A beautiful country house in a charming Bulgarian village can still be bought for as little as €5,000 in some areas, but what should you consider when viewing such properties and making your decision to purchase such a property? Here are 5 things to carefully consider before parting with any money:

1. Renovation costs – Whenever you are considering buying an older country property, you should consider the cost of any necessary renovations. Realistically it is unlikely that any Bulgarian rural property will have a proper indoor bathroom and just an outdoor toilet, therefore you will need to install a septic tank (unless the property can be connected to the electricity grid) and have all the plumbing installed for this. and the bathroom. This will easily cost around 1,500 euros, if not more. The ceiling may need to be checked, you’ll probably want the wiring checked and probably replaced, possibly some insulation in the ceiling cavity, some heating, a proper stove, and definitely some touch-up plaster work. Structural renovations start to add a significant amount to the final bill and may require building permits. If you start thinking about putting internal stairs in the properties, making a separate room for a bathroom, etc., the costs will start to rise. Be sure to include renovation costs in your final estimate. For a small rustic property, a minimum budget of 15,000 Euros, better 20,000 to 25,000 Euros.

2. Access and Transportation – Take careful note of exactly how the property is accessed. Make sure there is a clear access route and not just a trail into the neighbors’ vegetable garden. Also ask about winter weather conditions: the road to the property can be blocked with snow, the river overflows and makes access impossible? And check out the local public transport links – is there a regular bus service or train station or will always have a car? This is an important consideration if you are thinking of renting the property.

3. The ‘convenience’ factor – How close is the property to the nearest supermarket? Is there a shop in the village, is there a restaurant, cafe etc… You really don’t want to have to drive 45 minutes along a bumpy one lane track just to get some basic supplies and neither will they your guests if you want to go out to eat or go shopping.

4. Maintenance and Administration – If the property is going to serve as a vacation home or rental property, who will take care of it in your absence? Often a friendly neighbor will be more than willing to do this, but it’s worth checking to see if there is someone who offers a management service to check on the property from time to time, do small maintenance, pay bills, etc. And the garden? While it may seem fantastic to buy a house on an acre of land, who will take care of this when you’re not around so you don’t return to the jungle on every visit?

5. Vacation Home, Rental, Capital Appreciation – Finally, when considering buying rural property, think carefully about what you are buying it for. If it’s going to be simply your vacation home then as long as you love it then go ahead, but if for a rental property you need to consider why someone would want to rent it, what there is to do in the area and the return. you are likely to get. If you’re simply looking for capital appreciation, maybe you just intend to buy a piece of land or an older house and hold on to it in the hope that prices go up, or maybe you intend to renovate and sell it. Take a look at similar renovated properties for sale in the area to get an idea of ​​what you can expect to achieve. Look at the local economy and businesses: if a new supermarket, golf course, spa, etc. is planned, all of these can help increase property prices.

You should consider all these points carefully before deciding whether to buy rural property. When you consider the total cost of renovations, you may find that it’s better to spend more up front to get a modern villa in a more affordable city.