Bulgaria's Manufacturing Fdi Falls Dramatically 27/03/2008
Bulgaria's overall foreign direct investment was up substantially in 2007, but manufacturing took a big hit. The country attracted $9B (5.7B Euro) in FDI, up 30 percent from the previous year, according to figures from the Bulgarian National Bank. In addition, FDI accounted for 19.9 percent of GDP compared to 17.4 percent of GDP in 2006. Real estate, construction and the financial sector together accounted for the bulk of the investment while manufacturing fell dramatically. Bulgaria saw only $367M (234M Euro) in manufacturing investment in 2007, down more than 75 percent year-on-year and the lowest amount since 2002, according to preliminary data from the Bulgarian National Bank. Going against the trend is Belgium-based EMS company EPIQ. Last month, the company invested $8.5M... more

Bulgarias Most Preferred Property Purchase Options Ranked 07/03/2008
According to 25 per cent of the property investors in Bulgaria, the purchase of a terrain close to some major city is the most profitable real estate market participation option. Investors purchase such terrains most often for the construction of an office building or trade centre, Novinar newspaper reported. Such types of investment lead in a ranking of the most preferred real estate purchases, according to an Investor.bg survey. Twenty-four per cent of the investors believe agriculture terrains offer good opportunities. At the moment land prices remain relatively high. Prices are expected to go up in the near future. Most of the surveyed investors prefer real estate close to the Black Sea coast line. According to 20 per cent, the purchase of property in Sofia is most profitable.... more

Property Agencies In Bulgaria Expect Price Decrease 07/03/2008
Real estate agents in Bulgaria expect a price decrease once mortgage apartments are offered for sale. Prices might decrease by as much as 20 per cent, Darik Radio reported. National Real Property Association (NRPA) head Orlin Vladikov said the highest number of apartments in 2005 was sold in Sofia. A mortgage loan was used in 32 per cent of all purchases, Vladikov said. By the end of this year or in the beginning of 2007 a secondary property market will emerge in Bulgaria. Returning a mortgage loan usually becomes problematic after the third year of the agreement, said Vladikov. Vladikov said an increase was registered in the price of agriculture plots. Most of the deals in this sector were concluded without a change in the original function of the terrain. The status of... more