Relocating to Smolyan province

Hi there,

Good choice .... if you happen to like mountain areas. And directly to your questions:

1. Re: "I read here that you should plan on offering 30-40% less than the asking price on real estate. "
You can bargain as much as the situation allows it. But I would adwise on hiring a good real estate agent and relying on that. Otherwise you can never know if the price has been increased by 30 % right before announcing it to you or not, which can ruin the deal for a good property.

2. Re: " Are there any agents I should specifically try to use/avoid in this region? "  probably YES. But you cannot find a list of these. Better write the name of the agent you have selected and ask if anyone has had experience. Besides, you are definately not tied to an agent/agency from that region ..... almost all big agencies offer properties throughout the country.

3. Re: Internet - well there will be mobile internet by at least trhee companies - A1, Vivacom and Telenor. In addition probably MaxxTelecom, and quite possible some cable operators. Better check it for yourself and see if the speed is o.k. for you. That can be arranged from a distance too.

I live in Turyan and will be there in march. let me know if your around.

Looks like we're really going to be moving forward with this!!! After looking at possibly ever listing in the oblast, it seems asking prices are quite similar on different websites (English vs Bulgarian) and most properties are priced predictably, with just a few (apparently) great deals and also some deluded prices on the high end...

To refine my earlier questions a little bit:

1. Does anyone have experience with INPRO 2002 LTD (http://stara-planina.com) or GEOS IMOTI Ltd?
2. Any recommendations for a decent lawyer in the region?
3. If I have the option to work with the seller directly, is there any real benefit to using an agency?

and 4. Does anyone have experience getting a Bulgarian mortgage? Looking at the neighborhood of 50k.

Looking for an estate agent? I can recommend 'OK Bulgaria'. speak to Val or Stanimir. We have bought property through them and the service and follow up are  brilliant. They will organize all the paperwork, help you with bank accounts. We assigned power of attorney to them when we finalising the purchases.
Good luck its a beautiful place to live.
John