Buying an apartment is one of the most consequential financial decisions in life. And yet most buyers enter the process armed only with questions about price and square footage. The standard questions matter — but they are not enough.
There are five questions that almost nobody asks before buying an apartment — and they are the ones that make the difference between a purchase that brings joy and one that brings headaches after signing.
Question 1: “What Is the Actual Usable Area I Will Be Living In?”
This is the question whose answer catches many buyers off guard — often only after they have already signed.
In Bulgaria, the floor area of an apartment is described in two different ways: gross area (built area) and net area (living area). The difference between the two can be significant — anywhere from 10% to 25% depending on the thickness of the walls, the configuration of the building and how common areas are factored in.
On top of this, the title deed registers what is known as an “independent object” — which includes the proportional share of the building’s common areas assigned to your unit. This means you are buying square footage that includes stairwell space, corridors and technical rooms, not only the space inside your apartment.
What to ask: “What is the net living area, excluding the proportional share of common areas and walls?” and “How is the total square footage calculated in the contract?”
When buying an apartment at InterHomes, this information is available and fully transparent — including architectural plans from which you can calculate the actual layout.
Question 2: “Does the Terrace Belong to Me, and How Is It Registered?”
The terrace is one of the most desirable features when buying an apartment — particularly for seafront properties. And it is also the source of one of the most frequent misunderstandings between buyers and developers.
In new-build practice in Bulgaria, the terrace can be included in the title deed in several different ways — as an appurtenant area at a reduced value, as a separately designated area, or not listed independently at all. It is important to review the title deeds and plans to understand which unit the terrace square footage has been assigned to.
There have been cases where buyers paid for an apartment with a “50 sqm terrace” and discovered after handover that the terrace was registered as a common area, or at a different square footage from what was advertised.
What to ask: “How is the terrace registered in the title deed and at what square footage?” and “Is it a separate independent unit or an appurtenant area?”
Question 3: “What Are the Real Living Costs After Moving In?”
The price of the apartment is only the beginning. When buying a new-build apartment, buyers rarely ask what the real monthly and annual costs will be after moving in — and these can turn out to be substantial.
Costs that few people ask about in advance include:
Common area maintenance fee — in gated developments with security, video surveillance and maintenance, this fee can vary significantly. At InterHomes it is fixed at €150 per year — clear and predictable from the day of signing.
Energy costs — an apartment without good thermal insulation can double your heating and cooling bills. The energy class of the building is a critical factor that most buyers never ask about.
Property tax and waste collection fee — payable annually to the municipality. In Pomorie, these are at low levels, but they should be factored into your calculations.
Finishing and fit-out costs — if you are buying at shell or standard finish level, the real costs of bringing the apartment up to your desired standard can add a significant sum to the purchase price.
What to ask: “What is the overall estimate for real costs in the first year after moving in — including maintenance, taxes and any finishing works?”
Question 4: “What Happens If I Decide to Sell in 3–5 Years?”
Most buyers think about the day of purchase. Few ask about the day of sale — which can come sooner than expected. When buying a new-build apartment, it is important to understand the liquidity of the property — how easily you will be able to sell it, at what price and under what conditions.
Key factors affecting liquidity include location and proximity to the sea — apartments within walking distance of the beach are significantly easier to sell and at a higher price. The quality of construction and the reputation of the developer also matter. Secondary market buyers are scrutinising the builder’s track record more carefully than ever.
Tax consideration: Capital gains from the sale of property in Bulgaria are exempt from tax after three years of ownership. If you sell before three years have elapsed, you are liable for a 10% tax on the profit.
What to ask: “What are the current prices for similar apartments in the area and what has the historical price growth trend been?”
Question 5: “What Exactly Am I Buying — Just the Apartment, or Something More?”
This is perhaps the most overlooked question when buying an apartment. Behind it lie several concrete topics that are of real significance.
Parking space and storage room: Are they included in the price? Are they registered in the title deed as independent units? If not — how is your right to use them legally established?
Right of building: If the land is not owned by the developer but has a right of building established over it — for what period has that right been established, and what happens when it expires?
Building classification: Is it a residential or a mixed-use building? In mixed-use buildings — with shops, offices or hotel units on the ground floors — the usage and management regime can differ substantially from purely residential buildings.
Bank mortgage: Has the developer mortgaged the land and building to finance construction? If so — how is the individual apartment released from the mortgage at the point of transfer?
What to ask: “What exactly is included in the transaction — the apartment, the parking space, the storage room — and how is each one registered?”
Why Does Almost Nobody Ask These Questions?
The answer is simple: buyers are focused on the emotion of the purchase — they have fallen in love with the apartment, they are financially ready and they want to move forward. Asking “difficult” questions feels like delay or mistrust. The reality is the opposite. A reliable developer not only has no objection to these questions — they expect them and answer them with complete transparency. If a developer hesitates or avoids a specific answer, that is an important signal in itself.
When buying an apartment, the informed buyer is not a “difficult client.” They are exactly the client that the right developer wants — because trust between both parties is the foundation of a good transaction.
At InterHomes, we believe that buying an apartment should be a process without surprises — neither during the process nor after signing. That is precisely why we provide full documentation from day one, answer every question — including the five above — and accompany our clients at every step of the process.
Interplan 11 Ltd, with over 20 years of experience and more than 25 completed buildings in Pomorie, builds properties with clear terms, transparent contracts and no hidden details.
If you are considering buying an apartment in Pomorie, our team is ready to answer these and all other questions — before you have even thought to ask them.
Explore the apartments at InterHomes and contact us for a free consultation.
Read also our article “10 Things to Check Before Buying an Apartment.“
