Brits rushing to snap up £3K homes in one European country
House buyers priced out of the UK market are turning to a Balkan country where prices are considerably cheaper.
Thousands of Brits who have found themselves priced out of the UK's property market are instead snapping up homes in Bulgaria, sometimes without stepping foot inside. And some are buying homes for less than it costs for a family holiday with properties for sale for as little as £3,000.
The lure of bargain basement prices, low living costs and sunshine has seen the number of British nationals living in the country shoot up. In 2011 official census data showed 2,605 UK nationals living in the Balkan country. By 2021 that had risen to 4,484 and the true figure is, in 2025, expected to be higher now.
Bulgaria, in eastern Europe, is becoming a draw for Brits who struggle to get a foot on the property ladder here with the national average price for a property sitting at £269,000, according to gov.uk.
And estate agents in Bulgaria say business is booming from the UK despite many properties being sold in dilapidated states.
Buyers are not put off by renovation costs though as they are far cheaper than here.
Estate agent Gemma Stevenson, who moved to Bulgaria in 2007 and set up Bulgarian Property Experts, said demand from Britons is booming, reports the Express.
She said: 'Whether you're renting or buying, the prices are significantly lower than in most Western European countries. You also have a much lower crime rate in rural areas and an incredibly welcoming local culture.'
Ms Stevenson now lives with her fiance, Georgi, and their children. Her daughter Sky is studying at university in Veliko Tarnovo. She said rural communities are often keen to embrace newcomers.
She said: 'The locals take young families under their wing. Even if they don't speak your language, they'll go out of their way to help — bringing you homemade chutneys, preserves or even rakia to try.'
One family who are making the move are Maxwell and Leah Jones, Prestatyn, who bought a three-bed house in the town of Popovo for £8,000 without viewing it first.
The couple, aged 38 and 29, had been struggling to buy in the UK and decided to change tack.
Mr Jones told MailOnline: 'We were due to buy a house in the UK but it became hard to put all this money out and still be paying it off for 25 years. We looked at the price in Bulgaria and it became a no-brainer. Now we're mortgage-free.'
They estimate the full renovation of their run down home will cost between £15,000 and £20,000 which is still a fraction of property prices in this country.
The couple plan to move in full-time by the end of the year with their children, Lorenzo and Indy.
Mum Donna Hardy, from Scunthorpe, bought a large rural home near Veliko Tarnovo for around £22,000 last year. The estate came with outbuildings, a barn and an acre of land.
And in 2022, Lewis and Jordan Vye bought a rundown farmhouse for just £7,000, where they're raising children Fae and Leo.
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Many say Bulgaria offers an enviable quality of life. Average monthly costs for a family can be as low as £300, with bills a fraction of UK rates. Council tax, for instance, can be as little as £25 a year.
The weather is another major draw. Some regions see more than 300 days of sunshine annually, while access to the Black Sea coast and cheap rail links to Turkey and Greece provide plenty of travel options.
However, Bulgaria does have its drawbacks. It is the poorest country in the EU by GDP per head, and its political landscape is deeply unstable.
Allegations of vote-rigging, voter intimidation and corruption have dogged recent elections. Much of the controversy centres on sanctioned oligarch and MP Delyan Peevski, who is accused of embezzlement and bribery.
Despite this, buyers seem undeterred. Listings on sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace regularly feature properties under £10,000, and many buyers appear more focused on freedom and affordability than politics.
Ms Stevenson added: 'If you're willing to roll up your sleeves and adapt to a slower pace of life, you can build something really special here.'
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