This month we spoke to Nick Gittings of Brits2Bulgaria about his life as an estate agent in Bulgaria…

Hi, Nick! What’s Bulgaria like today? Is it as wet and windy there as it is here in the UK?

Its 21 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, I’m afraid we are all still in shorts and t-shirts here. That’s the best thing about Bulgaria a good six months worth of summer! We do get it pretty cold in winter though, but lovely crisp snow none of that horrible grey slushy stuff.

You moved to Bulgaria 5 years ago, what inspired you make the move?

After spending time in the military, and then corporate environments, my wife and I decided we would like to adopt a slower pace of life and abandon the stress of modern living. We also love the weather and the relaxed feel of the place, it’s like Britain would have been 50 years ago I guess, but with sun.
We love the fact you can make your own rakia (Bulgarian version of whisky), villages have a proper community feel, everyone works the land for fruit and vegetables and a lot keep their own pigs, goats, donkeys, chickens, rabbits as do my wife and I.
The scenery is just breathtaking, however you can still enjoy the cosmopolitan café culture of the city of Bourgas with its sandy beaches.

Brits2Bulgaria have a fairly unique attitude to selling property, you call it ‘warts and all’, what does this mean?

Well we’re Brits selling to Brits and we have an honest and sometimes, even blunt approach. If you have asked for a property no more than an hour from the coast then that is what we will show you! If you ask about the bad points (warts and all) we will tell you. Our time with clients whilst in the car is free, we don’t charge, and this is when a lot of people get to find out from us, about the REAL Bulgaria.
We have moved here and experienced all the problems that British people may face when they take the plunge. A Bulgarian has lived here all their life, so this gives us a unique edge to doing business.
We are not just selling houses, we are selling a lifestyle and it’s important to ensure that we get it right for our clients. We believe in a long-term relationship with our clients and often find ourselves sharing a glass or two with them when they have settled in. Treat people as we would wish to be treated, that’s our core ethos!

What do you see as the main challenges for ex-pats buying in Bulgaria?

I think if it’s a move to the country rather than a holiday home the main challenge is finding out information like, where the nearest hospital, dentist, doctor etc is. Its straight forward when you live here but this is the sort of knowledge that only people on the ground have, as it cannot always be researched on the internet like in Britain.
Here at Brits2Bulgaria we endeavour to provide all of this information to our clients when they view with us so that they get a proper feel for the place. This allows them to have a more informed choice.
Since the change in law it’s now possible for you to own the land and property in your own name. This takes away the need to start and administer your own limited company, which used to complicate the buying process a little.
Some people may think the language barrier maybe a challenge however most agents are bi-lingual as we are and you need a licensed translator to deal with the translation of any of the official paperwork so this is also very straightforward.
The change in lifestyle to a more relaxed approach, day to day, just maybe today or tomorrow attitude, can be a challenge, if you are used to a scheduled way of life in Britain.
The biggest but nicest challenge is the Bulgarians attitude to community. There is always someone on hand who is prepared to help you and advise you on all aspects of your life!

And what are the biggest advantages once they’ve moved to Bulgaria?

Everything is a lot cheaper than the UK, all my household bills come to no more than £100 a month – and that’s pushing it. Food is cheaper, and mainly organic. Eating out and alcohol are also much, much cheaper. The weather is a huge plus but make sure that you purchase a house with a spare bedroom to accommodate all those visitors that will be joining you.
More importantly if people are able to release equity by selling their property in the UK They are able to come here and purchase a property and live mortgage and stress free!

And finally, if you could live in any one of the properties you’re currently marketing, which one would it be and why?

This one is a gem in our opinion. It’s in our village, a great one, of course we would say that, but it has plenty of room. Large living areas, outbuildings, plenty of space for growing your veggies and has lots of sunny outside space.
It has been renovated to a great standard including 4 beds to bathrooms and also there is plenty of parking space and space for a swimming pool.

You can call Nick on 0843 313 9713 to discuss any aspect of buying property in Bulgaria. You can also view all properties for sale by Brits2Bulgaria by clicking here.