Bulgaria property news and articles

Just as the region or location is important, so too is choosing the right type of property. There are no hard and fast rules. Once again common sense with some forethought should be sufficient, but in the end you will make the choice based on personal preference.

Apartment or Villa?

When thinking of somewhere to live in Bulgaria, many people imagine a house and a garden – sometimes it’s the idea of a renovation project, or space for a pool and maybe growing tomatoes and or creating a space for entertaining and relaxing. But do not underestimate the convenience of having an apartment in town.

A town can have many facilities not found in a village and, since most towns in Bulgaria are small,you can access the countryside quickly, indeed, for many longer-term residents, the combination of having an apartment in town and a village house is ideal. This way you can spend your days in the village but stay overnight in town as and when you wish to.This can be a very convenient combination. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of liv|ng in apartments and villas are listed below.

Apartments

Advantages
• You can lock them and leave them. Apart from turning off the water and electricity. No preparations are required for arrival or departure.
•  Apartments can offer better security. You will not be isolated, and break-ins are less likely, since apartments are less accessible to burglars and there are normally people around. In cities burglar alarms can be connected to private security firms who can turn up in minutes if the alarm is set off.
•  There may be communal gardens and facilities.
•  You may have the use of a shared swimming pool, tennis courts and other facilities. These are a great advantage if you want to let your property.
•  The upkeep cost of an apartment is generally lower than the cost of maintaining a house.
•  There will be no work or maintenance in the garden and other outbuildings.
•  If there is a good management structure, major repairs will be carried out by someone else, and you will just need to make a financial contribution.

Disadvantages
•  All major repairs to the building and major maintenance are likely to be the responsibility of the community management structure of which the building is part. In some cases the management structure may be poor and you will find yourself responsible for organising your neighbours, who may not agree to pay for maintenance or repairs.
•  You will have immediate neighbours, who you do not know, and sound insulation may not be great. It is important to check this.
•  Storage space may be limited. Check if the apartment has a garage or storage room in the upper floors or a lock-up somewhere.
•  There may be no private outside area.
• There may not be parking, or it may not be nearby.
•  Stairs can be a disadvantage for the elderly or if there are too many flights up.

Houses and Villas

Advantages

•  You will have more size and space.
•  You can have a private garden and perhaps a terrace or pool area.
•  There is more scope for creativity in repair and restoration.
•  Property can be extended and improved without the need to consult others.
•  There is generally more privacy.

Disadvantages
•  There may be security issues during long absences.
•  There are higher maintenance costs.
•  There is lots more work to do in the garden!