Polina Stoykova MRICS participated in Imoti.net's Real Estate Business Forum

On February 24, 2026, the Inter Expo Center in Sofia hosted the first edition of the Real Estate Business Forum for the year, organized by Imoti.net. The event brought together leading experts, managers, and professionals from the real estate sector to discuss the future of the industry, the role of technology, and the changing working environment for agencies.

Among the participants in the panel discussion was Polina Stoykova MRICS, Managing Director and co-owner of BULGARIAN PROPERTIES.

Key issues discussed by the panel

The discussion raised strategic topics for the development of the sector until 2030, including:

• What will be the key differences between the agencies that survive and those that disappear?
• Size or adaptability – which will be more important?
• What will distinguish the market leader in 2030 – number of deals, brand, technology, or people?
• Which technologies will be mandatory rather than a competitive advantage?
• Will AI replace part of the brokerage profession or transform it?
• How will the requirements for brokers as professionals change?

Technology is no longer the future, but the present

In her speech, Polina Stoykova emphasized the real technological solutions that BULGARIAN PROPERTIES already applies in its daily work.

"At BULGARIAN PROPERTIES, we already use artificial intelligence solutions such as smart property search engine on our website, which allows customers to voice or type their search in their own words, instead of filtering by area, price, or property type," she said.

AI solutions also support the daily work of brokers – in creating ads, email communication, social media posts, and translations.

"The goal is for brokers to focus on communicating with people," Polina Stoykova noted.

According to her, artificial intelligence does not replace professionals, but frees up time for what is most important – consultation, trust, and strategic decisions.

Which agencies will survive?

According to Polina Stoykova, the number of agencies that will remain on the market will depend on what the sector goes through in the coming years.

"In 2008, during the big crisis, the people who were in the real estate business for a short time and by chance because of the boom dropped out. This will probably happen again now if there is a change and it becomes very difficult," she commented.

She emphasized that sustainability will depend on professionalism, adaptability, and willingness to invest in technology and training.

Need for standards in the industry

Daniela Grozeva, chair of the board of the National Real Estate Association, also took part in the discussion.

According to her, inertia is the new risk for the sector, and brokers who go with the flow are the most vulnerable.

Grozeva emphasized the need to introduce professional standards, stricter requirements for entering the profession, continuing education, and professional responsibility.

"At this stage, anyone can obtain a professional qualification as a 'real estate broker', and it is not even a prerequisite for practicing the profession. This undermines consumer confidence in the industry," she pointed out.

A look ahead to 2030

The forum outlined a clear trend—the market is entering a new phase of professionalization, technological integration, and possible consolidation.

BULGARIAN PROPERTIES' participation in the Real Estate Business Forum 2026 confirmed the company's position as an active participant in the strategic conversation about the future of the real estate sector in Bulgaria, with a focus on innovation, expertise, and trust.




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