FAQ - Vip Home Ltd Property in Bulgaria, Bulgarian properties for sale. Home Mortgage in Bulgaria.
FAQ


What documents are required from the seller at the sale of a real estate?

At the sale of property, the seller must have the following documents:

  1. Document for ownership (notary deed or another ownership certificate);
  2. Document for identity (identity card, passport);
  3. Tax assessment of the property (done by the taxation authorities);
  4. Plan of the property (if the object of the deal is a yard);
  5. Partition report (if the property has been divided);
  6. A certificate that the property hasn’t been declared municipal (only for deals with yards; this certificate is issued by department “Municipal ownership”);
  7. A certificate that the building has been constructed according to an approved architectural plan (necessary only if there has been construction in the property, which has not been stated in the notary deed);
  8. A certificate for inheritors (required if the owner is dead);
  9. Power of attorney (required if the seller cannot be present during the organization and conclusion of the deal, and has authorized another person);

Other documents according to the characteristics of the property, for example a death certificate, a birth certificate, a divorce certificate, a marriage certificate, etc.

Why is a preliminary contract necessary?

The preliminary contract for sale of a real estate is an agreement between the seller and the buyer. It contains the basic elements of the final contract (information about the seller and the buyer, about the property, price, terms, etc.). The preliminary contract for sale of a real estate does not transfer the ownership right over the property. Through the preliminary contract the seller and the buyer only take responsibility to conclude a final contract in the future, with which to transfer the ownership right over the property.

The preliminary contract must be in written form. When it is signed, the Buyer pays to the Seller a deposit, usually 10% of the property price.

 

Check for legal burdens of the real estate

Before the deal is concluded at the notary’s office, a check must be done at the registering service for legal burdens of the property. If the property has any burdens, after the sale they are transferred to the new owner, and he/she takes responsibility for them.

 

  • Is it possible to buy without coming to Bulgaria?
    Yes, this is possible, but not always so straight forward. You will have to get documents signed and stamped in the UK. It is often easier and quicker to come to Bulgaria for a couple of days and sort everything out here. Plus, you will be able to see the property.
  • Will we get ownership documents for the property?
    Yes, you will have title deeds in your name, or if you are buying through a company, your company name.

 

Do we need a visa?
At the moment EU citizens can stay in Bulgaria for 90 days in any 6 months. Any more than that and you can easily apply for a Residence Certificate once you are in Bulgaria. This is valid for up to five years.

 

What about the cost of living there?
Compared with UK prices, this is extremely cheap. A loaf of bread should be about 30 pence, a pint of lager about 60 pence, a packet of cigarettes about 80 pence. A litre of petrol is about 75 pence.
It's not possible to compare living costs in Bulgaria and Western Europe.
A few examples: House insurance is around 100-200 Ђ Euros per year for buildings and contents (depending on the type of house). For a 30,000 Ђ Euros property, insurance against theft, flood and fire costs about 125 Ђ Euros per year with a decent insurance company like Allianz. For heating, there are central heating systems in the big cities: monthly costs for a 2-bedroom apartment around 100 Ђ Euros. In the towns and villages, people use charcoal and wood, which is a cheaper way to heat a house. For electricity, when used for cooking, lighting or heating water, one pays about 30 Ђ Euros monthly. Local and national taxes for
owning a property vary greatly depending on the location, but for the capital (and most expensive area) expect to pay around 150 Euros for a 2 bed apartment.

 
Driving a car in Bulgaria.
There are few annual fees that must be paid every year to drive a car in our country:
Third party insurance, 30 Euros per year. Road tax (depending on the engine power): around 50 Euros per year for a 2.0 litre engine and MOT, 12 Euros per year. Many cars in Bulgaria are equipped with LPG systems, which is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than petrol. Bulgaria has the cheapest brand new cars in Europe. For example the new Renault Clio costs only 6,500 Ђ EURO. Second hand vehicles of any type and brand are also widely available.