Never thought selling an apartment would be cumbersome

Your case is complicated, that's the main reason.

I don't understand why my husband has to approve the sale when we have this prenutptial agreement, and why it's impossible to transfer money to a foreign account.

Ouch! So sorry things are complicated and frustrating! Bulgaria seems more bureaucratic in some aspects than most EU countries, so I totally understand why you need to vent!

Unfortunately many legal systems don't recognise pre-nups. I believe Bulgarian law requires that both spouses are joint owners of property, which is for the protection of both. And it sounds as if you bought the apartment at the height of the last property boom, prices dropped, then picked up again. I'm guessing after being rented out for a while, the apartment will need money spending to bring it back up to a good standard. Also, agents who want to buy for themselves are always looking for a good deal. That's the price of selling quickly rather than having the apartment on the market mo0nths waiting for a buyer. The bank thing - yes, so frustrating. I've had similar experiences here in the UK trying to open a new account.

I hope it all works out for you!

Bureaucracy is always frustrating, all over the world (and funnily enough there's always more for selling than buying)... and it probably feels good to vent a little steam. But, generally, you just gotta knuckle down and do whatever it is that the faceless bureaucrats want you to do. :-)

Selling property remotely is always a pain, because of the principal issues you mention (not there to sign, don't have a local bank account).

(a) You've had rental income for a few years, plus the price has gone up. Maybe it's not London house price inflation, but it could have been far worse!

(b) My guess is that if a realtor wants to buy it himself, then he's offering a price on the low side. I'd say property in Sofia is well over 1,000 euros per m2. I've seen new stuff at 1,200 - 1,500 (and that's unfinished, "Bulgarian standard"). So if it's a nice apartment in a nice area... and it's presumably nicely finished and nicely furnished (as it was rented out)... it should be worth significantly more than 90k. (And if it has a parking space, that's extra too.)

(c) Power of Attorney is not "sketchy", and is usually what's needed for a remote sale. But the person you give it to MIGHT BE! And... if you give it to the person who wants to buy the apartment... that sounds like a huge no-no! But it's a challenge, 'cos 100k euros is enough for some people to forget their principles for.

Really, it comes down to: find someone (probably a lawyer) who you think is trustworthy enough to give your POA to. They can sign all documents, receive the funds, and then send to your overseas account.

Or come out to Bulgaria for a few days, and just do it yourself. If you had a bank account, you can probably get the info if you show your passport. (And, if not, there are some banks that will still open a new account based on a passport.) But in this case, I would still recommend using a lawyer to help you organize everything (including the contracts, and whatever POA/documents are needed from your husband).