Why Bulgaria? Sliven? Us?
Maggie & Len say:
Maggie and Len bought a traditional Bulgarian home near Sliven in the very picturesque mountain village of Ichera.
"Of all the places I've been, I think the people here are the friendliest, our neighbours are absolutely SUPER."
"In the UK everything was getting so expensive and the weather just wasn't good, I'd been ill, so we decided to travel Europe and retire. That was April 2006. We started with Spain, and moved on to Bulgaria and just stayed! We looked for two weeks, found a nice home in a village right close to Sliven and just never looked back. I'm so pleased, because the people are lovely and friendly and I feel I have most everything I want, the shops are excellent, everything is very inexpensive. Hotels are really good, and we're not far from the sea."
Len laughs and says,
"I like the lifestyle here and the fact that the social life is more family oriented,
and going out is so inexpensive, its great."
Maggie adds:
"If we'd stayed in the UK we'd just be getting by, now we're enjoying life and we can have luxury's we'd have to drop there.
On being asked whether they'd like to go back to the UK, Maggie immediately and emphatically says...
"NO!! I don't want to BE in the UK in the rat race where no one has time for anyone and everyone is "too busy"!"
Maggie and Len agree they love Sliven, both the city and the region, and feel it is an ideal place to live and have a holiday.
Andreas (87),
he loves to pay the bill!
Andreas (age 87!) came to Sliven in May of 2005 and bought a small village property close to town. He spent about GBP 10,000 on the property and another GBP 17,000 doing it up "British Style".
before:
after:
"Oh my God, the people are sooo friendly! and everything is soooo cheap!! (Laughing) I like the food and the people and I think now almost anyone from England can get a house there. I think people should hurry before prices go up like in Cyprus. In many ways Bulgaria is similar, just the people are nicer. I still can't believe that most things are at least 3 times cheaper!
I didn't like Sofia, it was very dusty, but I like the village (Jelou Voyvoda) and the town (Sliven) gives me everything I could want."
"At first, when I came back to see the house I bought and the owner had moved out, I was disappointed. All the furniture and everything was gone and I could see all the work that needed doing. Thanks God Geo helped. He drew the house for me and show me what could be done and how much it was. I was so surprised! It was only 15,000 GBP! We find out the roof needed to be replaced, but even with that it was less than 17000. I love my bathroom and kitchen and garden the most. Margie help me with kitchen and bathroom. Like a magazine!
I think that for young people who want to get on the property ladder this is the time. About 8 or 9 years ago, I owned property in Cyprus, and it wasn't worth much, now it's worth so much more. It will be the same here. I'm sooo happy I bought the house, and I have a big garden and the neighbours help me with it. I have fruits, vegetables, everything. Penka and Jofka bring me eggs and cheese and organic pork and chicken."
"I feel rich here!"
Lee, Tamanda, the Boys and the Girls
Tamanda told us that she's travelled to Spain, France and Canada and never felt sad when she left any of them. Every time she leaves Bulgaria she has to control her tears and she can't wait to come back. She is really looking forward to being here for good.
The boys, Devin and Harley LOVE it here.
Harley has made more friends here in a few days than in a whole year in the UK.
He and his brother Devin are here with their dad, working on the house and enjoying summer in between, until their mom and sisters come in two weeks.
What do they like most?
Harley (12):
"Before I came, I thought it was going to be very run down but when I came here and I had a look at it, it's actually very nice." (In a grown up tone) People are friendly, the buildings not bad and if I were to live over here I'd like it a lot, cos there are loads of places to go, swimming, shops and I would probably recommend it."
"Other kids, if they were scared like me, they'd like it, kids here introduce themselves and get on with it and you're friends, it's EASY."
"I made 40 friends, we play football and go swimming. Much better place than Norwich, because they're a lot more friendly and I would probably say UK is better for modern houses and roads and over here is just really nice for people. I'd rather live here cos I have more fun. Language, once you pick it up is easy and girls are a lot more prettier, some of the girls are really nice to talk to and speak English."
Devin (9):
"I thought I would never make friends but I did. I thought it was gonna be ugly, but there's a swimming pool with a lovely park and our house is nice and made some friends. The food is nice, I like the palachinkis (pancakes) and it's really cheap. We get more treats here. You can smoke in public and the air is more pure here much better for me to breathe here. There are two excellent slides and a massive pool. The lift on the mountain was quite good.
I saw a vulture.
I eat and see more new stuff here."
(He fidgets, ready and eager to go back to the pool and his friends!)
Lee says:
"It is really good here, and I can see the growth in the area, there are really good opportunities for me. I'm also looking forward to seeing the rest of the country and you got Greece and Turkey only about an hour away, so we'll never be bored!"
"It's a good chance for me to get ahead, this market is developing and I'll do well. I know Tamanda, all she wants to do is come out here, she'll be thrilled."
Tamanda adds:
"I sent Lee out to get the house and I'd speak to Geo on the phone and send him little emails in between on what I wanted. Lee was really worried in the beginning but Geo was absolutely great, and found out what we really wanted. I LOVE the house and the views are spectacular. I can just sit for ages on my balcony and gaze and be happy. I can't wait till Lee finishes the inside work! We were going to buy a house for holidays, but we just love it out here, and Geo and Margie are friends now, the whole family loves'em!
Dianne and Ken
"We bought a place in the Sliven Region last year and are doing it up now."
It is very beautiful, but a bit remote for me, I would prefer to be a bit closer to the town of Sliven. We may sell and find something in the outskirts of town where Ken can still enjoy the nature and mountains and I can easily get my "people fix"! (laughing).
"It is so pleasant here, and although I wouldn't want to stay year around because I'll miss the kids, I definitely love it here, and everything is so affordable, it just makes life more pleasant. After all the horrible rain back home, it's just a pleasure to be able to rely on sun!
Loura
Loura Flashes her.....
tan, and wants you to know that she bought a place in Rakovo, near Sliven and arrived here last year.
She left Holland because
"I just didn't like it anymore - the weather, the people and the stupid rules. Too many people in such a small space and they are becoming too aggressive.
I came here for a better life and Bulgaria is ideal for me
because it has coast, incredible natureand the people are very friendly.
Life is not so expensive
here and there's LOTS of space. I particularly like Sliven because it's a pretty town, they've got very nice shops and restaurants and the location is fantastic, just beneath the mountains."
"I don't see it as a typical holiday place that I've always gone to in the past, it's a place that's easy to live in,
it FEELS like a holiday all year
and the weather is stable, nice and HOT!"
"Compared to how I was living in Holland, I'm very relaxed.
I love to be here because I feel I'm home... it's BETTER than home!
And there are so many business opportunities here, anyone can do well."
Sandy & Andy
Sandy and Andy have a special message for you:
"YOU SHOULD BE HERE!!! You're missing out on a LOT, the weather, sunshine, cheapness it's just a wonderful country in general. Life here is just much more enjoyable and less stressed and hassled than in the UK, I feel much happier and we think you probably will too!"
Sandy and Andy bought a property in Kamen (near Sliven) last year. They came here for "a better life", and to retire early".
Sandy sais:
"It brought home to us that it's like Britain used to be and it just FELT good! I also really like Sliven, it's an ideal size, the town has skiing, mountains, it's close to the coast, and not far from Sofia." (It also has golf, mineral baths a great park with pools , bars and clubs, immense childrens' play park, tennis, a year round mountain lift, great shopping and eating)
"I find it so comfortable, not threatening at all and just really pleasant. Although I've travelled, and the other place I enjoyed was Portugal, it was just a holiday place, not a place to settle or stay. It just wasn't home.
The other thing is that I just love the people here, they are so friendly and helpful"
Elaine & Nick
- well... here's what they say
"We think that most people have a misconception of Bulgaria and its people.
It is a very beautiful country,
we find it a very relaxing place to be. Parts of Bulgaria are developing fast especially the capital Sofia. The villages are obviously much more rural, they have fantastic views and countryside.
"The Bulgarian people we've met are very friendly courteous and extremely tolerant."
"As we don't speak a word of Bulgarian we thought this might be a problem, but most Bulgarian people, especially the people in the towns, speak some English."
"We bought a house in a village called Omarchevo, not a big house but ideal for our needs. It's got a big plot and also comes with a barn. We bought the house for GBP 16,500 including all the fees and everything, and it was in quite good condition when we bought it. To be honest, most houses bought will need some renovation work and this was the case with our house. If a house is in very poor condition this will be reflected in the purchase price. We think the house is fantastic and the scenery is incredible."
"We're having the renovation work done and even that is reasonable. We are both so excited about this. We'd never even been abroad or flown anywhere, or done anything like this. The house we've bought in Omarchevo is better than the one we bought here when we first bought it! I really feel that Margie and Geo have changed our lives, I just couldn't stop smiling when we bought it. We've come back to look at the reno's that need doing and we're coming out again this month (August), by which time most of the work will have been done."
"We want to retire to Bulgaria. Right now our boys are needing to complete their schooling, so at the moment the house is a holiday home. Bulgaria is a place to relax and chill out. But we can't wait to come here for good, we just really want to BE there!!!"
Sais Elaine,
"I actually miss it. I just want to hear about our place and talk about it and be there. In some ways it feels more like home than where we've always lived!"
If this sounds good to you, click here and we will answer all your questions and help you with a slice of "rich living".
