1. Why invest in Bulgaria?
2. Is Bulgaria sure country?
3. What are the living costs in Bulgaria? How much one pays for house insurance, gas, electricity, local and national taxes, to hire a gardener or a builder, to drive a car?
4. How can I manage my property when I am not in Bulgaria?


1. What is the CountrysideBulgaria.som' s support for investors like me purchasing a property in Bulgaria?
2. What is the legal treatment of foreign investors in Bulgaria?
3. Can I obtain Bulgarian residence?
4. How can be established an enterprise with foreign investment in Bulgaria?


1. Which are the preferred types of business organizations with foreign investment?
2. Is the extent or amount of foreign participation in companies limited?
3. What are the guarantees for foreign investment in Bulgaria?
4. Who and how may obtain property rights over real estate in Bulgaria?


1. Can foreigners acquire ownership rights over land in Bulgaria?
2. What are the regulations for the import and export of currency by foreigners?
3. Can we pay by credit card or travelers’ cheques?
4. If our property is only going to be occupied for about two months of the year, do we really need to get good security for the rest of the time?
5. Is there fees and commissions charged by CountrysideBulgaria.com?

Why invest in Bulgaria?

Bulgaria is rapidly emerging property market, after taking a participation in EU 2007, relatively unexplored and untapped for property buyer and hence offers the opportunity to maximise your capital growth.
The country has a lot of unique opportunities and also:
Established tourist industry.
Last year the property prices in Bulgaria have gone up with more than 25% in general. Some real estates have gone up with 50% for one year, especially the ones in Sofia, in the Black Sea beach resorts (Sunny Beach) and in the ski resorts (Borovets, Bansko). The improved economic conditions, political and social stability in Bulgaria over the last 3 years brought to a real boom of the prices of property in Bulgaria.
Rising property market and a huge tourism potential in our country.
Great potential for rent out a property.
A great natural attractions - high mountains, beautiful and clean Black Sea coast, preserved rural areas, future popular golf destination, minimum urbanisation, thousands years of history, etc.
The law does not limit the extent or amount of foreign participation in companies. Foreign individuals and companies can open unlimited number of accounts in any Bulgarian banks, in any hard currency or the local Bulgarian Levs.
Change of the Constitution in 2007 according to EU standards so that all foreigners who wish to acquire property in Bulgaria will be able to do so personally, so registering a local company will not be needed.

What are the living costs in Bulgaria? How much one pays for house insurance, gas, electricity, local and national taxes, to hire a gardener or a builder, to drive a car?

Living costs in Bulgaria are extremely low! For example: 1 bottle of quality wine – 3.50 Euro; 1 large beer – 0.6 Euro; Three course meal for two with wine – 14,90 Euro; Quality cigarettes - 1,20 Euro.
House insurance: around 100-200 EURO per year depending on the type of house, together with the belongings and furniture inside. For a property of price 30,000 EURO insurance against theft, flood and fire costs about 125 EURO per year with a decent insurance company like Allianz.
Gas: the gas system network is not developed in Bulgaria yet. People here mostly use electricity to cook. For heating: there are central heating systems in the big cities: monthly costs for a 2-bedroom apartment around 120 EURO. In the small places people use charcoal and wood, which is even cheaper way to heat a house. For electricity, when used for cooking, light or hot water one pays about 30 EURO monthly. Local and national taxes for owning a property: depending on the place where the property is located, the most expensive area is the capital Sofia, where the annual taxes of 2 bedroom apartment are around 150 EURO per year, but the rest of the country is around 80 EURO per year.
To employ a gardener or maintenance man or builder you will not pay much. The average salary in Bulgaria is 250 EURO per month.
Driving a car in Bulgaria: There are few annual fees that must be paid every year to drive a car in our country:
1. Driver responsibility insurance: 30 EURO per year
2. Road tax (depending on the engine power): around 50 EURO per year for a car of 2000 ccm. engine.
3. MOT: 12 EURO per year
Fuel prices: petrol: 1  EURO/L, diesel: EURO/L, LPG: only 0.50 euro/l. Most of the cars in Bulgaria are equipped with LPG systems, so cars are mostly fueled with the non-pollutant and very cheap propane gas. There are many petrol stations everywhere, many garages to service the cars (very cheap though), many good companies (eg. Allianz). Annual theft and accident insurance for a brand new car is around 800-1000 EURO.
Bulgaria has the cheapest brand new cars in Europe. For example the new Renault Clio costs only 6,500 EURO. Second hand vehicles of any type and brand are available too in very cheap prices.

How can I manage my property when I am not in Bulgaria?

Countryside Bulgaria provide a complete turn-key management service to the owners of holiday homes in Bulgaria:
Management & Maintenance (400 Eur per year) - Owners who are not willing to rent out their property are welcome to take advantage of our Management & Maintenance service.
We will look after and keep your property in good order at any time. This also includes key handling, full organisation of paperwork, permanent communication with the property owner at all time, visiting of the property once on every two weeks to make sure that everything is fine, representation of the property owner before third party service providers (inclusive electricity and water supply companies, electronic security companies, etc.). Our local team will also pay the utility bills and annual local tax on your behalf. If any repairs are needed we can arrange for a qualified technical person to visit the place and fix the problem.
Please note that the annual charge does not include the cost of the bills or services provided. For providing the above services we charge annual management fee of 400 Euros (including VAT).
Properties located outside the towns/resorts where our local office is will be charged additionally at 0.20 Euros/km for covering the transportation costs.
The most important requirement which we have is that the property is connected to an electronic security system with live secirity guards (costs approx. 10 Euros per month + equipment). We also must have a key from the property and a power of attorney in order to provide these services.
We reserve the right not to accept a certain property for servicing.
Management & Letting - Negotiable.

What is the CountrysideBulgaria.som's support for investors like me purchasing a property in Bulgaria?

We can give you a fair advice and consult you, perform examination of the market, etc.
We can make a survey for your property.
We can build or refurbish your property at the most reasonable price.
We can help you with furniture buying.
We can manage your property.
We can advertise your rental property. See all details here
Sell your property when you feel it's time to do so.
We can help you buy a car in Bulgaria.

What is the legal treatment of foreign investors in Bulgaria?

Equal rights and position of the Bulgarian and foreign investors;
Priority of those international agreements that guarantee more favorable conditions for carrying out business activities by foreign persons. Unlimited foreign participation in all forms of business activity registered in Bulgaria.

Can I obtain Bulgarian residence?

To obtain a permanent residence one must spend 5 years in Bulgaria under the long-term stay conditions and we can fully assist you in this process. A long term stay permit is valid for 1 year and is issued each year. During each year of stay you are issued a Bulgarian Identity Card (the same ID document that each Bulgarian citizen holds.) After 5 years under long-term permit one can apply for permanent residence. Since each application is strictly individual the process timeof obtaining a long-term stay conditions can vary from 10 days to 3 months.

How can be established an enterprise with foreign investment in Bulgaria?

Foreign investment typically assumes one of the following forms: establishing a joint venture with existing companies; acquiring a company through privatization; setting up a new (green field) venture or making a portfolio investment.

Which are the preferred types of business organizations with foreign investment?

The most common form of organization for foreign investors is a limited liability company. Other types are general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock company, sole proprietorship, joint venture, branch, holding, cooperatives, representative office. Limited liability companies, unlimited partnerships, public limited companies, limited partnerships, holdings and cooperatives are legal entities. Branches and representations are not independent legal entities: branches may engage in economic activities, they have their own property and compile a separate balance sheet; representations may not engage in economic activities.

Is the extent or amount of foreign participation in companies limited?

No

What are the guarantees for foreign investment in Bulgaria?

National Treatment
Most Favored Nation Status
Priority of International Treaties
Legal Guarantees against Adverse Changes in the Law - the provisions of the Law that have been effective at the moment of making the investment, should be applied for any foreign investment executed before the changes of the legislation setting up legal normative restrictions for the foreign investment.
Protection Against Expropriation - real estate property owned by a foreign person can be expropriated only on lawful grounds, for especially important purposes of the State that can not be satisfied otherwise.

Who and how may obtain property rights over real estate in Bulgaria?

Foreign nationals and foreign legal entities may acquire ownership title over buildings and limited ownership rights over property in the Republic of Bulgaria.

Can foreigners acquire ownership rights over land in Bulgaria?

Foreign individuals can not own land (this is a Constitutional prohibition). However, the Foreign Investment Law removed the restrictions on acquisition of land by locally-registered companies with foreign participation. By setting up or joining a company incorporated under the Bulgarian legislation foreign persons can acquire full land ownership rights including ownership rights on agricultural land.

What are the regulations for the import and export of currency by foreigners?

Obviously you will need your passport, but also some Euros if you want to place a deposit immediately. (You can bring up to 10,000 Euros each into Bulgaria without declaring it if you have come from another EU country.). We would suggest you bring some sturdy shoes if you are looking at properties in the country, as some may be less accessible than others.

Can we pay by credit card or travelers’ cheques?

Travelers’ cheques are cashed only in the big towns and they charge high commissions on them. You can pay us using your credit or debit card for your property. Normal cheques take about 4 weeks to clear and they are not suitable for payments, especially for placing a deposit!

If our property is only going to be occupied for about two months of the year, do we really need to get good security for the rest of the time?

Yes, we recommend you have special alarm system and private property protection which costs 13-25 EURO per month. There are few very professional companies in Bulgaria providing such service.

Is there fees and commissions charged by CountrysideBulgaria.com?

After 2007 when Bulgaria became a member of EU foreign citizens can buy already both buildings and land in Bulgaria personally Till 2007, according to the Bulgarian act on foreign investment foreigners could buy buildings but not land. Therefore the most common method is to set up a company which then owns the property. Each potential our buyer can choose both ow ways of buying.

We can organize the entire process from start to finish together with all aspects of conveyancing and we will guide you through the maze of Bulgarian property law. If you want to set up your own copmany the taxes for open are 600 Euros. As well as to open a bank account you have to put 5,000 leva (2,560 Euros) in some Bulgarian bank. These 5,000 leva are just a deposit (to open an account for your company), when company will be registered you can refund these 5,000 leva.

The annual taxes for a home in Bulgaria is not expensive - between 50 Eur and 200 Eur per Year depending on the property.

If you want to buy a property in your first visit to Bulgaria you can deposit it for 10% from the amount.
In this case to buy a home in Bulgaria you need pay 600 Euros for set up-a-company-fees, 2,500 Euros just to open an account in some bank to your Bulgarian company (these ones are your money and you can use them) and our real estate agent fee (3%).