canada dry

Do you think the events surrounding Michael Shields will have an affect on future tourists and investors deciding on whether to come to Bulgaria? http://www.hiday.net/forum/read.php?2,261

It depends what you mean by investment, people buy a property in another country for different reasons. If you soley buy for the intention of making a hefty profit in a few years time then you are taking a big risk wherever you buy. I personally think though Bulgaria is a good place to buy property, being relatively cheap compared to other major european countries and you also have the opportunity to live in your property; rent it out; have it as a holiday home; use it as a base to travel to other countries close by - Romania, Greece, Turkey etc. As well as this if you stay for longer periods you have the added attraction of low living costs. Having said that Bulgaria is not for everyone, everybody is different and Bulgaria has its down side like any other country - low wages; poor infrastructure; poor rental returns in certain areas etc. http://www.hiday.net/

Thankyou Forestfire for your incisive comments. They are so good that I have copied them and am at present reading them whilst on the toilet. Right now they are behind me!

60 000 is for an a apartment in one of the central areas. A one bedroom apartment without a garage you can get for as little as 30 000 euro. The advantage of staying in a place like Plovdiv is it has all the advantages of places like Paris and Rome, only difference, it is a hell of a lot cheaper!

Bulgarian ski and beach resort properties though still cheap are not necessarilly the best investment in Bulgaria. Some places like Plovdiv are often overlooked. This is a really lovely town, even if you dont buy anything there it is a great place to visit. It is often referred to as Bulgaria's Rome with its old rman ampitheatres, stadiums and roads, many of which are still remarkably intact. I think a place like this has a great future, especially when thinking of cultural tourism. http://www.hiday.net/news.html?newsid=398

On a serious note, Istanbul has a lot to offer, perhaps in about 3 years time.

Vain, perhaps. Greedy, a little unfair, there are House Price Crash banners in place on Hiday website, so there is a reciprocal link. Point taken though, must not always use a link back to Hiday.net. Will use this feature more sparingly in the future.

A recent article suggests that there will be a property crash in Bulgaria which will start to kick off in May. The arguments are the same and could be argued as being 'old hat' - continuing lack of foreign interest, low economic growth and the rise of unemployment, which is affecting the rest of Europe as well. However one factor that is often over looked is Bulgaria's constuction industry has almost ground to a halt. Read any Bulgarian newspaper article which features property news and you will find that the only building projects that are in the pipe line are for big shopping malls in the larger cities like Sofia and Plovdiv. http://www.hiday.net/forum/list.php?2

Think 50% is a little bit steep. Places like the capital, Paris and the middle regions will not be affected to this degree, arguably only the SE regions

Of all the places to experience significant drops - Normandy Dordogne etc.. The Dordogne area will be the place if you want to look for a bargain. Prices are dropping there fast. Once known as 'little england' with about a third of english resident there, it is now seeing more and more english people leaving. Having said that if you buy there to live or retire there will not be the same community spirit that existed with other english people many of which have now sadly left. http://www.hiday.net/forum/read.php?4,5

Empty Vessels make most sound!

Just read recent reports that in the last year investors have started to sell off their apartments in the once lucrative ski resort of Bansko. Some are going for less than half price! I find this incredible and hard to believe most are UK investors. Also there is the story that they are are now being bought by the Russians. http://www.hiday.net/forum/read.php?2,56

Up until a while ago if a homeowner wanted to sell they could put their house on the market on any number of property websites and magazines for a small fee. Things, however are starting to change a few websites are now charging you nothing to advertise your property on their website such is the state of the global housing market. Websites like http://www.hiday.net/news.html?newsid=318

I have changed my tune about French property it is not all that all. The market will not change for the next two or 3 years; people have been panicking unneccessarily. Just because prices have dropped 10 %, all it means is that people have started to worry about what is happening in the UK and places like Spain - France has and always will be stable. http://www.hiday.net/forum/read.php?4,5

Bulgarians themselves will fuel property increases in the cities and towns - not by foreign investment. Rental yields are admittedly very small compared to France, Italy, Spain and Germany but Bulgaria is still developing, however slowly. Also it is still a beautiful country. There are some really good photographs being introduced regularly on http://www.hiday.net/ depicting Bulgarian life called Picture Post. Whatever happens Bulgaria is still a great place for a cheap getaway.