Bulgaria is among the few exceptions in Europe with a decreasing number of real estate transactions

The European real estate market has demonstrated significant dynamics over the past year, but Bulgaria stands out as one of the few exceptions. According to Eurostat data, out of 20 surveyed European countries, 17 report a rise in sales, while Bulgaria and Poland are among the countries with decreasing activity.

Although the market in Bulgaria is under the influence of various factors – from rising household incomes to the expectation of joining the eurozone – statistics show a 2.5% decrease in the number of concluded transactions. This is particularly interesting given the fact that property prices in the country have increased by between 15% and 25% in different regions.

Experts point out that although the total number of homes sold in Bulgaria is high (over 92 thousand), the market is currently undergoing a period of "natural balancing." Data for the second quarter shows a decline of about 18% compared to the record levels of the previous year, which specialists interpret not as a sign of crisis, but as a transition to a more sustainable and healthy pace of development following a period of excessive boom.

On a European scale, Slovenia shows the highest growth (nearly 30%), while Croatia faces the greatest difficulty, where transactions are falling due to a sharp increase in prices and rents. For Bulgaria, the leading motive for purchase remains the search for a home for personal residence, followed by investment purposes.