HOUSES AND LAND FOR SALE IN YAMBOL AND VELIKO TARNOVO, A BRIEF OUTLINE

Probably the most important factors that will affect the decisions made by anybody thinking about buying a rural home or property in central/southeastern Bulgaria, or anywhere else for that matter, will be location and cost.

Location, in our case, is inherently linked to the attractiveness of the village and surrounding countryside, views from the property, condition of neighbouring properties, the amenities and infrastructure of the community (shops, bars, medical services, etc), the number of expats and holiday home seekers that have (or have not) already purchased, as well as relative proximity to provincial capitals, larger towns, the beach, airports, and so on.
Cost is self explanatory, and an important deliberation when it comes to buying rural houses in Bulgaria, will be the relationship between the sale price and expenses involved in renovating or upgrading the property.
Additional considerations will refer to the type of house that appeals to, or satisfies the needs and wishes of the prospective foreign buyer. Be it the architectural style (traditional or more modern in appearance), size (one or two floors, number of bedrooms, dimension of rooms, etc), the intended use (holiday home, permanent residence, rental, re-sale), how much land comes with the property, etc.

RURAL BULGARIAN HOMES, COMMON FEATURES

Rural houses in Bulgaria are not a homogenous group, and come in different shapes, sizes and degrees of conservation. There are, however, a series of features that seem to repeat themselves. The following is a brief outline of what most rural properties for sale in Bulgaria appear to have in common:

• The vast majority of Bulgarian rural houses are robust structures, constructed using time honored building methods, and an intelligent combination of traditional and contemporary materials. The resistance and inherent qualities of stone, brick, local timber, ceramic tiles, lime mortar and white-wash are complimented in most cases with sections of reinforced concrete.
• Conventional wisdom also ensures that the orientation of the properties (99.9% are south facing), positioning of windows and glazed areas, thickness of walls, and the internal distribution and size of the rooms combine very effectively to provide protection from the cold winters and the long Bulgarian summers.

• Bulgarian rural homes tend to be small, sizes ranging between 60-120 m² (650-1300ft²). You will not find many "ostentatious" properties, in this part of the world. They will generally have two floors, most lack an internal staircase, and the average layout consists of approximately 6 rooms.
• The first floor will have an entrance area/corridor, and three rooms with lower ceilings approx. 2m (6.5ft). It is not uncommon to find that the ground floor is partly submerged (a foot or two) below ground level and/or built into a gradient. The second floor of the house is, in many cases, accessed by an outdoor staircase, and will have a small terrace area, an entrance corridor, and three rooms with higher ceilings approx. 3m (9-10ft), normally used as bedrooms.
• The preoccupation of the former Bulgarian regime with social welfare means that electricity, connection to the water mains and a phone line are generally standard.

• The overwhelming majority of rural houses for sale in Bulgaria come with a small plot of land or garden, on average 1000m² (¼ acre). Under current Bulgarian legislation, in order for a foreigner to be able to own the land on which a house stands, he or she must first set up a Bulgarian registered company (Ltd or OOD), and subsequently purchase the property through this company. (This procedure is simple, an integral part of our services, and its cost is included in the quoted price of the property).
• Practically every garden will have a number of established grape vines and fruit trees (apple, pear, fig, cherry, plum, and walnut). These plants seem to thrive with little or no maintenance.
• On the property you will nearly always find an adjacent "summer kitchen" or outdoor cooking area, a number of out-buildings, and more often than not, a well.

• Many Bulgarian village homes have an old fashioned toilet at the end of the garden, and cooking areas can also be basic. The need for a modern indoor bathroom, and a small kitchen will inevitably be a consideration, for most holidaymakers and prospective expats.

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TYPES OF RURAL PROPERTY FOR SALE IN BULGARIA

What has been described above should give the reader a general idea of what to expect from most rural houses for sale in Veliko Tarnovo and Yambol. However, as no two properties are the same, and shapes and sizes do vary, even within the same community, homes in the Bulgarian countryside can be grouped into separate categories.
The following break-down is not intended to be an academic study of rural architecture (and houses might fall into more than one subdivision), its purpose is enable those considering buying a village house in Bulgaria to get a rough idea of the property alternatives this market offers.

Traditionally, Bulgarian rural homes can be classified into three mayor types:

• RURAL HOUSES/COTTAGES
• TOWN HOUSES
• TRADITIONAL BULGARIAN VILLAS

Paying attention to the relationship between sale price of a property and the degree of renovation or building work needed, also allows for an alternative taxonomy, which comprises the following categories:

• RENOVATED PROPERTIES AND NEW HOUSES
• ABANDONED PROPERTIES AND UNFINISHED PROPERTIES
• RURAL PLOTS/ LAND

We have, for now, chosen to omit certain types of rural property for sale in Bulgaria, such as the highly sought-after historical houses built during the National Revival period, the stone and timber homes of the alpine regions, schools and former administrative buildings, as well as off-plan and new residential developments in larger towns or provincial capitals.

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RURAL HOUSES/COTTAGES

In smaller villages, and generally on the outskirts of most towns, the houses take on a distinctly rustic appearance, this type of property epitomizes the rural Bulgarian household. We are referring here to the unpretentious functional homes of the local farmers.
Rural houses and cottages have become, by far, the most popular purchase among foreign expats, and people searching for holiday homes in the interior of Bulgaria, primarily because of their relatively lower prices and locations, as the peripheries of the communities, more often than not, provide the best views of the surrounding countryside.

The descriptions given at the beginning of this page, especially apply to this category. Two floors connected by an external staircase seems to be the norm, however more modest homes sometimes will only have one floor with three or four rooms, and maybe a rudimentary basement area or cellar, primarily used for storage purposes.
Rural houses and cottages will often be situated some distance from the street, in the centre or at the back of the property, and always will be south-facing; garden sizes are in many cases half an acre or more (+2000m²).
Stone, brick (in some cases adobe), concrete and lime mortar, local timber and ceramic tiles are the standard construction materials. The ground floor will frequently have thick stone walls, up to 0.8 m (2.5 ft) wide; providing a solid base for the rest of the structure to sit on, and as mentioned before, it will sometimes be semi-submerged in relation to the outside. One of the reasons for this, lies in the fact that interior of the house will remain cooler during the summer months, while at the same time making it easier to keep the rooms warm in the winter.

Most Bulgarian rural houses have an entrance area that occupies the space under the external staircase and a section of second floor. In some cases it will be open to the outside, and in others protected from the elements by a glass partition, providing an extra room that in many cases is used for cooking. Kitchen areas tend to be very basic, a sink, fridge and a wood-burning cooker (in most cases the same one that is used for heating) seem to suffice. From this entry way you directly access on average, 3 other rooms. The typical room size is between 12 and 16 sq. metres (130-170 ft²), with a ceiling height of 2m (6.5ft). Many rural home renovations include digging down an extra foot or two to increase the height of the rooms on the ground floor.

There appears to be no strict criteria regarding the use that is made of these rooms. Often, in order to cut down on fuel costs during the winter months, or for convenience, elderly people will choose to use the ground floor as the main living area, this results in the living room or dinning room doubling up as the bedroom, or vice-versa; and you should not be surprised to find the TV set sitting on top of the fridge, or a pot of stew on a heating stove in what looks like the bedroom..
The second level will be a combination of brick walls, and wood beams and floor boards. The staircase and floors of the terrace and access corridor are made of reinforced concrete, as well as the "cement ring" that encircles the houses near the roof, and helps to strengthen the structure.

The three rooms on the second floor will, as mentioned, generally have wooden floorboards (making it relatively easy to install an internal staircase), a rudimentary form of plasterboard (cane or thin wood strips bonded with lime plaster) separates the loft area from the rooms bellow, and wooden beams and red ceramic tiles are the basic components of the roof.
Traditionally the upstairs rooms are used as bedrooms, especially in the summer months, as their higher ceilings allow for better ventilation.
Most windows will be positioned on the south and east facing walls, to a lesser extent on those facing west (allowing as much light in as possible, during the winter months, while at the same time reducing the heating effect in the late afternoon, of the high summer sun); and seldom will they be found on the north side of the house, limiting exposure to the cold northern winds in the winter.

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BULGARIAN TOWN HOUSES

The term town house in this case does not necessarily imply a distinct architectural style, as location rather than design, is the guideline for this category. Town houses are, in effect, the homes that are to be found in the centre and along the main streets of Bulgarian towns and villages. In many cases they will have similar shapes to those on the periphery, in others they will take on the appearance of early 20th century Bulgarian urban architecture such as pre-communist administrative buildings, the former houses of local merchants, inns, etc.

Their owners generally live and work in the villages, but don’t necessarily spend their days in the fields, (they will normally belong to the local doctor or vet, town mayor, shop owners, or those who in the past were civil servants or members of the party).
The interiors tend to be slightly more spacious than those of properties on the outskirts of the towns and villages, but the construction materials used, finish and distribution of rooms are in many cases similar to that of the previous category. Higher ceilings and larger south-facing windows seem to be favored, and sometimes there might also be an internal staircase to the second floor, as well as a serviceable loft area.

As mentioned, people who live in or own, town houses are generally a little bit better-off than their counterparts on the periphery of the community (often not having in the back of their minds the idea of one day leaving their village home for the city), and as a result they will have had the motivation, time and/or money to over the years, upgrade their properties and add small extras, such as indoor toilets and staircases, double-glazing, modern insulation, air-conditioning units, and so on.
Cooking areas will be adequate, but they will often be found in the same room that is used for eating, and can have a somewhat jumbled appearance, as microwaves ovens and modern fridges sit side by side with old Russian electric cookers, antiquated boilers, concrete sinks….and the TV and dinner table.

Town houses will have slightly smaller gardens (up to 1000m², approx. ¼ of an acre), often a wall surrounding the property, and in some cases direct access from the house to the street (in the past the ground floors of some of them have been used as shops or small businesses), garages are also a common feature.

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TRADITIONAL BULGARIAN VILLAS

During the communist period, some people (in search of a better life?), left the countryside and moved into soviet style blocks in urban areas, this trend for similar reasons, continues to this day.
Those who were in a way linked with the "party" at a time when "some citizens where more equal than others", together with those who prospered financially (especially during the years that immediately followed the fall of the communist regime) where able to construct or buy a second home.
In many cases, the wish to maintain a link with their origins, or human desire to boast to their former neighbours of their new found affluence, meant that the chosen location for this "holiday home" was the village they or their families came from.
Typical Balkan architecture, more popular in the alpine regions to the west of the country, for some reason, tends to be the chosen style.

Traditional Bulgarian villas, are generally used by their owners for recreational purposes, as typically they belong to middle class families from urban areas; and will be visited at the weekends, during holiday periods or to escape from the summer heat in the cities.
Villas are usually the best maintained type of rural property in Yambol and Veliko Tarnovo, with their interiors frequently having a better finish; and more often than not, they will have been customized with mehanas (traditionally decorated rooms set aside for gatherings), BBQs and outdoor dinning areas, gazebos, paved patios, and the odd pool. Additionally, other extras like central heating might have also been installed, as modern wood-burning fire places sold in Bulgaria equipped with a small pump that is designed to draw hot water round a conventional system of radiators, and are a popular choice.

The vast majority of traditional villas will have internal staircases to access the upper floors; and it is not uncommon to find that the kitchen, though not necessarily modern in appearance, will be in a separate room of the house and generally fully functional.
Many of these villas have been constructed making use of generous amounts of reinforced concrete. Floors, columns, staircases and in most cases the ceilings are part of one continuous solid structure, which means that loft areas can easily be converted into extra rooms, or an additional floor can be built.

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In addition to the more traditional forms of property for sale in Veliko Tarnovo and Yambol, prospective foreign home buyers might also consider some of the other real estate alternatives the Bulgarian countryside offers; depending on the initial cash outlay (i.e. purchase price) we have classified them as follows:

RENOVATED PROPERTIES and NEW HOUSES

Foreign interest in real estate in rural parts of central and southeastern Bulgaria is a relatively new phenomenon, and as recently as four years ago, fully renovated properties for sale in Yambol and Veliko Tarnovo where practically non-existent. Since then, however, small numbers of houses, that have been bought and refurbished by foreigners or enterprising young Bulgarians, are finding their way on to the property market. They are without a doubt more expensive, as the cost of the renovation or upgrading that has been carried out on them will be reflected in the sale price (naturally sellers want to profit from the time and money they have invested), but renovated houses require little or no additional work to them.

Renovated properties are an ideal option for those wishing to immediately move-in, or are buying with the intention to let, as well as for those who prefer not to engage in rural property renovations.
Often they will be found in the best locations of the more attractive villages, as many were purchased in the early days of the dash to "buy a house in Bulgaria for the price of a family car", and in consequence their owners were given the "pick of the litter", if you will, of the many houses that were available for sale.
If you are buying from another foreigner, it is likely that the property will have been renovated or upgraded according to western tastes and standards, teething problems will have been dealt with, and the sale price might also include extras such as the furniture, kitchen appliances, central heating or air conditioning units, satellite dishes, etc.

New houses and villas, on the other hand, seem to be favored by the Bulgarians, and are generally purchased or built to be used as weekend retreats or second homes. Sometimes they will emulate the traditional Balkan stone and timer houses or those built during the National revival period, and in others they will be more modern in appearance.
New builds are without a doubt, among the most expensive properties for sale in the Bulgarian countryside, as they are normally to be found in sought-after leisure areas (which means the cost of the land they stand on will be greater) and they are generally built to European standards (following contemporary building techniques, and using relatively modern construction materials). Many, for example, will have cavity walls consisting of chambered brick (or gas blocks, namely ytong), and insulated with synthetic materials; and quality double-glazing, up to date electrical installations, imported tiles, better paints, and so on, are preferred to traditional alternatives.

At the other end of the spectrum we encounter rural properties for sale in Bulgaria, that are relatively inexpensive, but require a significant amount of restoration or renovation work.

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ABANDONED HOUSES and UNFINISHED PROPERTIES

Location in this case, is without a doubt the determining factor, as an idyllic spot with exceptional views, can often make appealing, a rural property that otherwise would not be considered. This category comprises, houses that have not been lived in for some time (and have consequently fallen into disrepair), as well as those under construction that have been left uncompleted.

Changes in the demographic make up of the country are largely responsible for the existence of this type of property. As the young leave the countryside in search of better jobs and standards of living in larger towns and cities (which for many is preferable to working the land in rural areas), their parents and grandparents will often chose to join them; and as direct result, currently many of the houses for sale in Veliko Tarnovo and Yambol are empty, and showing obvious signs of neglect. Overgrown gardens, broken windows, damaged roof tiles, humid basements, blown render are not uncommon features; but this should not detract from their true potential, as most of these traditional houses are well built solid constructions, that provide a sturdy foundation on which to carry out restoration work, and achieve pleasing results.

In other cases, building projects (such as the construction of a new family home) are embarked on, and either the funds run out or the money is better spent elsewhere, as the need for one might no longer there (rural to urban migration). Often what is left is the unfinished shell of a traditional Bulgarian villa, or that of a relatively modern looking dwelling.
For prospective expats or those searching for second homes, this type of property is note worthy, as it is the middle ground that lies between buying and renovating an old house, or paying for a newly built one. Additionally, if location and cost are conducive to a profitable re-sale, foreign buyers (especially those with a background in the building or construction industry) might consider taking on one of these properties as an investment venture.

Completing an unfinished property need not be more challenging than renovating or restoring an older home, but because they can be larger than traditional houses, more expenses might be involved.
Working on the shell of an incomplete house, gives you more control over what will be the constituent materials of the house, as well as greater flexibility when it comes to customizing the property. Walls can be knocked down or built up (allowing the owner to choose the size and distribution of rooms), openings for windows created or bricked in with relative ease, the locations of bathrooms and kitchen can more freely be decided on, electrical installation and plumbing can be tailor made in accordance with the needs of the new owners, and so on.

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Besides the different types of houses that have been described, the option of simply buying a plot of land in Bulgaria, is interesting and affordable alternative, that in many cases is not considered by foreign buyers.
Land and rural plots (in the right locations) can be a very attractive proposition for those who are prepared to build their own home, for individuals looking for a passive and low-maintenance type of investment, as well as for prospective self-supporters or those moving to Bulgaria to set up a small farm, or business that might require extra space (stables, kennels, campgrounds, B&Bs, etc)
In this category we include: regulated land (with building permission) and properties with derelict houses on them that are not worth renovating (as is the case with many aging mud-brick/adobe structures), as well as fields (agricultural land) and urban plots in the larger towns and provincial capitals.