Bulgaria Ski discussion board

There is next to nothing in Boro at the moment, this will all change in the next year or so as the lift and runs in Beli Iskar come on stream. Bansko will be eclipsed by Boro in the next 5 years without doubt, the investment going into it is huge, and Boro is regarded as the number one resort by the Bulgarians. There has been a lot of building in Bansko and you just need to be careful that the amount of rental property available does not exceed the demand. I would agree as previoulsy said, dont buy if you are reliant on rental income to pay for the property, and be vary careful about buying 'off plan' with the supposed increases in value coming your way before the property is finished, past growth will not neccesarily be achieved in years to come.

Hi H

As Val said feel free to mail me, if you don`t want to all i can advise is to be very
careful, find out as much as you can (not just from the agent !!), speak with other
owners who have completed, people based in the resort, this board can provide a
good base to cover your basic enquiries....
Personally i am still in two minds as how to continue, i have discovered more since March (some good, some bad), will be going out again soon to look at the management possibilities (this topic has been high on peoples concerns)...
Consider that a small apartment is still in the region of £50,000, no small sum, take the time to find out all the facts before committing, definately agree with Neil that if you are reliant on rental income to purchase be very aware of the potential
which at present is virtually zero...

Cheers

steve c

Renting out your apartment is very difficult in Bulgarian ski resorts is very difficult and not very attractive to tourists.

1) I presume that the target rental target is British or other Foreign nationals as they will pay the sums needed to keep the apartment running.

2) As they will not be travelling independently (not with a tour operator) seperate transfers (taxi) will have to be paid locally.

3) The tourists will have to visit the local police station to register within 48 hours after arrival, not an easy task. If they stayed in a hotel this would be arranged.

4) Lift passes / Ski equipment - This will have to be purchased locally. As we all know this is significantly more expensive than booking them in advance via a tour operator.

The above are just a few of the disadvantages of renting apartments in ski resorts. So please think twice before investing your money.

Regards,
BOB

H
Agree with the comments about relying upon rental - there's a lot of competition just in Bansko. However, many of the developments will have deals with tour operators like Balkan. Whilst the amounts that Balkan might offer you may not be great, it will give you some income without the hassle of letting it out yourself. My wife and I bought a place in Spain a few years ago purely as a capital investment. It also gives us some rental income although this is dying off as people look for alternative holidays. We've bought in Bansko for the same reasons, because despite what people may say, as far as I'm concerned, my money is better off tied up in a place with capital growth potential and some income, rather than rotting in a UK building society doing nothing. If I can get a week or so's skiing in as well, and a possible break in the summer, then that's fine by me. It won't make us a fortune, but there are few things that will without massive risk. I've never been to Borovets so I can't comment on the place, but on our first visit to Bansko, it was cold and foggy and wet, with the place waiting for the season to begin - but even then it had an atmosphere that just grabs you! It's a town with real people and some excellent skiing.