Bulgaria:

Hotspots

Property investment hotspots in bulgaria

Contents

Sofia

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is the largest city of republic Bulgaria and one of the oldest cities in Europe. Situated in the west of the country, it is well known for its remarkable architecture and cultural traditions. Tourists anxious to see the character of the city with the vibrancy of locals meeting for coffee at open air cafés, gypsies selling flowers on street corners, trams filled with eager shoppers and folk musicians playing to the metro users have made Sofia an increasingly desirable place to visit.

Property prices in prime locations within the city have risen significantly in the last six months. Whilst six months ago prices started from €820 per sq m, they have now increased to €1,850 per sq m and are continuing to rise.

Sofia's main buyers are currently locals as foreign investors tend to hold an interest in the coastal and ski resorts, however prices are rising as a result of recent EU accession meaning Sofia could become a property hotspot of the future.

Borovets

Borovets is the biggest and oldest winter mountain resort in Bulgaria situated only 72km (an hour's drive) from the capital Sofia. This location makes it a popular weekend get away for city residents and tourists looking to take advantage of the variety of sporting activities available. As further credit to its excellent conditions, the resort has been host to two of the Alpine Skiing World Cup competitions.

There are several apartment blocks, chalets and houses in and near to Borovets for sale. A 39sq.m apartment in Borovets would cost you €41,219 and a 142sq.m house with a garden would cost you €80,000.

Pamporovo

Pamporovo is a modern ski resort in southern Bulgaria approximately 260km from the capital Sofia. Consisting of predominantly easy runs the resort is known typically for beginner and intermediate skiers and has an excellent ski school for novices. With around 150 days of snowfall a year, Pamporovo allows for a long skiing season and has a range of facilities to offer guests and residents including cafes, restaurants, authentic folk taverns, shopping centres, and a lively night life of bars and clubs.

Pamporovo offers a variety of different property investments which can either be let out to holiday makers or used as a second or holiday home. A 33 sq.m apartment for sale in Pamporovo would cost €36,366 and a 120 sq.m house near to Pamporovo would cost you €35,000.

Bansko

A modern ski resort south of Sofia, Bansko is also rife with architecture and historical significance with over 100 cultural and historical monuments. With excellent facilities, the best snow record and longest ski season of all Bulgaria's ski resorts, Bansko has become a favourite ski, snowboarding and winter sport destination. The area also offers a variety of summer activities such as hunting, fishing, walking, mountain biking and sightseeing meaning the city has the benefit of being both a summer and a winter destination. Over 500,000 people visited Bansko during the ski season in 2004 – 2005 and over 200,000 visited for summer activities.

A huge investment surge has turned Bansko into a prime ski resort with several newly developed hotels and facilities. A 160 sq.m house near Bansko will cost around €25,000 and a 33 sq.m apartment in Bansko will cost €50,160.

Varna

Varna is the largest city on the Bulgarian black sea coast and the third largest city in Bulgaria. Offering up to 11 hours of sunbathing a day in the height of summer, the city is known to many as the marine or summer capital of Bulgaria because of the number of tourists it attracts.

Varna offers nearly all kinds of accommodation for its tourists but the current trend sees many holiday makers preferring to rent private flats or rooms. This therefore makes Varna a good investment for those looking to buy property to let out during the summer seasons.

Apartments and houses can be purchased both in and near Varna but there is a slight price increase the closer the property is to the centre. A 134 sq.m house near Varna costs €73,156 whereas an 81 sq.m apartment around Varna costs €85,600.

Plovdiv

Situated on the Maritsa River in the southern central area of the country, Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria. Comparable to Rome and Athens, Plovdiv is an ancient city and thus maintains a historic past and unique culture. It is described as a charming town because of all the things it has to offer such as gardens, museums, monuments, the local zoo and excellent water sports centre which is host to many international competitions. The old part of the town invites sightseers to gaze at the Ancient Theatre which is still used today for open air performances.

Plovdiv seems to attract those looking for a quiet holiday destination with a lot of sightseeing, walking and hiking. Research suggests that the city is more suited to the buying and selling of apartments rather than houses.

A 73 sq.m apartment in Plovdiv will cost €46,530 and a 120 sq.m house near Plovdiv could cost you as little as €10,000.

Bourgas

Bourgas is situated in the southeast of Bulgaria and typically attracts tourists seeking the seaside. However, Bourgas' prominent art and culture gives it a unique atmosphere making it a very relaxed and welcoming place for tourists and holiday makers. There is not a large sea coast in the area but three lagoon-lakes are in close proximity to the city.

The Port of Bourgas is the biggest sea port in the country and an important industrial centre while Bourgas Airport deals with all international flights in the summer months. The city has an advanced transport infrastructure designed to deal with increased trade and tourism and a duty free zone was established in 1989 to make Bourgas more appealing to foreign investors.

 

 

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