New build Villas

Why Bulgaria?

I have to start by saying that this information reflects my own opinion and experience. I read and see on TV, all sorts of pundits and 'Property Professionals' giving their thoughts, mostly without any deep knowledge of the property market in Bulgaria. All too often, their point of view is 'adjusted' by their own property holdings, or the area of operation of their own business, or by sheer ignorance. Eastern Europe is a very different place from what many are used to, with systems and procedures varying widely from country to country - Bulgaria is not Poland, or Romania, or Croatia. There is suprisingly little real information available on the realities of buying in Bulgaria, hence this booklet.

Bulgaria is often described as being an 'Emerging Market'. Just pause for a moment to think about what that means. It means that you may expect to be trading facilities, infrastructure, security, civilisation, and sanitation in exchange for the opportunity to make some easy money. However, in the case of Bulgaria, you will not be asked to give up very much in return for the opportunity to buy into this market. What you are dealing with is an expanding economy with an open, energetic people, who have a desire to work to develop their country. English is widely-spoken, and the dreaded Siesta does not exist.

The Black Sea area of Bulgaria is on the same latitude as southen France, and since no one seems to view the weather in Provence or Tuscany as being a reason not to buy there, then I cannot see it being a problem for those considering this area of Bulgaria either. Flight times from the UK are the same as to Malaga, so again, distance is not a reasonable objection, and Bulgaria has signed the European Open Skys Agreement allowing the low-cost airlines access to Burgas Airport, bringing cheap flights to Bulgaria from spring 2007.

Bulgaria offers the investor, the opportunity to purchase land and construct property, at prices that have not been seen since Spain in the 1960's. For those seeking a holiday or retirement location, then Bulgaria, with its friendly people and low prices, offers a wonderful alternative to more established locations in Europe. Since the fall of the Soviet Empire, Bulgaria has had to face the ups and downs of The Market, but with its EU & NATO membership, the future looks stable for investors.

Add to that the beautiful countryside, the charming people coupled with the low cost of living, and you have compelling reasons for considering this country as an investment opportunity, for a holiday-home, or as your permanent residence.

There is a lot of property and land for sale in Bulgaria as the population is both shrinking, and moving to the cities ( and overseas, to work as well ): Where to buy is as important as what to buy. There is lots of cheap property inland and in the mountain areas away from the ski resorts. If you are looking for a quiet, cheap, purchase then these areas may be worth considering, but you will be a long way from an airport, so rental is not really an option, and accept that facilities and communications may be lacking.

Burgas Region

I shall be concentrating upon the Black Sea Coast around the city of Burgas, as this is my area of experience.

This region of Bulgaria offers a temperate climate with long, hot summers, and cool, but not arctic winters. It is on the same latitude as southern France with similar summer and winter temperatures. Apart from Burgas City itself, the region is sparsely-populated and rural in nature, with very little industry.

Communication and transport are quite good, with the new Sofia to Burgas motorway under construction, which will bring much-improved road links into the interior. There is also a good and inexpensive rail network which is being upgraded to accept the increased freight anticipated with EU entry. The International Airport near to Burgas is capable of handling the largest jets, with Terminal facilities currently being expanded to accommodate the increase in passenger numbers.

Electronic communications are also quite good, with mobile-phones working almost everywhere, and internet, by landline or wireless network being available in much of the countryside. ADSL high-speed internet is being expanded in rural areas, along with high-speed Wi-max networks. In the next few years nearly all of this region should be able to connect to the internet at broadband speeds, removing the electronic-isolation of rural communities.

This region offers a more traditional location for a holiday-home or retirement investment than inland areas do. It is also easier to rent property in this region, which may be a consideration for you.

Access

As of September 2006 British Citizens will be able to stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days in any six month period without a visa. Self-Employed people, and those with business interests in Bulgaria will be able to apply for a 5 year permit.

In practice this means that UK citizens will be able to reside for indefinate periods in Bulgaria, as in other regions of the EU, but will have to register as residents if staying longer than six months at a time - this is exactly the same official-situation in all other EU countries. The advantage of registering is that you will get a Bulgarian ID Card, and be recognised as being a resident, which may bring other benefits, on the tax and social security side.

Visa restrictions should no longer be a factor in timing your decision to buy as EU Citizens can move and reside freely in any member-state.

Finance

You will discover that Eastern Europe does not have the financial infrastructure that we have become used to in the UK. Credit cards are not widely accepted, while loans and mortgages are unavailable to most people. Cash is still the primary method of paying for things, large and small, and daily withdrawal-limits at cash-machines can be very low, which is a point to note if planning a holiday in Bulgaria.

It is a good idea to open a bank account if you are planning to purchase property. Part of the process of company formation; a requirement if you want to own land in Bulgaria, involves a special bank account into which the initial capital of the business must be put. However, this account is not a general trading account, and will be closed upon company formation being completed, with a proper Business Account taking its place, which must be opened separately. There are lots of banks to choose from, but I have found that UBB offers a comprehensive service, internet-banking and a large branch network : it is also very large and well-funded, so the risk of failure is very small. The larger Bulgarian Banks are now stable and secure organisations and are unlikely to offer a risk to your deposits.

There are mortgage products available that are secured upon Bulgarian property, but at the moment, these are not very attractive deals, with only 70% of the purchase-price being lent, and repayments in Euros only. If you are building a property or buying an off-plan house, then it is only upon completion that the money will be advanced, so you need to be able to fund the deal yourself anyway, which asks the question, why would you then need to borrow money? In reality, most people re-mortgage their UK property and apply the money to their Bulgarian purchase, and this situation seems set to continue into the forseeable future.

What to Buy?

Firstly, a quick word on pricing. Bulgaria is a very inexpensive place to buy land and property, but like everywhere else there are more and less expensive areas depending upon various factors. Just as a building plot in Liverpool will be much cheaper than one in central London, so to do the prices vary by large amounts in Bulgaria. A parcel of land near to the Black Sea beaches, with proximity to the airport will cost 2-3 times as much as a similar-sized parcel 20 miles inland; if it has a sea view, then you can add another 20% for that. Like any developing situation, the creation of major facilities, like golf courses will influence the situation greatly, but remember also, that in 10 years time these may be the areas that are far more desirable to buyers than undeveloped ones.

Apartments: The main choice is between the Resort of Sunny Beach, and the various other smaller resorts, and independent developments along the same stretch of coastline.

Sunny Beach is a lively, noisy, colourful resort which you will either love or hate. Located in a beautiful bay, and close to Burgas Airport, it can be a good location for pure investment. Apartments can be purchased from constructors with rental deals included, but whether this idea will work in practice remains to be seen. However, it should be noted that prices are climbing slowly, and the sheer number of flats, may spell problems for the rental-market in the mid-future, as the airport infrastructure is not likely to be able to handle the volume of holidaymakers needed to fill all this capacity for some years to come.

If you like resorts, want a flat to use for your own holidays, and see possibility of rental as an extra perk, then by all means consider a purchase in the resorts: make sure that you get a good deal on price and understand all the small print regarding charges. One word of caution; do not depend upon rental income to finance any loan that you may wish to take out to buy an apartment - or indeed any property: the rental market will take a number of years to develop fully, and the cheap flights that will sustain it are not going to be available until at least Summer 2007.

New Houses: Due to the nature of investment, most new construction is creating apartments, as these give the greatest return to a developer and sell readily. However, an apartment in a beach-resort is not for everyone, and people seeking a better long-term investment, or perhaps with a view to retirement in the future, will prefer a house in the country.

At the moment there is not too much choice. Smaller, independent developers are scarce; Bulgarians do not have the resources to build, and few foreign investors are brave-enough or able, to contemplate speculative-building. One solution, tried and tested in Spain, is the Off-Plan Development. This method allows a purchaser to pay in stages, minimising their risk, and allowing the builder to finance the construction as he goes-along. This can be risky if it is an apartment being built, but less-so with a house, as a proper contract can offer considerable protection to a buyer in the case of non-completion.

While there is nothing wrong in Off-Plan Development, this method of financing a construction is often used by landowners who have no building experience, to develop their land rather than offer it for sale as building plots. Their total investment may consist of having a few computer-impressions of the finished houses created, without any means of actually constructing them. I am not saying that all developers of Off-Plan Property fall into this catagory, but most do.

Any serious developer will have divided the land into building plots, rather then having 'shared-ownership' of the land, an arrangement which will make it impossible to mortgage in the future and will restrict any changes that you may wish to make to the property. They should also be able to produce the necessary official documentation to show building-permission, plan-approval and provision of services. They will also have built a show-house, to give something solid to show to prospective buyers, and to demonstrate their construction capabilities. In other words, to do what every developer in Britain would do.

Land/Buildings: An alternative is to purchase a parcel of land with, or without a building upon it. This will usually be in or near to one of the 'Villages' that are to be found dotted about the hinterland. I use inverted commas for the term Villages, because these are not villages as we would understand them; it would be better to describe most of them as being collections of dwellings. Rural Bulgaria is very poor: what you could have repaired or maintained without a second-thought, is beyond the resources of most people in the country and this has caused the housing stock to get very run-down indeed.

This said, land parcels are a very good investment. While there is lots of land available, the most desirable locations are being snapped-up quickly: those with a sea view, nice location, near to new golf-courses etc, are in steady demand, while those in some of the nicer villages are a good long-term investment.

Having mentioned my reservations about the state of rural infrastructure, many people do find property in villages an attractive proposition, although advertised facilities such as Shops, Bars, Post Offices etc, often fail to match their description. It is also worth looking at Villa-Zones. These are areas, usually close to villages, that are divided into plots of land where city-dwellers go at the weekend to get back to nature. Some have small villas on them, some just a hut or shed, but these areas can be some of the most peaceful and charming places in which to buy-and-build.

Entry into the EU has raised one problem to consider when purchasing land. The EU has a policy of creating protected areas of natural beauty, environmental interest, or habitat, and it has been estimated that up to 30% of rural Bulgaria could qualify for this status. That means no building or development can take place in the designated areas, and this is something to be aware of.

Houses for renovation: There are not many old houses left to renovate near to the coast, and what is left can be in a pretty poor state. While it is tempting to think that land with a house on it is a better bet than land alone, you often find that the condition of the property is so poor that you just end up with the additional cost of demolishing the existing property to make way for a new one. Our building company has been asked to quote for renovations time-and-again, only to conclude that a property is beyond economic repair. If you do want to find a property for renovation then you will have to look a bit further inland for a bargain. There is plenty of reasonable property available 20 miles or so into the country: remember the important factors of airport-proximity, facilities, access and transport links. Remember also that it will cost more to renovate inland as materials and labour will have to travel to your location, which could add 25% to overall costs.

Depending upon who you ask for a price, you may be surprised by the wide variation in quotations for renovation work. The reason for this is that it is usual for builders to quote a low price to obtain the work, and then return to you for much more part-way through the job. So that low-price may turn out to be very costly indeed; look beyond the simple price and ask yourself what other factors to consider. Can the builder show you other work that they have done? Can they offer the range of services needed to complete the job, and make it legal? It is certainly not unheard of for a 'builder' to ask for a large upfront payment and then never be seen again, so please, think before you plunge into a bottomless money-pit.

In general however, the future looks bright, and improvements will take place: if you had visited Spain in the late '50's as I did as a child, then you would have seen exactly the same conditions as you see in the Bulgarian countryside now; in fact, much of inland Spain is still pretty basic and were it not for EU membership most of it would resemble Bulgaria today. Things will get better!

Building and Development

Most people purchasing in Bulgaria will, at some time, require a builder. Whether its a bit of work to renovate a holiday-home, or a new construction, finding the right builder is vital.

Let me say at the outset, that this is a difficult business; language, different working methods, the regulations and the perception that foreigners are wealthy, can all conspire to defeat you, and that is assuming that you can find someone to do the work in the first place.

Builders are the same the world over, and that statement alone, should be enough to caution you! There are a number of factors that cause problems, most of which are as a result of the inexperience of developers in general, or in the Bulgarian market in particular, but, the great problem is the unrealistic expectations of developers where cost is concerned.

Bulgaria is a cheap place to build, but remember that skilled tradesmen are in great demand in the tourist areas, and they want a a good price for their services. I have met many English people with completely unrealistic ideas of the cost of construction; its not enough for prices to be around a third of the cost in the UK, or half the cost of Spain - they think that it can all be done for nothing! Labour rates are low, but materials and transport are rising costs as development increases and capacity is filled. It is cheap to build and renovate property in Bulgaria, but a practical approach is vital for success.

Unless you have excellent Bulgarian and construction experience, it is unlikely that you will be able to manage a project on your own, and even if you do the prices charged to foreigners are much higher than to Bulgarians.

Building regulations and planning controls can be quite the equal of anything you may find in the UK, and lots of projects have foundered because people are told that building permission is not needed, or inspection is unnecessary: your builders are long-gone with your money by the time the authorities arrive to request demolition.

You will need the services of a local company that can manage your project from start to finish, provide the labour and materials needed, and all the support and design services required to produce a sound and legal conclusion. Renovations are not so strictly monitored, but new buildings must be constructed to the current Building Standard. I cannot stress enough the need to obtain a Habitation Certificate upon the completion of the build, otherwise your property cannot be sold or inhabited legally. The days of throwing-up a cheap, uninsulated hut for summer living are a thing of the past, so please do not be seduced by the promise of a cheap construction.

When considering your purchase, you need to ask yourself why you want to buy property in Bulgaria. Is it investment for the future; a safe haven for some money; a holiday-retreat; a retirement home, or just because its fashionable. The good news is that there is so much growth potential in Bulgarian Property, that you will have to make a real mistake to fail to realise some return on your money. But, while there are certain properties that will make a much better investment than others, they may be in locations that may not appeal to you personally, and conversely, there are wonderful places that are never going to be the most profitable investment, so choose what suits your needs.

How to Buy - what you will be told.

Bulgaria has a very simple and reliable Land Registration Scheme, and this makes the process of purchase quite straightforward. All Land is registed and has a title deed, which will show the Title Number, the location and the dimensions of the land parcel on it, and is very similar to the Title Document in the UK.

Our latest information is that, even with EU Membership, transitional arrangements will mean that you will need to form a Bulgarian Limited Company to hold your land until 2014, as foreigners are not permitted to own land ( but you can buy an apartment without a company ). Company formation is simple, and takes about 4 weeks to complete. One point to note is that you will need to deposit 1800 UK Pounds into a special bank account in Bulgaria, to create the company: once the process is complete you can withdraw this money and use it towards the purchase of your property.

Having found a suitable property/flat/land you will need to sign an agreement with the seller, which commits you both to the transaction; this usually allows a month for completion of the deal, which does not of course, leave much time for the formation of the company, money transfer etc - more on this later.

On the agreed date for sale, you or your appointed representative will appear before a Notary Public who will satify themself of the validity of the transaction. With all the paperwork in order, the Notary Act will be signed and this transfers the property; you will receive your Deeds about 4 weeks later.

How to Buy - in Reality.

First of all, if you are serious about buying in Bulgaria, then form your company first, before you make a visit, or think about buying anything. This has two advantages; you will not be racing like a maniac to complete all the formalities before leaving to go home, and you will not be tied to any one estate agent for the whole deal.

If you come to Bulgaria and need to form the company while you are there, then you will have to spend a half-a-day opening a bank account, half-a-day at the notary sorting out the paperwork, and still hope that your company will be formed in time to complete the deal before the preliminary contract expires.

You will also need to bring a considerable amount of cash with you - the deposit for the property, the fees for company formation, the purchasing charges and agent's commission, and the property tax - perhaps as much as 4-8000 Pounds for the average transaction.

Now I have travelled and done business in Eastern Europe for 30 years and know my way around, but even I would have concerns about carrying this amount of money in cash with me. It has to be cash because credit cards have strict limits on them and UK Cheques can take up to 4 weeks and 40 Pounds to clear.

Play it safe, and avoid the need to carry large sums of cash with you when visiting Bulgaria. My company offers A Remote Company Formation Service with a fixed fee of �495.00. You do not need to visit Bulgaria and we provide the �1800.00 initial capital, required by the Bulgarian Government, from our funds. This is a good first-step, and will save you the concern of transfering a large amount of money to an unknown and untried recipient.

ABOVE ALL: understand exactly who you are dealing with. Estate Agents, Builders, Friends-of-Taxidrivers, and even Lawyers, can vanish with your money leaving you with a worthless piece of paper. Having said that, there are plenty of honest and friendly people in Bulgaria, just trying to make a few Leva by assisting you to realise your goal, so don't be too nervous - just cautious.

Further Information on Buying

Throughout Europe, property transactions are carried-out by a Notary Public. These are people who hold a special legal position, a sort of cross between a Lawyer, and a Public Official. There are variations or powers and status between different countries; in the UK they are Solicitors who are registered with the UK Government as Notaries, and who mainly authenticate documents and identities for overseas transactions; in Bulgaria, they have a more wider involvement in the day-to-day life of people.

Being a Notary in Bulgaria is a really good job, so cases of corruption or error are very rare indeed, and these people may be trusted to perform their function correctly and honestly. It is not necessary to use a Lawyer to represent you at a closing as the Notary will look after the interests of both parties in so far as the validity of ownership, the identity of the parties and the legality of the transfer is concerned. They are however, not a free legal service and will not advise anyone as to their rights or course of action in a given situation, they only uphold the law.

Nearly all Bulgarian Estate Agents will require you to visit Bulgaria to sign the documents for company formation and for the property transfer. This is because they do not have a clear understanding of British Law, and the Notary System as it applies in the UK : we often represent both parties at a land transfer, and do not require the attendence of the buyer at either the Notary's office or for the signing of company formation documents. This can remove the extra travel costs involved and can save up to 1000 UK Pounds on a deal.

The basic process of a sale goes like this : The buyer sees a property or land-parcel that they like, and wish to purchase. A Preliminary Contract is drawn-up between the Buyer & Seller, which binds the parties to complete the transaction, usually within 30 days. The Buyer then pays a 10% deposit to the Seller. In the event of the Buyer failing to complete, their deposit is lost, and if the Seller fails to complete, then they must pay the Buyer twice the amount of the deposit. This system does protect the interests of both parties, and is generally a good solution to prevent gazumping.

Every document should be translated by a Certified Translator so that you understand what is contained within them. The Notary will not permit you to sign the transfer document without the translated version being read to you.

At this point we will divide the story into two parts : Part One concerns small transactions, and Part Two, large ones.

Small Transactions : At the appointed time, both parties visit the Notaries Office; documents are presented and checked, and the transaction is completed by signing the Notorial Act. Your agent will normally have requested payment in cash prior to the transaction taking place, and you will either have visited a bank with them or actualy drawn the money to pay them. Doing business in cash may be alien to British people, but it is the norm in Europe where property deals are concerned; I shall explain why later.

Large Transactions : Obviously no one is going to be happy about walking around with large sums of money in cash, nor will they want to pay over the money prior to the transfer at the Notary's office, so a different arrangement is used. It us usual for the Buyer to transfer their money into a Bulgarian Bank Account in their name. As the transfer of property is taking place, the Buyer pays the Seller at the bank, and the matter is settled.

Now, the reason why transactions are done in cash throughout Europe. Almost all European governments levy a tax upon property transactions, a bit like Stamp Duty in the UK, and, in the case of new constructions, V.A.T. at 20% Obviously the Buyers who have to pay this tax would rather minimise the amount, and so the price that appears upon the transfer document is almost always lower than the actual price paid. I know that a lot of 'po-faced' people frown upon this practice, but it is deeply entrenched, and the advantage to the Seller, of paying less capital gains tax balances the advantage to the Buyer.

I pass no comment upon the morality of the situation, but I am trying to tell you what the situation is, not what it should be, and buyers should be aware of this process when planning a purchase, as Sellers often pull-out of a deal if this arrangement cannot be made between them and the Buyer. Indeed, the entire pricing structure of the Bulgarian, and for that matter, European, marketplace depends upon this practice being maintained, so if its not for you, then perhaps a nice bungalow in Devon is a better idea.

One additional point to note is that your annual property tax will be related to the amount that you paid for the property, something to consider as governments seek new sources of revenue, and foreign investors look to be a simple target.

About a month after the transfer, you will receive your Title Deeds.

Since your company owns the property, then you must take steps to ensure that someone is acting for you to handle official letters, bills, property tax etc; if these matters are not handled properly then your ownership of the property is put at risk.

So that, in a rather candid nutshell, is the buying procedure in Bulgaria.

My Advice to Buyers.

I have gained my knowledge of the Bulgarian Property Market by being active in it myself. Having spent 30 years doing business in Eastern Europe, and looking for new opportunities, I saw the potential of Bulgaria, and formed an Estate Agency & Construction Company based in Burgas, on the Black Sea Coast. I chose Burgas because it offered a central location in, what I consider to be, the fastest growing area of property development in Europe, and one with the greatest potential for growth and profit.

Imagine the Costa-del-Sol in 1958; this is what you are looking at here, with similar land-prices and building costs as back then. Seeing this opportunity, I found, a Bulgarian Partner for the venture and we formed a joint-venture company with offices in both countries. I believe that it is only by using this route that a proper level of service may be offered to clients.

Whatever your plans, it is vital that you establish a good relationship with someone who understands Bulgarian Property Laws, Planning Laws, Building Regulations, and of course, how things really get done, in Bulgaria. The other factor to consider is that, at the first sign of a foreign face and prices treble, so finding a bargain on your own is difficult.

You will need to find someone who has a foot in both countries, and can handle the complexities of purchase, building permissions, money-transfer etc. Needless to say, such people are few and far-between and you must judge who is genuine and who is less-than-honest.

Estate Agents: Bulgarian-owned and operated agencies are the most common kind: they understand the market, and procedures well, but often take a 'scattergun' approach to showing property to clients, which can be very time-consuming and confusing. Most are honest, some are not ; ask whether their business is registered as a property company, or as some other type of business (property companies have to pay a special tax to operate, others types do not), get all documents translated into English by a Certified Translator, and check on the price of company formation and sales-fees before buying.

It is always comforting to see an office with the Agent's name over the door, a landline telephone number, and other signs of a professional business in operation, but Bulgaria is a less formal place than the UK, and you will need to judge the competence and honesty of the people you are dealing will for yourself.

There are lots of UK Agents with nice websites, offering a service to UK purchasers. While they may be capable, I doubt that they will have the knowledge, and structures in place, to really control the situation properly. Bulgarian Property Law is not complex, but things have to be done properly if a successful and legal outcome is to be reached. Its very easy for someone to visit Bulgaria on holiday, meet a local contact, and set up as an estate agent upon their return. Ok - I am not saying that this is a reason not to deal with them, as we all have to start somewhere, but it does mean that people with a very low level of expertise can enter the market, and fly by the seat of their pants.

One last comment about estate agents: we have recently seen a number of rascals moving from Spain into the Bulgarian Market. This group have some very dubious members amongst their number, most of whom have a background in Double-Glazing, Home Improvements, and Timeshare sales, who have been drawn into the developing market in Bulgaria. Mostly English, you will very quickly recognise this type when you meet them; please remember my words of caution when you do.

Lawyers: well, you pays your money and takes your choice with these guys. Many are honest and reliable, but you do find the odd bad one, and suprisingly, many do not know much about foreign purchase procedures or anything about building permits, residence-requiements, company accounting, tax or business. Like Lawyers the world-over, they like to pad-out their work, and can cause all sorts of problems and delays in a deal, by trying to be clever and impress their clients. Just remember that you are in control, with them in an advisory role, not the other way around.

Taxi-Drivers, Waiters, Street-Vendors, and other helpful people: unless you are very brave, please stay away from this type of assistance. Many of them are honest people just trying to make a buck, but understand that they are unlikely to have the knowledge or contacts necessary to produce a legal and correct outcome, and you could find yourself dealing with some VERY unpleasent people, so be warned.

In Conclusion

Bulgaria is an opportunity for many buyers, priced-out of traditional markets, to buy a holiday or retirement home in the sun. The risks of buying in this country are slight as it is politically stable with a market economy, and its people have no wish to return to soviet-style life. British people are welcome in Bulgaria, and I have found nothing but kindness and friendship from Bulgarians. I was correct in my view that Bulgaria would become an EU member in 2007, which will improve confidence and draw the more cautious players into the market. With this in mind, now is the time to buy, before prices rise to less attractive levels, and while building costs remain low.

You should also take a reasoned view of tales of Organised-Crime, Corruption, and all the other lurid nonsense that the British-Press loves to print: there is nothing in Bulgaria that does not exist in any other country that you may consider investing in - including Britain. Just as in Spain, France or Italy, you are never likely to see any sign of this sort of activity directly; I am not saying that it does not exist, but you are unlikey to come across it. More familier crime is low in Bulgaria - lower than most EU countries in fact and neigbours are usually happy to watch over your property for you : insurance is cheap and available for holiday homes.

Sun, sea, and a foreign language do seem to cause people to become careless with their money, and I am constantly amazed at what some people get themselves into, but a sensible approach will pay dividends to the investor.

Finally; buying an overseas property can be one of the most enjoyable and liberating experiences you can have. Thousands of people do this each year without any problem whatsoever, and there is no reason why you should not join them, so take care and do it the right way.

Use our experience to make your experience a good one.