I am happy that we moved from Bulgaria! For me it is not worth it to live there, let alone buy an apartment in an old “panel” building. They can sell these apartments as expensive as they want, but the country will remain polluted and f up, if the locals don’t change their mentality for the better.
Prices have become largely unaffordable in Sofia for local people and the property is priced in Euros now. My Mother-in-law bought her two bedroom flat in Mladost back in 2000 for 8000 euro. The opposite flat with the same layout has sold for 150,000 euros. That's a great investment but not great if you work at Happy for 3,000 Lev per month and are looking to get on the housing ladder.
My opinion is I'd only buy something I can live in and then it's already worth it. Besides I don't think you'll have a problem selling. It's still the capital and it can only develop.
Bulgaria? Yes but Sofia? No. Not everything is in Sofia mate. There are other places to be such as Burgas, Varna, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora etc. but this depends on your lifestyle and what you wish to do.
Hey, I don't want to sound "salty" or something, but I just was wondering, what makes you say you'd better invest in Bucharest than in Sofia? I mean, from my POV they are basically the same, Bucharest being a bit bigger with a bit more people, but anything else mostly the same. Am I wrong ? Speaking about that, I was wondering also do you think if you spent 10 years in Bucharest instead of Sofia that you'd have different perspective. I mean, it's pretty evident you find quite a bit of downsides (which are almost all of the time very true and valid), but do you think it would've been different there ?
I've lived in both and changed my opinion several times. I've always loved Bucharest but it's always been a bit of a monstrous and overwhelming city to me in terms of crowds and especially traffic. So I preferred and recommended Sofia because it was slightly more quiet and relaxed. Now that has changed and Sofia faces the same endless traffic without increasing bus and tram intervals. In fact they got reduced and waiting 20 minutes or 40 is common on many bus lines. All of my local friends relying on lines 72, 9, 404 or others also complain. It takes 1.5 hr by car at times to get through the city according to them so the car is not a great option. Yes, metro, but many people live away from the lines. Bucharest has one of the densest transport networks of Europe. Besides that it has twice the economy of Sofia, a more robust political system and it is just developing faster. The size of the city is compensated for by actual modernised parks with a ton of facilities such as skate parks and kids parks the size of which would blow you away. In general it has seen more positive developments and has a vastly larger population country-wise to get everything on track. It's a bit like comparing apples and oranges by now even because of the population difference and economy. But Romania is ahead and is doing better. So are the provincial cities like Oradea which in Bulgarian terms would be a city like Haskovo. The difference is staggering. Besides the apartments and rentals are either cheaper or have similar rates and construction is of higher quality. Lastly I find the people easier to befriend but that's a personal opinion. Nothing against Bulgaria but you asked politely so I answered. No matter where I would have spent ten years I would have had fun. Sofia has a better location near nature so that makes it superior in a way. Also I didn't pick Bucharest because it has a worse airport than Sofia, completely stuck in time. But yes, there are some pluses and minuses to both. Romanians are awful drivers as well for example, I prefer driving in Bulgaria. I've had a blast in Bulgaria, would not have changed it for something else.
I am happy that we moved from Bulgaria! For me it is not worth it to live there, let alone buy an apartment in an old “panel” building. They can sell these apartments as expensive as they want, but the country will remain polluted and f up, if the locals don’t change their mentality for the better.
Where have you moved to instead?
Prices have become largely unaffordable in Sofia for local people and the property is priced in Euros now. My Mother-in-law bought her two bedroom flat in Mladost back in 2000 for 8000 euro. The opposite flat with the same layout has sold for 150,000 euros. That's a great investment but not great if you work at Happy for 3,000 Lev per month and are looking to get on the housing ladder.
is happy paying 3000 net?
Леон, познавате ли се с Патрик Смитьойс?
What worries me about buying property in Bulgaria is that I don't know if I will be able to sell it in the future. It seems too risky.
My opinion is I'd only buy something I can live in and then it's already worth it. Besides I don't think you'll have a problem selling. It's still the capital and it can only develop.
@LeondeLeeuw Valid point.
Bulgaria? Yes but Sofia? No. Not everything is in Sofia mate. There are other places to be such as Burgas, Varna, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora etc. but this depends on your lifestyle and what you wish to do.
Hey, I don't want to sound "salty" or something, but I just was wondering, what makes you say you'd better invest in Bucharest than in Sofia? I mean, from my POV they are basically the same, Bucharest being a bit bigger with a bit more people, but anything else mostly the same. Am I wrong ?
Speaking about that, I was wondering also do you think if you spent 10 years in Bucharest instead of Sofia that you'd have different perspective. I mean, it's pretty evident you find quite a bit of downsides (which are almost all of the time very true and valid), but do you think it would've been different there ?
I've lived in both and changed my opinion several times. I've always loved Bucharest but it's always been a bit of a monstrous and overwhelming city to me in terms of crowds and especially traffic. So I preferred and recommended Sofia because it was slightly more quiet and relaxed. Now that has changed and Sofia faces the same endless traffic without increasing bus and tram intervals. In fact they got reduced and waiting 20 minutes or 40 is common on many bus lines. All of my local friends relying on lines 72, 9, 404 or others also complain. It takes 1.5 hr by car at times to get through the city according to them so the car is not a great option. Yes, metro, but many people live away from the lines. Bucharest has one of the densest transport networks of Europe.
Besides that it has twice the economy of Sofia, a more robust political system and it is just developing faster. The size of the city is compensated for by actual modernised parks with a ton of facilities such as skate parks and kids parks the size of which would blow you away. In general it has seen more positive developments and has a vastly larger population country-wise to get everything on track. It's a bit like comparing apples and oranges by now even because of the population difference and economy. But Romania is ahead and is doing better. So are the provincial cities like Oradea which in Bulgarian terms would be a city like Haskovo. The difference is staggering. Besides the apartments and rentals are either cheaper or have similar rates and construction is of higher quality. Lastly I find the people easier to befriend but that's a personal opinion.
Nothing against Bulgaria but you asked politely so I answered. No matter where I would have spent ten years I would have had fun. Sofia has a better location near nature so that makes it superior in a way. Also I didn't pick Bucharest because it has a worse airport than Sofia, completely stuck in time. But yes, there are some pluses and minuses to both. Romanians are awful drivers as well for example, I prefer driving in Bulgaria. I've had a blast in Bulgaria, would not have changed it for something else.
Background noise too loud, it covers your voice almost completely, could barely understand anything.
Sorry