Cost of Living - Bills

One of the most important considerations when purchasing a second home, or moving to a new country, is the cost of living. Whilst many people move for peace a quiet (plenty of that here!), for adventure, for lifestyle choices, or for a new start, there are those who move away to live more comfortably from savings or pensions. One of the major attractions for me when moving to Romania was the ability to live well on quite little. Properties are still quite affordable (although they are expected to start rising again soon as more tourist and facilities come to the countryside) and, although there are plenty of opportunities to whittle your savings away on expensive consumables here just as in the west, the cost of living for those willing to immerse themselves in a Romanian way of life is considerably lower.

There's a hole in my bucket - Water Explained

Courtyard well

One of the things you'll have to come to grips with if you decide to live in Transylvania, or purchase a holiday home, is the water situation. Probably most people reading this site can't remember a time when water didn't come gushing out of the tap twenty-four hours a day on command. I certainly can't. And furthermore, lifestyles in the West are not particularly conducive to water saving, unless you've already taken the plunge (or rather the reverse) and decided to preserve water for ecological or, judging by UK water rates these days, economic reasons.

Pretty much every household in a Transylvanian village will have a well, called a 'fantana' locally. Of course, there may be newer constructions which haven't bothered with a well, but if you're on this site you're more likely to be considering a traditional property. Wells are great, it's essentially free water and who doesn't like something for free? But there are a few factors you'll have to consider when buying and renovating your property.

Heating Your Home

Modern stove with glass front

Having bought a Transylvanian summer house you may well decide you would like to use it in spring, autumn and even winter too. And why not? Transylvania is beautiful all the year round with its wildflowers blooming in the spring meadows and the multitude of colours in autumn. Even the winter can be beautiful, but at the same time, if your house isn’t well heated, it could be a little more than most would like to cope with, temperatures sometimes dropping to minus 30 and thick snow lying on the ground. As a result, you need to plan your heating system carefully, depending both on your values and your budget.