Real Estate in Bulgaria: Property in an EU Member State

Bulgaria has been an EU member since 2007 and adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2026. Proximity to the EU market and the euro make the country stand out for real estate.

Its geographic closeness to Turkey also makes Bulgaria a practical option for both investment and personal-use purchases.

Foreigners can freely buy apartments, studios and condos in their own name, since these do not include direct land ownership. There is no foreign quota on apartments.

However, non-EU citizens (e.g. Turkish citizens) cannot acquire land directly in their own name. For a house with a garden or a property that includes a plot, the common method is to set up a Bulgarian limited company (OOD/EOOD) and hold the property through it; the company, as a local legal entity, can own land.

Acquisition costs generally consist of the municipal transfer tax (typically 2-3%; e.g. 3% in Sofia, Varna and Plovdiv), notary and registration fees, totaling roughly 3-4% of the property value. The process runs as: choosing a property, title/legal checks, a preliminary contract and title transfer.

If a company setup is needed we coordinate that too, handling document preparation and the process with solution partners in Turkish. This article is for information purposes; contact us for current rules and your personal situation.