The purchasing process starts with the reservation of a property either online or by post. As it is difficult to visualise the properties from a brochure or a website, we shall be delighted to arrange an inspection trip for you. Note that once you have found your property, you have to determine whether the sale is with land or not because according to the Bulgarian Constitution and legislation foreigners as persons can acquire only buildings but not land. Only Bulgarian citizens and legal persons (including such with a foreign owner) can obtain the ownership of Bulgarian land.

As far as houses, villas, flats and limited ownership rights (the right to use, build a house, etc.) are concerned,you can directly purchase them as a person. To buy a real estate property together with the land on the territory of Bulgaria you have to set up a commercial company. That is an easy process taking about four weeks. Of course, there are other ways to do it, like:

• Establishing a joint venture with existing local companies
• Setting up a new venture
• Acquiring a company through privatisation
• Making a portfolio investment
• Upon receipt of an initial contract of sale (similar to ‘Sold subject to contract’ in the UK), do the standard checks on the property using a reputable Bulgarian solicitor and sign the Notary Act (contract of purchase) in front of a Bulgarian Notary either in Bulgaria, or at the Bulgarian Embassy in London. Please, note that the final Notary Act is not signed until the building is completed in the case of off plan developments.