<p> In Britain, despite working hard all my life - I lived in a small terraced Bungalow in one of the poorest areas of Britain and there was no hope of ever affording to buy a Detached Property in Britain. Therefore, I looked to see if I could find a house somewhere else in the world with the little savings I had. I found property in Bulgaria to be considerably less expensive than Britain - where else could you buy a Detached House with two acres of land for as little as £2,000? </p><p> Being driven round by the Bulgarian Estate Agents to look at properties, I was amazed at the beauty of the Bulgarian Countryside - the Sun Flower Fields, the Traditional Scenes we came across of Villagers washing their clothes in the Local Stream, the Donkeys and Carts transporting people around their villages, women gathering in their yards around a very large pot on open fires preserving fruit and vegetables for the coming winter. The Bulgarian Countryside contrasted markedly with the larger Towns and Cities in Bulgaria - which were much more modernised and westernised. </p><p> I was the first English Woman to ever buy a property in this small Village in the Bourgas Region of Bulgaria. It seemed like I was in heaven, out of the rat-race in Britain, I could leave the congestion, the stress all behind me. However, my joy turned to tears on several occasions. </p><p> Bulgaria is a very interesting culture and has a fascinating history. Some parts are run down, other parts are beautiful. Generally speaking the Spring, Summer and Autumn bring good sunny weather.The winters can become very cold but they are relatively short winters. </p><p> I found most of the people there honest and trustworthy, but like any country it has its rogues. The rogues are not easy to spot and sound very professional and convincing, they have fantastic looking websites and cars, but they target unsuspecting people from Britain. Here are some of the problems I experienced, which I hope anyone buying property in Bulgaria can hopefully avoid: </p><p> 1). <strong> Solicitors and Conveyancing </strong> : </p><p> In Bulgaria there is often only one Solicitor who acts on behalf of both the Seller and the Buyer; whereas in Britain the Seller and Buyer tend to have their own separate Solicitors. Being concerned that there might be a conflict of interest with only one Solicitor, I chose to have my own Solicitor - but this is more expensive. </p><p> 2). <strong> Exchange of Contracts and Getting the Previous Owner to actually move out!: </strong> </p><p> In Britain Solicitors agree a date for the Seller to move out and the Buyer to move in. In Bulgaria - we turned up on the agreed date only to find the previous owner still living in the property we had bought. Further, it took several months to get this previous owner to move out. We also ended up having to pay for 3 months of telephone, electricity and water bills because we were seen as responsible for bills on the date the property was signed over to us (despite the fact that the previous owners illegitimately continued living in our property). </p><p> 3). <strong> Builders: </strong> </p><p> We thought we had covered ourselves - we obtained Quotes in writing, we specified the materials, quality of finish and standard of work we wanted. The Builders Web Site looked excellent and convincing. However, we've never seen such a terrible standard of building work in our lives... The English Builder there was even worse than the Bulgarian Builder. </p><p> 4). <strong> Being unfairly overcharged because you are British happens a lot </strong> - they are under the misapprehension that all British people are rich! </p><p> We were considerable over-charged by the Accountant, the Solicitor, the Builders, the Agents, Taxi Drivers, Shop Keepers, Restaurants, etc. on several occasions. </p><p> 5). <strong> People Fraudulently posing as Solicitors, Estate Agents, Builders, etc. </strong> </p><p> There are sad stories of British people having purchased property on the basis of photographs they have seen on the internet - they get encouraged to send their money quickly or they will lose the chance to buy - but the property does not exist - they see it advertised on eBay or sometimes advertised on a very impressive looking website: British people have lost money again and again. British people arrange to have money transferred from their Bank Account to someone they have been told is a Solicitor only to find out that the so called Solicitor disappears with their money! One British Man living in Bulgaria posed as a Builder, several British people gave him money to buy Materials for large scale building projects and this English Builder disappeared with their money - so it is not only the Bulgarian Fraudsters, it is the British Fraudsters in Bulgaria you have to look out for. </p><p> 6). <strong> Estate Agents who do not tell the truth: </strong> </p><p> E.g. They will tell you that the property has Mains Water when infact it doesn't. </p><p> So that day I was sat in my Bulgarian Village, head in hands and having lost all faith in humanity. When asked to go for a picnic I assumed my Bulgarian Neighbours were joking since it was the middle of winter and very cold in Bulgaria that day. I smiled and wiped away my tears and told them that I was a strong woman and I would be OK. A Bulgarian Woman led me by the hand up to a field where I saw the Local Bulgarians had made a fire, laid out a large sheet on the ground and were cooking. It was my first experience of a Picnic in Winter, but it was a great day - warm Rakia with Spices (Rakia is a local alcoholic drink in Bulgaria), freshly cooked traditional Bulgarian Food and Traditional Bulgarian Dancing round the Fire. Things still go wrong in Bulgaria occasionally, but on that winter picnic day my faith in humanity was restored and I've had so many good times in Bulgaria since. </p><p> I think you will love life <a href="https://www.home247.co/%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%8C%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AE%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87-%E0%B8%AB%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87/" alt="ทาวน์เฮ้าส์ ห้วยขวาง">ทาวน์เฮ้าส์ ห้วยขวาง</a> in Bulgaria, but be very much on guard. I have created a website to help anyone thinking of buying property in Bulgaria. I also organise Language Courses to help people who want to learn to speak Bulgarian and English Language Courses for Bulgarians. </p><p> My website address is: Bulgarianbritishpartnership.co.uk </p>
