We are the Groen family from the Dutch province of North Holland. We have been living in Dobrinishte since 2023, about 8 kilometers from Bansko in a beautiful mountainous area in Bulgaria.

We made the choice to leave the Netherlands for several reasons, but mainly to live in the mountains and in an environment with more sun.
As a child I came to Austria every year for skiing holidays and later walking holidays.

Initially we visited many houses in different regions of Bulgaria, but once we visited the Bansko region we didn't have to think long.
This area is quite international and you can enjoy the hustle and bustle but also the peace and quiet in the vast nature.

Initially we bought a house in another area. Smolyan to be precise.
However, after checking the provisional purchase contract, something was different than what had been agreed. We were saved from disaster by the actions of an acquaintance.
We almost bought a house, but without the land around it. This could have caused problems later. The owner could have asked for extra money to buy the land or it could have caused problems when selling the house.

A learning moment is therefore if you do not speak the language and do not know the people, it is important to stay alert and gather people around you who you can trust.

After the purchase was canceled we never left Bansko. We contacted various brokers here. After seeing many houses, we finally bought a house in Dobrinishte.

The village of Dobrinishte

After the purchase, the paperwork begins in Bulgaria. A lawyer checks the paperwork, drawings, land registry, etc. and accompanies you to the notary. In addition, the drawings and construction were different and we wanted another check of the construction.
So a lot of people and knowledge are involved.
You cannot compare it in any way with buying a house in the Netherlands for example. Unless you come across a well-prepared house whose papers are already in order.

In addition to buying the house, we also had to apply for a residence document and transfer the car. Hardly anyone in the government spoke English, so we were happy that our lawyer helped us with this.
Ultimately, based on experience, you find out who you enjoy working with and who you can trust as a person and based on knowledge and skills.

We would like to share our experiences with Dutch speakers, German speakers and English speakers who also want to take on the challenge. We know the problems you may encounter when you emigrate to Bulgaria and we want to help you with all the challenges and problems you will face. We ensure that you can focus on work, learning the language or living instead of studying the law books, for example.
It will save you a lot of time if you do everything right the first time. This time would be better spent skiing, walking, sitting on a terrace or other fun activities in life!

Do you also want to leave for Bulgaria? We would like to help you!

We are happy to help you find a house and possibly help you with contractors during a renovation, because things are different in Bulgaria than you are used to. Once you have the keys in your hands, you may have to renovate the house. But then there is the language barrier and any possible help is very nice when selecting contractors and requesting quotes for the renovation.

Would you like to know more about what we can do for you? View our services or contact us!