Garsoniera, studio, atelier, maisonette: the types of homes in Bulgaria

When clients first open Bulgarian property websites, they get lost: garsoniera, ednostaen, atelier, maisonette… Let's sort it out once and for all, because it will save you time and money.

The main rule

In Bulgaria rooms are counted including the living room, and the kitchen is counted separately. So a "dvustaen" (two-room) flat is not two bedrooms but a living room plus one bedroom.

Small flats

• Garsoniera: one room with a kitchenette or small kitchen, plus a bathroom. The cheapest option, often in older buildings.
• Ednostaen: one room and a separate kitchen. Slightly more comfortable than a garsoniera.
• Studio: what coastal developers call a new one-room home with the kitchen in the same room. Essentially a modern garsoniera, usually 25–40 m².

Flats for a family

• Dvustaen: a living room (often with the kitchen) and one bedroom. The most popular type by the sea.
• Tristaen: a living room and two bedrooms. Good for a family with a child.
• Mnogostaen: four rooms or more.
• Maisonette (mezonet): a flat on two levels with an internal staircase. Plenty of space, but the stairs are not for everyone.

Special cases

• Atelier: premises with non-residential status, such as a workshop or office. Often on the ground floor, in the attic or facing north. It is cheaper, but registering your address there and getting a mortgage is harder, and taxes and fees may be calculated differently. For residency, a residential property is the better choice.
• Attic and mansard: under the roof, with sloping ceilings. Check that it is residential on paper.
• An office or shop in a residential building is commercial property, not a home.

Houses

• Kashta: a detached house with a plot.
• Etazh ot kashta: one floor of a house, with the other floors owned by neighbours.
• Vila: a house in a holiday-home (vila) zone. Check for year-round water, electricity and address registration.

About floor area

The price per metre in a listing almost always includes common parts.

In Bulgaria the area includes your share of the common parts: stairs, corridors and the lift. The net living area is usually 15–25% smaller. Ask the seller for a plan showing the net area so you can compare options fairly.

My advice

First decide who will live in the home and how you will use it, then look for the type. I can help you decode any listing and point out where a nice word hides an awkward home.