禁漫天堂

The only way would be to get a cash advance on your credit card into your regular current account then use bank transfer to pay. The reason no one will accept credit card payments is that is very easy for buyers to reverse card payments. But that's a very expensive way to do things, interest on the cash advance will be quite significant. It would be better to wait till you have the cash.

I would be very cautious about paying over a big chunk of money upfront like that. Check out whoever you're buying from very thoroughly first!

I'd be even more cautious borrowing money or using credit to buy a Bg property and pay any related expenses.聽 Houses in need of renovation are money pits. They need more work than you think and everything costs more than you think.

@janemulberry

I agree completely with everything you said.

Family and friends think I'm stark raving mad even considering buying a fixer upper in Bulgaria. Everyone keeps saying don't use your credit for fees just wait a while.

Maybe a silly in my part, itl take another 5 months to save fees, and I was planning to buy with cash by April, so I can spend a few months in autumn, start of winter out there doing something fun and useful lol. The term eager beaver probably describes my mindset 馃槀

How are prices for buying building supplies out there?

I see a lot of renovations need windows and doors, lots of render and plastering ect.

I'm okay for needing trades because I can do most construction and repair myself. Had a couple years experience as an all round labourer.

Thanks for your input 馃憤

I didn't have the same issue as yourself as I had the cash saved, but I did use Revolut for all transactions and I made sure it was all traceable, as it's a lot of money to go missing, again I was confident with the agent, but I wanted to ensure there was a trace in case anything went wrong, I would seriously avoid cash as they could take it and say you haven't paid anything, there will also be no evidence of you handing over the money.

Like Jane said, save up for the cash, there are plenty of properties out there majority need a serious renovation, and the one's that don't ask a lot of money. I would not want to be trying to renovate a property whilst having to pay interest on everything I'm borrowing, it will take a lot longer to achieve, but then I believe this is a good thing as you will prioritise what you need over what is nice and stops you wasting money on vanity projects as every penny is accounted for!

Good luck with your search and buying process.

Also, my property needs windows and doors as well as plastering internally, the windows are old wooden frames with single pane glazing that is so thin it makes a green house look double-glazed, the plaster is blown at some points and needs redoing it just down to the houses being left for so long, they need to be lived in to be maintained.

Building supplies are ok, a bit cheaper than in the UK, not by much, you need to check the quality of some things as you can end up getting some poor quality stuff, but if you know what you are looking at, you will be fine.

Unless the property is dirt-cheap (under 10k leva) you CAN'T pay cash for it; anything above that amount has to be paid for by bank transfer. A BGN10k house is more likely to be a knocker-downer than a fixer-upper these days, unless it's in some dodgy "dying village" or an "ethnic" mahala - either of which should have you running for the hills!

Sean, we bought a fixer-upper in Bg too, so I wouldn't say it was crazy at all! I understand you not wanting to wait, as well, I am like a prisoner in jail marking the days off on their cell wall waiting until I qualify for the long-stay visa. No intention here to try to suggest you shouldn't do it!

But I do think going into credit card debt for a fixer-upper is risking digging a deeper hole. While you're paying off the credit card, that interest is lost money you won't be able to save. You will really need every penny. Unless you make a very lucky buy, a 5,000 GBP house is likely to not just need some work doing, but be derelict.

Also, timing - by late autumn it will be getting cold. Really cold. Early spring is the same. Summers are hot hot hot, but winter can be longer than the UK and bitterly cold. Speaking from my own experience here - a cheapie fixer-upper house with huge leaky holes in the roof, dirt floors, and disintegrating wooden windows with cracked paper-thin glass holds about as much warmth as a nylon tent. If the house does have electricity, the wiring will be crumbling and unsafe, so using electric heating until the place is rewired isn't a good idea.

If you do buy somewhere and intend to stay at that time of year, focus on getting one room, ideally one you can fit a wood stove into (there will be a round hole about 130mm/ 4" wide in the wall for the chimney pipe, or a round metal plug you remove to insert the chimney pipe into) as dry and as draft free as possible. Plastic sheeting over the windows helps, and using old blankets for curtains at night. If there's not a wood stove somewhere in the house, buy a cheap one at the local builder's merchants, and then get in a good supply of dry firewood and lots of blankets!

Building materials tend to be a bit less expensive in Bulgaria - you can get an idea by looking on sites like Praktiker.bg or Masterhaus. Prices at the local builder's merchants will be lower, but unless you speak good Bulgarian it can be tricky to order anything locally.

Good luck!

@S25 - Sean

Hi, I purchased last year, did it all myself. Got myself a solicitor and translator and paid a fraction of the price I would have with an agent. What area are you looking at?

It's a daunting thought but it can be done.

Let me know if I can advise.

Al