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Photo: Stella Ivanova
Construction of new homes has surged across several regions in Bulgaria, reflecting strong demand for both apartments and single-family houses. Builders are responding to buyers’ preferences, leading to a notable increase in new housing projects.
In Sofia, the second quarter of the year saw the start of construction on 295 residential buildings comprising 1,914 homes. This represents a rise of over 50% in buildings and nearly 90% in housing units compared to the previous quarter. Traditionally, the second quarter sees more activity in construction than the first, and this year continues that trend. Sofia has reclaimed its position as the leader in new residential construction, overtaking Plovdiv, which had led in the previous quarter. Prior to that, the capital had held the top spot for four consecutive quarters.
Demand for houses remains strong, with many buyers preferring standalone homes over apartments, driving the growth in house construction.
Burgas district also registered a substantial increase, with 1,647 new apartments and houses started, up 69% from the first quarter when 974 units began. This puts Burgas second in the national ranking for new construction. Varna district similarly recorded growth, with 819 new homes beginning construction, a 28% increase from the previous quarter’s 637 units.
Plovdiv ranks third, with 1,189 new homes initiated during the quarter, followed by Varna in fourth and Stara Zagora in fifth, where 436 homes were started. Blagoevgrad district follows with 394 new units.
Across the country, construction of 1,640 residential buildings totaling 8,064 housing units and 963,000 square meters of built-up area began during the quarter. In addition, 23 administrative buildings covering nearly 20,000 square meters and 644 other buildings with 366,000 square meters were started.
Several smaller regions also experienced strong growth. Veliko Tarnovo began 80 new homes, up 23% from 65 units in the previous quarter. Shumen saw the most dramatic increase, with 190 new units started - more than five times the 33 homes started in the prior quarter. Lovech followed closely with a 333% increase, initiating 39 homes compared to 9 earlier. Gabrovo also tripled its construction activity with 45 new homes, and Silistra mirrored this threefold rise with 9 units. Vratsa increased construction by 165% to 61 homes, Haskovo by 114% to 227 homes, while Razgrad and Montana both saw housing starts double compared to the previous quarter.
The largest numbers of new buildings commenced in the districts of Plovdiv - 243 residential, 4 administrative, and 115 other buildings; Sofia (capital) - 295 residential, 11 administrative, 17 other; the Sofia region - 168 residential, 3 administrative, 46 other; and Varna - 177 residential and 20 other buildings.
The overall picture reflects a strong nationwide trend in residential construction, with both major cities and smaller regions experiencing significant growth, driven by high demand and buyers’ preference for houses and apartments alike.
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