34 000 euro.
Brokers quoted by the paper however warned that investors should no longer expect quick and easy returns.
It is increasingly difficult in the UK to gain profit from property deals on rental purposes. Interest rates in the UK increased five times from 4.5 per cent to 5.75 per cent while rental prices grew insufficiently.
This is the main reason why Britons search for investment opportunities in Eastern Europe and especially in new European Union member countries like Poland and the Czech Republic.
Brokers also advice property buyers to double-check tax rules, rental income and capital gains in overseas countries and be sure that they do not sign any documents they do not understand.
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.