A discount off the asking price is no longer the exception in any of Bulgaria's four largest markets. According to Q3 2026 data from ADRES Real Estate, released on 6 October, 60% of home sales in Plovdiv, 59% in Varna, 55% in Sofia and 45% in Burgas closed below the original asking price. A year earlier the shares were 42%, 48%, 38% and 36% respectively.
This updates a trend we covered in our H1 2026 market report and in our late-September guide for sellers. What is new is the city-by-city breakdown — and it shows four quite different markets.
| City | Deals at a discount, Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Plovdiv | 60% | 42% |
| Varna | 59% | 48% |
| Sofia | 55% | 38% |
| Burgas | 45% | 36% |
A larger share of discounted deals does not mean prices are dropping. In the same data, the price per square metre achieved in completed sales is still higher than a year ago almost everywhere:
| City | 2-room flats, per m² (y/y) | 3-room flats, per m² (y/y) |
|---|---|---|
| Plovdiv | +23% | +6% |
| Varna | +22% | +15% |
| Burgas | +8% | +7% |
| Sofia | +3% | +9% |
"A larger share of deals at a discount does not automatically mean the market is declining," said ADRES executive director Gergana Tenekedzhieva. The key change, she says, is in behaviour: buyers are more demanding, compare more and negotiate harder.
The size of discounts is shifting too. In Sofia the most common discount is around €5,000, but reductions of more than €10,000 are no longer rare. In Varna the share of the smallest discounts fell from 59% to 38%, with larger reductions becoming more frequent.
The average time to complete a deal is moving in different directions:
Burgas stands out: it has the lowest share of discounted deals, yet buyers there take the longest to commit. Plovdiv, the fastest market a year ago, is now close to the average.
In Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, new builds account for a shrinking share of deals. Resale homes make up 87% of sales in Sofia (76% a year earlier), 92% in Plovdiv (82%) and 93% in Varna (86%). Burgas is the exception: new builds rose from 14% to 18% of deals.
Two- and three-room flats remain the core of the market, at 73% to 83% of deals across the four cities. In Burgas, two-room flats alone account for 57% of sales; in Varna, houses make up 16% of deals.
Average prices per square metre in the capital vary by district: Malinova Dolina +11%, Nadezhda and Ovcha Kupel about +7%, Manastirski Livadi – Iztok about +4%, while the city centre is down roughly 4%. In Manastirski Livadi – Iztok, the average value of a sold property fell from €235,377 to €207,767.
Agency data shows how deals are being done — discounts, timelines, which homes are in demand. Transaction volumes come from the Registry Agency: 45,312 sales were registered nationwide in Q3, down 22.1% year on year, with Varna down 26.3%, Sofia 21.2% and Burgas 14.3%. The details are in our report of 5 October.
The two pictures fit together: fewer buyers, more negotiation, but no broad price cuts.
If you are selling. Today the asking price is the start of a conversation, not the final number. The market accepts realistic pricing — sellers who start high usually end up with a bigger discount after a longer wait. In Burgas and Plovdiv especially, allow more time to reach a deal.
If you are buying. Your negotiating position is stronger than a year ago, but don't expect dramatic reductions — in most cities the price per square metre is still rising. Arrange financing in advance (check the monthly payment with our mortgage calculator) and negotiate with evidence: condition, comparable completed sales, and how long the property has been on the market.
If you are investing. The wide gaps between cities — +22–23% for two-room flats in Varna and Plovdiv versus +3% in Sofia — show how little national averages say about any specific property.
Discount, timeline and price data are from ADRES Real Estate for Q3 2026 and reflect transactions observed by that agency, not the whole market; as reported by Burgas24.bg and BurgasMedia (6 Oct 2026) and Standart (7 Oct 2026). Transaction volumes are from the Registry Agency. Figures are indicative. Verified as of 12 October 2026.
If you are thinking of selling or buying and want to know a realistic price for your property in today's market, call us or visit our office. We will show you completed sales in your area and discuss a strategy that fits your timeline.
