VOTCHINA partner · Mortgage lending · updated October 2026 · in line with Bulgarian National Bank rules for housing loans
In short
A mortgage broker in Varna who works hand in hand with VOTCHINA: Svetla Pencheva compares the mortgage terms of 12 commercial banks and 2 financial institutions and brings you the three best offers. The consultation comes at no extra cost to you — her fee is paid by the bank. Our rule is simple: first we check you, then we look for a home. So by the time you sign a preliminary contract, you already know how much the bank will lend you.
Want to know how much the bank will lend you?
Message us — the VOTCHINA front office will connect you with Svetla today.
Message us on WhatsApp Call the front officeThe most expensive mistake when buying with a loan is to find your dream home, pay a deposit, and only then discover that the bank will not lend you the amount you need. The bank does not look only at your income. It checks the Central Credit Register of the Bulgarian National Bank and sees old loans, late payments and unpaid debts, and its checks also reveal account freezes imposed by enforcement agents.
People often have no idea there is a problem. A typical example: you ended a contract with a mobile operator years ago, a few euros were left unpaid, and you no longer have access to your account, so you never saw the debt. The operator collects it through a private enforcement agent who freezes your account — and it surfaces exactly when you apply for a mortgage.
Important: do not start looking for a property before your personal profile is pre-approved. If something comes up, it can be cleared calmly — before you have paid a deposit and before any deadline is running.
Svetla submits your profile for pre-approval and tells you what the bank sees. After that you know the exact amount, and our broker searches only within it.
Svetla Pencheva
Mortgage broker · VOTCHINA partner · Bulgarian, English, understands Russian
A loan officer at a bank branch sells the products of that one bank. A mortgage broker works for you: she submits your profile to several banks at once, compares the annual percentage rate (APR), the fees and the early repayment terms, and tells you honestly which offer is best.
Svetla works through the Creditland platform. Creditland brings banks a large flow of clients under special agreements, so banks often offer these clients better terms than you would get at the counter. Svetla has worked with our clients for years: she deals with the bank and gives us instructions, we carry them out, and you do not have to run between the bank, the notary and the valuer.
“Years ago I also decided to save on the mortgage broker and went straight to the same banks. They offered me a higher interest rate than the broker's clients get. They explained that with a large volume of clients the bank gives better terms — and on my own, at the counter, I could not get them.”
Vitaliy Pepelyashkov, Managing Director of VOTCHINA
For pre-approval Svetla needs just five answers:
| What you tell us | Why the bank asks |
|---|---|
| Net monthly income and its source | Sets the maximum monthly payment |
| Current loans, leases, credit cards | Reduce the free part of your income |
| Own funds | Cover the down payment and transaction costs |
| Citizenship and country of residence | Determine which banks will consider you |
| What property you are looking for and at what price | The bank finances the property, not only you |
If your own income is not sufficient, that is not the end of the road. Your position can be strengthened with a co-borrower — a relative or someone close to you whose income the bank takes into account together with yours. We have already closed deals where the bank approved the loan precisely thanks to the co-borrower's income.
| The co-borrower is | What is needed |
|---|---|
| In Bulgaria | The easiest option — signs in person at the bank and at the notary. |
| Abroad | A power of attorney whose text is agreed with the bank in advance. The exact form (certification, apostille, translation) is set by the bank — Svetla agrees it, and we help get it right the first time. |
The bank lends not against the deal price but against the property valuation — usually against the lower of the two. If the valuation comes in below the price, you cover the difference from your own funds. That is why the valuation matters as much as your profile approval.
Once your profile is approved, a refusal from the bank can only come because of the property or its documents. This is exactly what we set out clearly in the preliminary contract:
Protective clause: if the bank refuses the loan for a reason related to the property or the seller, the deposit is returned to the buyer.
This keeps the buyer's risk to a minimum: your own profile is checked in advance, and the seller is responsible for the property. We align the deadlines in the contract with the real time needed for final approval, so no deadline runs out while the bank is still working.
Sometimes a seller suggests writing a lower price in the deed than the real one. When you buy with a loan, this reduces the amount the bank will finance, and the rest falls on you. When we prepare the contracts, we make sure the price in the documents matches the real deal and your financing plan.
A unit registered as an “atelier” instead of an apartment, a building without Act 16, a tolerated structure, an illegal extension or an undivided share — some banks refuse such properties or set stricter terms. Svetla knows in advance which banks accept which property, and we check the documents before the viewing.
The Bulgarian National Bank framework: for housing loans banks as a rule finance up to 85% of the property value, the monthly payment is up to 50% of income, and the term is up to 30 years. The specific terms are decided by each bank.
| No extra cost to you | Paid separately, per bank, valuer and notary tariffs |
|---|---|
| Profile pre-approval Comparison of offers and the three best ones Preparing your documents for the bank Agreeing powers of attorney for a co-borrower Communication with the bank until approval Coordination with your VOTCHINA purchase | Property valuation by a licensed valuer Bank application and disbursement fees Insurance required by the bank Notary and registration fees for the mortgage Local property transfer tax |
Check in 1 minute
Usually not. A mortgage broker brings banks a large volume of clients under special agreements, so banks often give the broker's clients better terms than at the counter. For you the consultation comes at no extra cost.
After your profile is pre-approved and after the property valuation — and always with a clause that the deposit is returned if the bank refuses because of the property or the seller.
Yes, but the terms depend on the bank, your citizenship, your income and whether you live in Bulgaria. Svetla tells you in advance which banks will consider your profile. The consultation is in Bulgarian or English.
Under Bulgarian National Bank rules banks finance up to 85% of the property value, so you need at least 15% plus the transaction costs (tax, notary, fees). For non-residents the bank may ask for more.
Yes. A power of attorney is needed, with its text agreed with the bank in advance. Svetla agrees the form, and we help get it right the first time.
Start with a profile check — the right home will follow
Contact the VOTCHINA front office. We will connect you with Svetla for pre-approval, and our broker will select homes within the approved amount.
Message us on WhatsApp +359 876 111 535 office@votchina.euViber / Telegram on the same number.
The information on this page is general and is not financial advice or a loan offer. Rates, fees and terms are set by each bank after assessing the specific borrower and property. The Bulgarian National Bank framework for housing loans has applied since 1 October 2024. In case of discrepancy, the signed contract prevails.
