Buy with personal guidance. Discreet and local.

What a purchase involves

Six points that separate a smooth purchase from an expensive one. They are set out in full in the buying process.

Who may acquire what

Foreigners can usually acquire buildings and apartments directly. For land, restrictions apply depending on citizenship: citizens of the European Union are largely treated equally, while buyers from third countries usually acquire land not directly but through a Bulgarian company. Which form fits your case is settled before the reservation, not after it.

The process in four steps

First the preliminary contract, in writing, with the object of sale, price and deadlines. It creates a claim but does not yet transfer ownership. Then the title and encumbrance check. Then the notarial deed, by which ownership passes. Finally the notary arranges registration in the Bulgarian property register and notifies the municipality of the change.

The encumbrance certificate decides

The core of the check is the encumbrance certificate from the property register, ideally covering ten years and current as at the appointment. It shows mortgages, seizures and registered claims. Important and regularly overlooked: the notary checks the seller's ownership (Art. 586(1) of the Civil Procedure Code, GPK), but mortgages and seizures only on the parties' instruction (Art. 22 of the Notaries Act, ZNND). The certificate has to be obtained actively, otherwise nobody checks it.

What else you need

The check also calls for the cadastral sketch and the municipality's tax valuation certificate. For new builds, the use permit and the development plan are added. Anyone offered a property without these documents does not necessarily have a problem, but always has an open question.

Language and documents

If a party speaks no Bulgarian and the notary does not speak their language, the notary appoints an interpreter; if that is disregarded, the deed is void. Foreign documents require an apostille or legalisation depending on the country, and the translator's signature is notarised. We arrange sworn translators and, for the legal check, experienced lawyers.

What follows the purchase

Property tax and the waste charge are owed by the owner; you become liable from the month after acquisition. Outstanding electricity and water bills remain the previous owner's liabilities. Meter readings and transfer of accounts are best settled at the notary appointment, secured by an up-to-date encumbrance certificate and payment step by step.