Who would have believed, just a decade ago, that Bulgaria would be so close to the United Kingdom in 2007?

Once a part of the old Communist block, Bulgaria was not a popular holiday destination for westerners. Now it is a growing attraction for tourists from all over the world.

Stretching along the shores of the Black Sea, Bulgaria has become a growing favourite holiday spot for sea and ski lovers for a throng of new visitors. With its four snowy Winter months, mild Spring, hot Summer and colourful Autumns; its mountainous territory and natural parks, sandy beaches and modern cities and villages Bulgaria is an equally interesting holiday location for people of all ages and hobbies.

The remnants of thousands of years of history and civilization, the rural areas, the beautiful and clean Black sea coast as well as the improved economic conditions, the political stability, the friendly people make Bulgaria one of the best places for those keen to invest in overseas property.

And after visiting Bulgaria most want to return – and now more than ever many of these visitors people want a slice of their own in Bulgaria. The country is quickly developing into a modern European country and the real estate business is fast developing also.

People wishing to buy or rent property in Bulgaria can do so like in any other country - simply by turning on their computer and hooking on the Web. The properties offered are varied: apartments, houses, ski chalets, luxury properties, even hotels and garages.

Name your price, your preferences, and the little extras you would want. An apartment building in the capital, Sofia, a summer vacation house on the beach in Varna, or even stay in a quaint family run small inn in Plovdiv – the possibilities are abundant in Bulgaria.

The number of banks and companies offering international mortgages and offshore services is also growing daily.

Investor initially focused on Black Sea properties. The average price of holiday properties along the southern Black Sea was close to 850 euro/m 2 in 2006. In the North of the country, it reached 700 euro/m2. Sunny Beach and the nearby resort villages like Sveti Vlas, Nessebur and Ravda are among the most expensive places. Prices there vary between 800 and 1800 euro/m 2, with the highest price reaching 2500 euro/m 2. The popularity of Sunny Beach among foreign tourists and the potential for new investment produced a high construction rate in the resort.

Today, prices of 1 to 3 bedroom houses and villas are averaged at ?64451 in Varna, ?75492 in Sunny Beach, ?30174 in Plovdiv, and ?60082 in the capital, Sofya. Online offers are available for houses and apartments in about 115 cities and villages of Bulgaria.

The number of English speakers is also growing in Bulgaria. But it helps to know that hello is "zdravisvanie" in Bulgarian.