Can a foreigner buy property in Bulgaria?
Citizens of EU and non-EU countries can buy apartments and buildings. For agricultural land and forests, the buyer has to be a Bulgarian company.
Does the notary check the history of the property?
No. The notary certifies the form of the deed, not the history of the property. A legal check is a separate service.
I help buyers and sellers of property in Plovdiv and across Bulgaria: checking the property, drafting the preliminary contract, attending the notary and, where needed, representing clients before the courts.
What I do
- Legal check of the property: ownership, mortgages, distraint orders, lawsuits and tax debts
- Preliminary contracts, including double-deposit terms and the right to ask the court to declare the contract final
- Purchases in buildings under construction, with attention to the commissioning of the building (Act 16)
- Representation at the notarial deed, also remotely under a power of attorney
- Disputes between owners and developers or management companies
Foreign buyers
Citizens of EU and non-EU countries can buy apartments and buildings. Agricultural land and forests can be bought only through a Bulgarian company, which I can register for you. See company registration.
Why a lawyer, not only a notary
The notary does not check the history of the property. My check covers the register entries and the chain of earlier owners, and the contract is drafted for your protection.
Costs of buying
Besides the price, expect additional costs of roughly 3–5% of the price: the local acquisition tax (about 3% of the tax value of the property), notary fees (about 0.1–0.4%), the registration fee (about 0.1%) and the lawyer’s fee.
Partner agency
My clients get 50% off the commission when buying through my partner agency in Plovdiv.
Buying or selling a property? Call me before you sign anything.
+359 896 963 447Frequently asked questions
Nikolay Hristev, Plovdiv Bar Association