I looked to buy an apartment in Belle Vue, not too far from the Gondola (although 3 x further than advertised) in 2004/2005 and was then paying around 1,100 E/sqm so prices definitely gone down, not up as all the hype suggested. I pulled out thank God and managed to fight Bulgarian Dreams through court to get my money back due to misdescription and other issues. Best decision I ever made pulling out. Same money went on to buy me 6 or 7 rural houses in Central Bulgaria - all I could easily resell for double what I paid for them, if not more.
I now live here in Bulgaria and visited Bansko for a holiday in January. Horrendously expensive, massive queues for lifts, small ski area and still building continues....
If you are higher than the Kempinski, up the road from the Gondola I mean, check that your apartment block is not in breach of planning as there was initially supposed to be no building higher than the gondola as this went into national park and forest. Now there are hundreds of blocks above this line.
I agree with Chris and Jain. There are still very good deals to be had in Bulgaria but avoid the over hyped, over supplied places along the coast and in Bansko.
For skiing, Borovets a much better investment - Super Borvets project got definite go ahead, nowhere near as developed and restrictions in place to stop another 'Bansko', easier access from Sofia and Plovdiv airports, still expensive mind you...
Rachel