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Last activity 27 December 2023 by Suzi Masterson

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Suzi Masterson
hi

ive been paying for a property in tatari since last year. im over half way through paying for it.

ive dragged my feet getting the contract back for the property (single mum with 3 complex needs kids. 1 of which is a baby).  time is not my friend. hence looking to relocate us to bulgaria so i can work less hours to be with my kid more.

anyway, i finally after them nagging me nicely sent the contracts off. i sent it via a platform that does the best quote on shipping. i ended up with DHL. they did everything they said that they would. emailed the company (bulgaria direct) on friday. date of delivery asking for their business postal number.
the email i got back felt very strangely worded. very defensive.
id planned to clear the balance on the house this next month (i have until december next year). im not very nervous paying out anymore money on the house incase im throwing away to a scam.
i cant get to the house for some time because im having a headache getting a passport re issued (long story)

has anyone bought and got the deeds transfered to them from bulgaria direct please?

im likely over reacting from sleep deprevation. im also scared to throw good money after bad. they have seemed genuine all the way through

id love some advice, or if anyone is local if i could pay them to go and see if the house is actually there please
HelenDinBG
We bought our house during the pandemic so we gave POA to our lawyer and agent to complete the purchase. We were kept up to date with progress (took a while as new plans were needed) and got photos on the day of the sale from the notary office 😂

But we had been to see the house twice by then, once on my own, second time with my husband when we got our residency. We had met the agent in person and spoke on the phone at length, and met the lawyer too, she assisted with our residency.

Are you saying you’ve never seen this place? And you don’t personally know anyone who has? Have you been to BG?

None of those things are uncommon in fairness but it’s kind of late in the day to be worrying.

We live in the far south east so way out of our way, otherwise I’d offer to have a look for you, hopefully there are people here closer that can help.

Are you in the various BG FB groups? Responses tend to be better there.
Suzi Masterson
i have asked for more photos of the house. i wanted the garden strimmed down ready for us to go over i hoped next month. im having issues getting my passport renewed (no legal reasons, just admin issues).
i would have gone earlier this year if i could have.  i work remotely so it wouldnt have interfered really at all.

i have been to BG but not the house. i did a lot of research on the village and the area. there are ex pats in the village etc.
i am looking at a lawyer to look through the prelim contract. it doesnt look bad at all to me tbh.

i had to leave my friends behind due to an abusive ex. so, i dont know anyone anymore.

i didnt see a reason to worry. it all seemed to check out. ive done lots of reading up and research and nothing red flagged. this is the 1st thing since december.










im not on facebook so i cant look on there un fortunately
gwynj
@Suzi Masterson

You've bought a house that you've never seen... in a country that you've never been to... and that you don't have a residence permit to live in... from a company you've never heard of. I mean, sure, if I put it that way, it does sound kinda crazy, no? :-) Instead, let's be positive... This was very brave of you, and we all hope your Bulgarian adventure turns out well!

As my wise colleague @HelenDinBG said:  "it's kind of late in the day to be worrying." Neither of us wants to make light of your worries, but you're quite far along in the process, and you've already paid for half the house. So buyer's remorse and dropping out is not very useful right now. You may as well get out here and see it for yourself. If you hate it, you can always put it back on Ebay and sell it (or BulgariaDirect will sell it for you).

I can say that Bulgaria (and my Bulgarian neighbours) have surprised me by being far better than I expected (not just better, but delightful). And that my life in Bulgaria is better than I thought it could be, given that I was moving to the poorest country in the EU (not just better, but great). Hopefully, your experience will be similar.

As for BulgariaDirect, your seller, I think several of us have tried to reassure you about them. I believe they are a very decent company, and you will get your deeds when you pay for your house. I also know that they sell solid houses that Brits like, so it's not going to fall down around you. But... I also know they sell (mostly) rustic village houses in unrenovated condition. So you will have rustic living conditions, and a LOT of renovation work ahead of you. But you knew this already.

BulgariaDirect have been on Ebay for 20-odd years, and have sold a ton of Bulgarian houses in that time. Their current feedback is 0% because they no longer sell by auctions, but it used to be 100% (or very close to it). So just have a look at this link and read the very enthusiastic feedback comments:

I don't think BulgariaDirect have any problem providing their contact details and company information. If they seem to be less indulgent than before, it might be because they sold you a house last year... and they can't afford to provide lots of hand-holding (or chasing you for paperwork) afterwards for another year! Despite what others have said, I don't think they make a lot of profit on these houses, so they just can't afford to spend a lot of time on it. Bill is a lovely guy (if that's who you've dealt with, it usually is), and I think he's very genuine and helpful. But I think he's also pretty direct that the time to ask questions and discuss the property is before you buy it. Then you buy it, and it's your responsibility. And he moves on to find the next house and the next buyer.

It's a different story, I'd guess, if you pay them. Then they'll make the trip over, and do whatever you ask... whether that's mowing the lawn, checking the house is secure, or taking extra photos. But this is extra money, and you can do it all yourself when you get here. But if it makes you feel better, then maybe 100-200 euros to confirm that it's still ticketty-boo is money well spent.

I'm not personally wild about the north of Bulgaria. But lots of folks love it. It's a very small village, but it looks OK. It's a long way (60km) to the nearest Lidl, which would rule it out for me. But there's a nice new T Market in Svishtov, which is less than 20km away. If you've got a car you'll be fine. The Danube and a nice park (Persin) is close too, so maybe you can look forward to long summers paddleboarding with the sprogs on the Danube. :-) Svishtov and Levski are both decent-sized towns, so you're not far from schools, hospitals and other useful aspects of civilization.

Take a deep breath... relax... pack your stuff and get over to take a look for yourself. It'll be nicer if you drive over, or rent a car. Make sure you get here in the summer (too hot for me, but generally nice), or early Autumn (lovely) at the latest. Don't leave it until winter: everything looks bleak and miserable, the house will be freezing cold, and you'll curse yourself and your life... and the kids will hate you. :-)
Suzi Masterson
@gwynj

thank you for the reply. im having zero doubts about the house. its likely me being sleep deprived and miss reading an email (not from bill) and making me question.
i have a plan i plan to stick too. even if this this house ends up a scam it wont stop me. ill find something else not pay monthly.
i did it this way as i am having admin issues getting my passport sorted out. id have been there over xmas otherwise.

im not bothered if the house is a ruin tbh. ive renovated and done new builds before here in england. my plan is to get a camper van and camp while we make the house sound.

reason i want photos taken was not to check up on the house it was so i could get more of an idea what im walking into when i do get there.

i wanted the grass cut down to maintain the property. plan is to get it cut down next month so its almost shut down for winter (or until i get there and start planning what we want to do with the place).

ive lived in several countries before. the main reason people move back to england i think is they miss friends and family. i know thats not an issue for my family.

i want remote. we are off grid here in england and plan to be in bulgaria as well. we produce a lot of our own food and plan to carry on doing so. rural is better for us tbh. and yes i do drive. i wouldnt consider moving abroad without driving. its a recipe for disaster in a rural place.

as i said i have a plan. im sticking to it and it will work out in the end.

im hoping that bulgaria direct are as i want them to be and have come across all the way through. im someone that trusts my gut. 9 times out of 10 it works out fine. its just an expensive thing if i get it wrong. its the money loss and the house loss id be gutted at if it was a scam. its certainly not buyers regret. i love the house and how remote it is :)

i also have a plan if we dont like it there. plan b`s are essential arent they lol

thank you again for your reply. i will try and relax buying the property. i will be happier once they have the contract and i have the keys so i can get there asap to see what ive bought :)
janemulberry
Suzi, what specifically was it that raised a red flag?

I'm also buying a house unseen from Bulgaria Direct.  Two, actually, in the same village. One is livable, the other is not. I'll be there in September to finalise the sale for the first house and collect keys for both houses.

Their communication with me has always been great, though Bill can be a little blunt occasionally!  I'd be surprised if things don't work out with them. Could it be Bill or Danislava misunderstood what you were asking?

They should be able to arrange for the grass to be cut down. I paid to get that done last autumn, was sent before and after pics to show what work was done. Bill has sent me a nice but slightly naggy email about it a couple of times a year! It's overpriced, but as I'm not there to do it myself or arrange for it to be done, I pay.

And it's wise to get those contracts back to them ASAP, as they give you legal protection under Bulgarian law, as well as protecting them! I didn't use a courier, but Royal Mail International Tracked. It's a lot cheaper!
gwynj
@janemulberry

"Blunt". Ha, ha. :-) I'd say that Bill is a very nice guy, honest and helpful. And I don't anticipate anyone here having any issues with BulgariaDirect, or getting their deeds when they cough up the last few leva.

However... my interpretation is that he has a low tolerance for "time wasters" (often mentioned in his auction listings), and his view is that the time for you to ask questions, and discuss the contract, and look at the property is BEFORE you buy it! AFTER that it's YOUR responsibility, and it's up to you to deal with it (and if you're stuck in the UK, for whatever reason, that's not his problem). He moves on to the next house, and dealing with the next customer. Which kinda makes sense, it's a business after all. And despite what some folks have said here, I don't think there's much of a profit margin on these houses, so he can't afford loads of hand-holding post-sale.

That said, if you pay the relevant fee (I'd imagine it's a couple of hundred euros), he (or one of his colleagues) will happily go back to your house and mow the lawn, or check the doors/windows, or take some new photos so you can see it's still standing.

Separately, as a digression, here's my view of their properties (just my opinion, you might totally disagree). They sell rustic village houses in solid, but unrenovated condition, sitting on decent plots of land. They seem to be dry and weather-proof (at least for now) with decent windows and roof. You can (and maybe will) spend the next 10 years renovating it, and re-organizing the garden for all your animals and vegetables. :-)

I've bought houses in similar condition... and I never will again! :-) But they're basically livable, if you're a hardy, country type (and like a simple life). The main thing is to get water and electricity connected immediately, which I'd guess is pretty easy on this pay-later deal. Probably you'll want the luxury of internet too, which you can do here in several different ways. They'll need a thorough clean before you put your bed and sofa in. The big issue is heating, so you probably should go buy a wood (or perhaps pellet) stove (pechka) as soon as you arrive (and get some wood in). Depending on where you want heat, you might need 2 or 3! Or one big one, and loads of blankets and rugs everywhere. :-) And check whether you need a new water boiler too, freezing cold water is a drag. The windows are usually single-glazed wooden windows. If you're lucky, you might get a house which has the old-timey double-glazing with inside/outside wooden windows. Most don't seem to have an inside bathroom (although a few do, which would be a plus), so this is probably the biggest adjustment. I think the villagers do a simple flannel wash in the kitchen sink... and they might have only an outside loo with a hole in the ground. A chemical toilet (as per caravans and camping) is a cheap and easy upgrade. Probably an early job is to find a local tradesman (easier said than done, of course) and get your inside toilet and shower room done. (Most seem to have a septic tank of some kind, but you'll need to check its condition.)

I strongly urge you to arrive in summer, early autumn, or late spring (best is late spring, as this gives you maybe 4 months of work time before it gets cold again). Winter sucks! Everything looks bleak and miserable, the trees have lost their leaves... and your house will be freezing cold (we had -13 in our village last year). You will wake up, and hate your life... and any wives/husbands/kids will hate you too. :-)
janemulberry
For sure, Gwyn! That's why I've arranged to pay the last three installments on the unlivable house at once so I can come over to finalise the sale in September rather than December or January! The "new" house, which I'll be staying in while I'm there, was fairly recently lived in and has two petchkas plus a wood-burning cook stove. But I'd rather not take the chance of arriving in December to find there's no firewood, the chimneys are blocked, and the water pipes have frozen!
It does have inside plumbing, including the loo, which Bill assures me all works and is a sit-down version, not a squat. But apparently, though all legal, the plumbing is more than a little untidy looking. Definitely only livable for your "hardy country types who like a simple life". Gotta hope I still fit that description! 1f606.svg
I don't anticipate any problems at all with Bulgaria Direct. Dealing with Bulgarian bureaucracy, maybe some problems, though Bill's admin person Dani is very helpful via email and I see no reason she'll be different in person. Figuring out how to work the petchkas and live with the crazy Bulgarian plumbing - sure to be problems!
My description of Bill as "can be blunt at times" translates as takes no BS! No a bad trait, IMO!

Suzi, have you had more communication with them since the email that rattled you? I hope any issues have been resolved and you feel more hopeful and confident it will work out.
gwynj
@janemulberry

Jane gets a gold star for buying one with pechkas and inside plumbing already there. :-)

As Monty Python nearly said: pechkas and inside plumbing? Ohhhh, we used to DREAM of pechkas and inside plumbing! Woulda' been a palace to us! We used to live in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woken up every morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us! Pechkas!? Hmph.
janemulberry
LOL!
Rotting fish? Luxury!
Suzi Masterson
@janemulberry
i think it was that im reading emails late at night as thats the only time i get to read them. i agree emails can be a tad blunt. but i am a blunt person so thats not an issue at all.
i read the email and it felt defensive rather than helpful or nagging me to get my backside in gear.

ive sent the contracts multiple times royal mail tracked. no joy getting there. ive sent them DHL with no luck because of this postal registration number needed??
ive sent them again today by parcel force. hopefully theyll arrive ok this time. i am tempted to send them dhl as well as i have no faith in parcel force.

i am thinking of buying a 2nd if this works out like i think it will. something more liveable (rough country style as you said haha).

im planning to rent 1 property while living in the other.

im planning a trip over next month too to hopefully sign the dotted line for the 1 property. keys should be posted to me before we go.

ive ordered a portable woodburner to go with us and will be arranging for wood etc to be there lol. no fun being cold. we had no heating last winter. it wasnt fun here in the south east england let alone bulgaria haha
janemulberry
Ouch on the postal problems. I hope your set of contracts makes it there okay this time!

I hope the same for mine! The contracts for the first house (the unlivable one) arrived fine using Royal Mail. This time with the second house (village-style livable), I may not be so lucky. Tracking shows the item has left the UK, but the tracking number isn't recognised by the Bulgarian system yet. If they don't arrive, I may just hand deliver them in September. I need to go to VT for Danislava to do the company set up (thank you, Brexit!) first before the notary trip for the house transfer can occur.

Sounds as if you have things nicely worked out. A portable woodburner is an excellent idea to get some warmth while you get a more permanent woodstove in place. No, Bulgaria in winter with no heat would be no fun at all!
Shauna Ready

@janemulberry hi we are looking into buying through Bulgaria Direct also as we won't be relocating until 2023 so the pay monthly suits as we can pay off the property before moving over there full time.I have emailed them directly and I did find him to be a little dismissive. It hasn't put us off buying through them (they probably receive a lot of emails from dreamers), but I just wondered if you could shed some light on approximately how much we need to pay in fees on one of those pay monthly properties when putting down the deposit? We will be going to Bulgaria in September/October so we would like to have enough with us for the deposit on a place and also to cover the fees..any help would be much appreciated

Newlifebg

Hi... Everything is included with them,your Deposit is listed on the property details usually between £300 and &500 the bigger deposit you pay means lower monthly payments,it's up to you...Good luck and enjoy your Bulgaria Adventure..,We are 👍

cs75

@Suzi Masterson

Hey , any update on this ?

janemulberry

@Shauna Ready

So sorry I didn't reply to this, Shauna! I didn't see your question or @NewlifeBG's reply to you until the new comment yesterday.


Exactly what she said! They always state the deposit amount in the listings, though I believe buyers can pay a bigger deposit to reduce the monthly repayments if required. Most of their properties do sell quickly online, so they won't hold a property while someone looks at it without the deposit being paid first. Not being able to view a place first before buying can be a sticking point. The deposit isn't refundable, but if a house really isn't suitable they will usually transfer a deposit to a different house,


Did you go ahead with your Bulgarian adventure?


I saw my houses in September 2022 (yes, I ended up with two in the same village, things didn't work out exactly how I planned!), and since then have visited multiple times clearing up the house and garden and arranging some renovation work. I admit to tears at times but have absolutely no regrets!

Merry888

@HelenDinBG

Where exactly in the south east u bought? We r also looking at that region

Suzi Masterson

id totally forgotten this post.


ill update. i was 100% wrong. BG have been and are being amazing. going above and beyond is an under statement.

i honestly cant thank them enough.


when the time comes to buy our next place we will definatley be buying through them :)


we move over next month. cant wait

an3895509

@Suzi Masterson I have bought 2 houses in Bulgaria I got this contract sent to my email address and when I paired it I'm gonna get the contract sent to my email address I don't know why this is happening to you I bought two houses in Bulgaria and I got on through an email

an3895509

@Suzi Masterson the Kardashian to send it through an email I am bought houses in Bulgaria and I live in England and I gotten sent through an email the contracts so I advise you to ask them to send them through an email to your email address they can send contracts through emails

Suzi Masterson


    @Suzi Masterson the Kardashian to send it through an email I am bought houses in Bulgaria and I live in England and I gotten sent through an email the contracts so I advise you to ask them to send them through an email to your email address they can send contracts through emails
   

    -@an3895509

i asked this last year. house is in the process of going into my name. slowly but surely with christmas and the new year between :)

it was one of those if it seems to good to be true it most be feelings. rather than it could actually work out ok. which it has

an3895509

@Suzi Masterson I glad everything works out alright for you sometimes it is scary for buying houses is not for countries but sometimes it works out you have to do a lot of research and it all happens good for you

Suzi Masterson

@an3895509

i knew when i bought it it was a risk. i did loads of research before buying it. i was happy to complete on the house than sell it straight off if needed. i did have (and still do have) a plan b 😊


its just happened to go the right way this time. it doesnt always does it. i rented a place in france pre brexit. the level of racism was out of this world. that was to anyone not from their village let alone not french

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