Article

Plot in Razlog, Boykov Rid or Banya: regulated plot (UPI) vs agricultural land, €45 to €130 per m²

Authors: Milena Kostadinova Yuleva, Yuliya MisyukPublished: 9 October 2026

Five live plots in Razlog, Boykov Rid and Banya (9 Oct 2026), €45–130/m²: regulated plot (UPI) vs agricultural land, what to check before a deposit, and when foreigners need an EOOD.

Search for "land for sale in Bansko, Bulgaria" and you will quickly see that the price per square metre more than doubles from one listing to the next: from €45 to €130 per m². Location and view explain part of it. The rest is the legal status of the land: whether it is already a regulated plot (*UPI*, урегулиран поземлен имот), or agricultural land where building still depends on a plan and a formal procedure.

As of 9 October 2026 the Nova Keys catalogue has five live land listings: three under Land and two under Agricultural land. Below we group them by status, explain where the price gap comes from, and list what to ask for in writing before you pay a deposit.

The general plot checklist (title, encumbrances, site visit, Banya vs Dobrinishte) is already in our article Plot in Banya or Dobrinishte: what to check. We don't repeat it here. This article covers the documents that decide whether, and what, you can build.

*This is general information, not legal, tax or notarial advice.*

Regulated plot vs agricultural land: what you are actually buying

A regulated plot (UPI) is a plot for which a detailed development plan (*PUP*, подробен устройствен план) has already fixed the boundaries, access from a street or road, the specific use and the planning regime (Spatial Development Act, ZUT, Additional Provisions § 5(11)). For a plot regulated for building, the plan also sets the parameters: permitted development, building density, floor-area ratio, minimum green area, type and height of buildings, and building lines (Art. 18 ZUT). A UPI must have a frontage onto a street or road (Art. 14(4) ZUT).

Agricultural land may by law be used only for farming. A change of use is allowed only as an exception, where the need is proven, and under the Agricultural Land Protection Act (Art. 2 ZOZZ). Under ZUT, building is permitted only where an approved PUP provides for it, and after a change of use where a special law requires one (Art. 12(2) ZUT).

For agricultural land, the sequence looks roughly like this:

1. Plan. A detailed development plan (PUP) is drawn up and comes into force. 2. Commission decision. The owner then applies for the change of use. The commission at the regional agriculture directorate, or the national Agricultural Land Commission, decides within 30 days (Arts. 17 and 24(2) ZOZZ). 3. Fee. The decision takes effect once the state fee set by tariff is paid (Arts. 24(4) and 30 ZOZZ). 4. Deadlines. The decision lapses if the fee is not paid within 3 months, if no building permit is requested within 3 years, or if construction has not started within 6 years (Art. 24(5) ZOZZ).

So "possibility to change the use" in a listing describes potential, not a decision. The outcome depends on the municipality's plans, the procedure and the deadlines.

Why one square metre costs €45 and another €130

The price per m² of land is not only about how nice the spot is. At least four things are built into it:

Status. With a UPI, part of the road (plan, permitted use, parameters) has already been travelled. With agricultural land you also buy the future procedure: time, planners and architects, fees, and the risk of refusal or delay.
Permitted use. A residential UPI and a UPI in an industrial zone are not interchangeable, even at a similar price per m². A house may not be allowed in an industrial zone at all. The PUP tells you, not the photos.
Size and frontage. Larger plots are often cheaper per m². There are also minimum sizes for plots regulated for low-rise housing: at least 14 m frontage and 300 m² in towns, and at least 16 m frontage and 500 m² in resort settlements and resort zones (Art. 19(1) ZUT).
Infrastructure and demand. An asphalt road, power right next to the plot, a south-facing slope, a Pirin view and demand in that particular area weigh as much as status.

The five live plots (checked on 9 Oct 2026)

Prices and sizes are taken from the live listing pages. €/m² = price ÷ area, rounded to the nearest euro. "Type" is the category each listing shows in the catalogue.

| Listing | Location | Type in catalogue | Area | Price | €/m² | What the description says | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Plot for sale in the town of Razlog | Razlog town | Land | 1,437 m² | €64,665 | 45 | regulated plot, 25 m frontage, asphalt road access, suitable for housing (incl. several houses) | | Plots of land in the Boykov Rid | Boykov Rid area (Razlog zone) | Agricultural land | 450 m² (each of two) | €45,000 (each) | 100 | two adjacent plots, sold together or separately; border a road, south-facing, riverbed to the south | | Regulated plot of land (UPI) in the Boykov Rid area | Boykov Rid area (Razlog zone) | Land | 1,000 m² | €130,000 | 130 | UPI, south-facing, next to an electrical connection point | | Land on the main road in the village of Banya | Banya village | Agricultural land | 579 m² | €59,000 | 102 | at the entrance to Banya from Razlog; power and water nearby; possibility to change the use | | Regulated plot in the industrial zone of the village of Banya | Banya village | Land | 1,364 m² | €136,000 | 100 | within the regulated area; for warehouse, production, logistics or other business use; road access |

What the table shows:

At Boykov Rid the gap shows up within the same area. The 1,000 m² UPI is €130 per m². The neighbouring 450 m² plots listed as agricultural land are €100 per m². Size and position differ too, but status is a big part of the difference.
In Banya, two plots cost almost the same per m² for very different purposes. The agricultural plot on the main road (€102 per m²) is a bet on location and a future change of use. The regulated plot in the industrial zone (€100 per m²) is for business use under its plan. If you want to build a house, the second is probably not your plot. Check the permitted use in the PUP.
Razlog is the cheapest per m² (€45) and is already a regulated plot. It is large and in town, away from the ski area. For a housing project that is often a more predictable start than cheap agricultural land.

Listings change. The Banya agricultural plot, for example, is now €59,000. For current offers see Land and Agricultural land.

Before a deposit: six documents and questions

All of this comes before the preliminary contract. Ask for it in writing and have an architect or lawyer who works in Razlog or Bansko municipality read it.

1. Cadastral sketch (скица). It shows the identifier, area, boundaries and type of permanent use. From it you can tell whether the plot is recorded as urban land or as agricultural land (field, meadow and so on). The area should match the listing. 2. PUP and permitted use. Is there a detailed development plan in force for the plot? What use and parameters does it set (residential or industrial, density, floor-area ratio, height)? For a UPI, ask for an extract of the plan, not just "it's in regulation". 3. Design visa (виза за проектиране). This is an extract of the PUP covering the plot and its neighbours, showing building lines, permitted height, density and floor-area ratio (Art. 140 ZUT). If the seller has one, it gives you the clearest picture of what can actually be built. If not, agree who will apply for it and when. 4. Road and access. For a UPI, frontage onto a street or road is part of the regulation. Outside regulation, check that access is legally secured (municipal road, easement), not just "you can drive through". 5. Power and water. "Nearby" and "next to a connection point" are good signs, but they are not a connection contract. Ask whether there is an opinion or connection terms from the power distribution company and the water utility. Outside urban areas, building is permitted only where water, electricity and road access are secured (Art. 60(2) ZUT). 6. Change of use (agricultural land only). Has a procedure, PUP or commission decision already started? If not, plan for months and costs for the plan, design and fee, with no guaranteed result. If you are buying to build a house, write into the preliminary contract what happens to your deposit if the change is refused.

The deed day itself (where it happens, what is paid, when you become the owner) is covered in No notary in Bansko: the deal closes in Razlog.

Can foreigners buy a plot? EU vs non-EU

The answer depends on your citizenship and on the type of land.

EU and EEA citizens. The Constitution lets foreigners acquire land under the conditions that follow from Bulgaria's EU membership (Art. 22(1)). The Property Act expressly allows EU and EEA citizens to acquire land in line with the law (Art. 29 of the Property Act). The transitional restrictions in the Accession Treaty ran for 5 years (land for secondary residences) and 7 years (agricultural land) from 1 January 2007, and both have long expired. For a UPI, an EU citizen normally buys in their own name, without a company.

Agricultural land is a separate case. Art. 3c of the Agricultural Land Ownership and Use Act (ZSPZZ) requires the buyer to have been resident or established in Bulgaria for more than 5 years. Companies registered for less than 5 years may buy if their partners meet the same requirement. On 18 January 2024 the EU Court of Justice (case C-562/22) ruled that Art. 63 TFEU precludes such a 5-year residence condition. Check in advance with the notary handling your deal how this is applied today to you as the buyer.

Non-EU citizens (including the UK after Brexit, the US, Israel and Ukraine) cannot own land in their own name, except through statutory inheritance. They can acquire buildings and limited property rights, such as a right to build (Art. 22 of the Constitution, Art. 29 of the Property Act). The usual route to a plot is a Bulgarian company, most often an EOOD (single-member limited company). The company buys the land and you own the company.

When is an EOOD needed for these five listings?

Non-EU buyer: for any of the five, if you want to own the land. For the two plots with agricultural status (Boykov Rid 450 m² and Banya main road), also check Art. 3c ZSPZZ for a newly formed company.
EU buyer: usually not needed for a UPI (Razlog, Boykov Rid 1,000 m², Banya industrial zone). For agricultural land, check with the notary before you pay a deposit.

What running a company involves (bookkeeping, annual accounts, taxes, exit on sale), BULSTAT registration and a power of attorney from abroad are covered in Buying property in Bansko as a non-EU citizen: apartment, land and EOOD. We don't repeat them here.

Talk to a lawyer or notary

This article is not legal advice. It does not guarantee that a given plot can be built on, or that a given buyer can acquire it. The land's status, the PUP and your right to buy are confirmed by the documents, the municipality, the notary and, where needed, a lawyer. Laws and practice change. Check your own case before you pay a deposit.

Next steps

Browse all plots and agricultural land in the catalogue. If a plot interests you, contact us. We'll arrange a viewing and ask the owner for the cadastral sketch and any plan documents before anyone talks about a deposit. Where we work (Bansko, Razlog, Banya, Dobrinishte) is described in our agency article.

Office: 1 Neofit Rilski St., Bansko · Phone/WhatsApp/Viber: +359 89 825 6588 · office@novakeysbansko.com

Sources

*Prices and areas are from live Nova Keys listings as of 9 October 2026. Check the current listing before you decide.*