Buyers Choose Location Over Size as Bulgarian Housing Prices Rise
The housing market in Bulgaria is undergoing notable shifts, with buyers increasingly prioritizing location and accessibility over sheer size.
Photo: Stella Ivanova
Property prices in Sofia are expected to continue their upward trend in 2026, even as the number of completed transactions declines, according to real estate expert Dr. Georgi Yankov. Speaking to Radio Sofia, Yankov, co-founder of Imvestia and a managing partner at a major real estate agency, noted that rising prices do not indicate a market equilibrium where buyers can easily afford properties. Instead, the dynamic reflects a broader European trend, where property values increase while the volume of transactions contracts. This scenario is likely to characterize the Bulgarian market in the coming year.
Yankov emphasized that the supply of new properties will be a key factor. Personnel changes at Sofia Municipality, including the resignation of Chief Architect Bogdana Panayotova, introduce additional uncertainty for the construction sector. The expert also highlighted the growing bank deposits over the past seven quarters, which have expanded faster than income, creating a surplus of money that could eventually flow into the real estate market. In 2025, new residential construction in Sofia fell by 30% compared to 2024, equating to roughly 2,000 fewer properties in development, a reduction expected to impact market availability. According to Yankov, the Bulgarian public’s long-standing confidence in property investments has prevented a price correction, keeping the focus firmly on real estate as a preferred asset.
The housing market in Bulgaria is undergoing notable shifts, with buyers increasingly prioritizing location and accessibility over sheer size.
Property values in Sofia have surged by approximately €500 per square metre over the past year, according to data from one of Bulgaria’s largest real estate agencies. Across the country’s main cities, housing costs climbed by 20% in the final quarter of 2
Two-room dwellings make up the largest portion of newly built homes in Bulgaria, according to data for the fourth quarter of 2025.
In 2024, about 68% of households across the European Union were owner-occupied, a slight decline from 69% in 2023, according to Eurostat data. The remaining 32% of the EU population lived in rented homes, up from 31% the previous year.
Bulgaria is facing a sharp rise in construction material costs, which experts warn will drive property prices higher. Svetoslav Zhekov, chairman of the Chamber of Builders in Varna
As Bulgaria enters its first full year in the eurozone, the real estate market in Sofia begins 2026 with a shift from rapid, speculative growth to more stable, needs-driven demand.
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