Welcome to Bulgaria!
Occupying the eastern half of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria is a land of great beauty, from its Black Sea coast to its villages still somewhat living in the Middle Ages, from its rugged and mountainous interior, to its fertile Danube plains, from its fishing villages to its Roman ruins and lush valleys. At the crossroads of Europe, and for many years under Soviet regime, Bulgaria is today turning toward Western Europe, embracing capitalism and democracy and welcoming foreigners to come see what Bulgaria is all about.
Not as touristy as its neighbors, Bulgaria is a country with much to offer, with 13 centuries of history, impressive mosques, very rustic villages, flamboyantly decorated churches, and an enduring folklore, the latter a holdover from the country fancying itself a "guardian" of Balkan Christian tradition.
Sitting on an elevated plateau at the foot of Mount Vitosha, Sofia is the highest capital in Europe with a population of around 1.2 million. For centuries the center of trans-European routes, Sofia sits midway between the Black Sea and the Adriatic.
Its climate is continental, meaning long, hot and dry summers when everybody who can afford it races toward the cooling Black Sea coast, followed by bitterly cold winters, an ideal time to travel for skiers attracted to Bulgaria's major ski resorts.
Real Estate in Bulgaria
A country of 8.9 million inhabitants, poised to join the EU in 2007, Bulgaria currently enjoys a robust and dynamic housing market. Prices in 2002 to 2004 rose by 47%! House price increases have stabilized in 2005 to just slightly more than 20% year on year increase, still quite healthy when compared with its Western European counterparts. House prices increased in the low range at 14% in Yambol to over 30% in Smolyan.
A new home loan can be obtained from 6.5% to 7% for Bulgarian leva loans. House prices range from 750€/m² on average in major cities such as Sofia and Varna; to 340€/m² in the smaller cities. With nearly all Bulgarians owning their home, the market remains very local; there is however intensive and growing interest from foreign investors for Sofia properties and new development properties in the stunning Black Sea coastal resorts and mountain retreats. Real estate is increasingly viewed by the local market as a safe and sure investment and as an alternative to placing funds in a bank savings account.
About ERA in Bulgaria
ERA Bulgaria is one of the very first international residential real estate brands to enter the Bulgarian market. As pioneers, ERA Bulgaria will implement entirely new and innovative marketing methods to enhance customer satisfaction and results; they will offer comprehensive training for sales agents and management training for brokers to ensure first quality services are delivered to buyers and sellers of real estate.
ERA Bulgaria officially joined the network in September 2006 and intends to start awarding over 50 franchises over the coming months in all major and medium size cities to a carefully selected group of broker candidates.
|
