The housing market in 2026 is sending sellers two conflicting signals. On one hand, prices keep rising — according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), homes were 15.5% more expensive year on year in the second quarter. On the other, the number of sales is down 18.1%, and buyers are taking longer to decide and comparing more. In this environment, a good price does not happen by itself.
We covered the paperwork a seller needs in Selling a home in Bulgaria: the documents the seller provides. This guide covers the other half of the preparation — price, presentation and viewings.
Figures are indicative and were checked at the end of September 2026.
In short: today's buyer has time, choice and compares. A seller who behaves as if it were still 2025 loses out.
The most common mistake is pricing off the neighbours' listings. Listings show what sellers ask, not what buyers pay — and when every second deal involves a discount, that gap matters.
A realistic asking price is built from:
When a property goes on the market, every active buyer currently searching that area sees it. They are the most motivated group — and it is small. If the asking price is too high, they simply move on, and a later price cut reaches fewer, more sceptical people: "why hasn't it sold yet?"
That is why "start high, we can always come down" today usually means a longer sale and a bigger final discount, not a better price. A sensible asking price leaves some room to negotiate, but not so much that it puts buyers off from the start.
Before coming to the property, a buyer has looked at the photos dozens of times. A few rules that work:
Decide before the first offer what your floor is and which terms matter to you — completion date, move-out date, furniture left behind. Flexibility on timing often costs the seller less than a price cut, and for a buyer with a mortgage it can matter just as much.
A reasoned offer backed by arguments — comparable sales, condition, time on the market — deserves a reasoned counter-offer, not offence. Deals today are made between two reasonable parties, not in a bidding war.
The market has not stopped — prices are still rising and there are buyers. But there are fewer of them, and they are better informed and more patient. That makes pricing and preparing the property more important than ever.
If you are thinking of selling, visit our office or give us a call. We will value your home against real sales in your neighbourhood and tell you honestly what price and timescale to expect.
