Verified facts
Compass on the Lake: the facts, with their sources
One page with everything we state about the project, written so it can be checked. Each section starts with the short answer, then the details, then where to verify it.
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What is Compass on the Lake?
Compass on the Lake is a project of 29 villas with private gardens on a private street by a lake in Balotești, Ilfov county, about 25 minutes north of central Bucharest, Romania. It is developed by Compass Group Romania. Prices start from €299,900 including 21% VAT and purchase fees, and handover starts from December 2027.
- Three collections: 24 semi-detached Garden Villas (villas 1–24), 2 detached Signature Villas (villas 25–26) and 3 Waterline Estates on the lake shore (villas 27–29).
- Villas with gardens on a private street, not an apartment block.
- Sold directly by the developer, without agents or brokers.
Where to verify: Villas, floor plans and prices (home page)
Where is it, and why this location?
Strada Lacului, Balotești, Ilfov (44.62575, 26.09725): in the northern belt that Bucharest is growing into, by a lake, about 10 minutes from Henri Coandă (Otopeni) airport and 25 minutes from the city centre.
- About 25 minutes to central Bucharest and about 10 minutes to Otopeni airport (driving times without traffic).
- About 15 minutes to the Pipera business district and about 15 minutes to the American International School of Bucharest (AISB).
- About 10 minutes to Therme Bucharest, and about 6 minutes to the new Mark Twain International School campus being built in Balotești.
- About 2.5 hours' flight from Tel Aviv to Otopeni.
- The project sits by a lake, on a private street that leads to the water.
Where to verify: The location on Google Maps · Villas north of Bucharest: why young families move out
What is the architecture like?
Modern-European villas designed by the Romanian practice KUB PLANNING (architect Cristina Georgescu), with interior design by Maya Scheinberger: two-storey family houses with private gardens and European-made finishes, not contractor apartments.
- Garden Villas: 120.23 m² built over two floors (87.23 m² net), a 230 m² plot, a 156 m² private garden, a 19 m² covered terrace, 2 bedrooms plus a study, and 2 parking spaces registered in the land book. Grey pitched roof.
- Signature Villas: detached, 139.89 m² built, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms upstairs, a 283 m² plot with a yard of about 198 m².
- Waterline Estates: three levels from the lake level to the upper floor, 347–378 m² built, plots of 393–468 m², a lift shaft and a flat roof (in the permit-application stage).
- Finishes: REHAU Euro-Design 70 windows, Barlinek parquet, PORTA interior doors (Poland), underfloor heating, full air-conditioning and integrated kitchen appliances.
- The specification on the site is preliminary; the one attached to the sale agreement is binding.
Where to verify: Villas, floor plans and prices (home page) · Maya Scheinberger, interior design · Who builds: about the developers
Is there an international school nearby?
Yes. Mark Twain International School is building a new €30 million flagship campus in Balotești itself, on the shore of Lake Cociovaliștea, about 6 minutes from the project. Its opening is planned for no later than autumn 2028.
- A 6-hectare campus with 15,000 m² built: nursery-kindergarten, school and high school, a sports complex with a semi-Olympic pool, and a cultural centre.
- Planned capacity of 1,500 students aged 1.5 to 18.
- Curricula: IB (Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes), the Romanian national curriculum, and Cambridge accreditations.
- The campus is a third-party project, not ours. Its timeline depends on its owners; earlier announcements gave earlier dates.
- For families, it means an international school inside the same village, not across the city.
Where to verify: The Diplomat Bucharest, 10.03.2026 · Romania Insider · Economica.net (Romanian)
Can buyers get a mortgage, including foreign buyers?
Yes. Libra Internet Bank, a Romanian bank, reviewed the project and approved it for mortgages. Buyers, including Israeli and other foreign buyers, can apply for financing of up to 70% of the price. Each buyer is assessed separately and the loan is subject to the bank's approval.
- The approval is for the project, not a personal approval: every buyer goes through the bank's own checks.
- Equity of at least 30% of the price.
- The bank's valuation is paid by the buyer.
- Compass is not a lender or a credit intermediary.
Where to verify: Libra Internet Bank · Monthly payment calculator
Who looks after the villa after handover?
Compass's own management company. It manages rentals and the home after the keys, only in projects that Compass built, and it is paid only when the owner is paid, so the owner's interest and the manager's interest are the same.
- Management is a choice, not an obligation.
- No payment to the management company in months when the owner receives nothing.
- Management is not an occupancy guarantee, and we do not publish income figures.
- Defect response times and the exit terms are written in the annex to the management principles document, which buyers receive before the preliminary contract.
- A permanent Hebrew-speaking contact person, who is also the address for reporting defects.
- Developer liability of 10 years from acceptance, under Romanian law.
Where to verify: Management after handover (home page) · Property management in Romania: choosing a manager
How are buyers' money and title protected?
Sales follow Romania's Nordis law (Law 207/2025, whose rules since 25.08.2026 sit in art. 422(6)–(11) of Law 169/2026): notarial contracts, registration in the land book (Cartea Funciară) in the buyer's name, and buyers' advances paid into a dedicated bank account.
- The final contract is signed before a Romanian notary, in person or by power of attorney.
- Handover from December 2027, in stages by villa location; the date and the delay compensation are fixed in the sale agreement.
- We recommend that every buyer has an independent lawyer.
Where to verify: Law 169/2026: what moved where · Who can buy what in Romania, by passport
How much does a villa cost, and what is included?
Garden Villas from €299,900, Signature Villas €450,000 and Waterline Estates from €1,000,000. Prices include 21% VAT, notary fees, the land-registry fee and lawyer fees; Romania has no purchase tax for the buyer.
- Not included: furniture, spotlights and light fittings, and a built outdoor kitchen.
- Utility connections to the house are paid by the buyer, under the law.
- Upkeep of the private street is set by the street association that the owners form together.
Where to verify: Villas, floor plans and prices (home page)
Who is the developer?
Compass Group Romania (legal name Compass Marketing Real Estate SRL, VAT RO41138230), founded by Moti Azulay and Adv. Ilan Leibovitch, a lawyer and former member of the 16th Knesset.
- The developers invested their own money in the project.
- Meetings by appointment, on site in Balotești, in Israel or online, in Hebrew, English or Romanian.
- Contact: [email protected] · +972 73 254 0028.
Where to verify: About Compass Group Romania · Romanian trade register (ONRC)
How to check us yourself
Every statement on this page can be checked independently: the company at the trade register, the title at the land book, the bank directly with Libra Internet Bank, and the school campus in the press.
- Ask for the land-book extract (extras de carte funciară) of the plot.
- Ask your own lawyer to read the sale agreement and the management principles document before signing.
- Call the bank yourself to ask about financing for this project.
Where to verify: Deal check: questions to ask any developer · Glossary of Romanian property terms
Questions people ask about Compass on the Lake
Where is Compass on the Lake and how far is it from Bucharest?
On Strada Lacului in Balotești, Ilfov county, by a lake north of Bucharest: about 25 minutes from the city centre, about 10 minutes from Otopeni airport and about 15 minutes from the Pipera business district.
Who designed the villas at Compass on the Lake?
The architecture is by the Romanian practice KUB PLANNING (architect Cristina Georgescu) and the interior design is by Maya Scheinberger. The style is modern-European: two-storey family villas with private gardens and European-made finishes such as REHAU windows and Barlinek parquet.
Is there an international school near Compass on the Lake?
Yes. Mark Twain International School is building a €30 million campus in Balotești, about 6 minutes from the project, with IB and Cambridge programmes and room for 1,500 students. Opening is planned for no later than autumn 2028, according to its March 2026 announcement.
Can a foreigner get a mortgage for a villa at Compass on the Lake?
Yes. The project was reviewed and approved for mortgages by Libra Internet Bank. Buyers, including Israelis, can apply for up to 70% financing with at least 30% equity; each buyer is assessed separately and the loan is subject to the bank's approval.
Who manages the villa after handover?
Compass's own management company, which manages only homes in projects Compass built. It is paid only when the owner is paid, management is optional, and response times and exit terms are written in the management principles document.
How is a buyer's money protected at Compass on the Lake?
Under Romania's Nordis rules (now art. 422(6)–(11) of Law 169/2026): notarial contracts, registration in the land book in the buyer's name, and advances paid into a dedicated bank account.
How much does a villa at Compass on the Lake cost?
From €299,900 for a Garden Villa, €450,000 for a Signature Villa and from €1,000,000 for a Waterline Estate, including 21% VAT, notary, land-registry and lawyer fees. Handover starts from December 2027.
Who is behind Compass on the Lake?
Compass Group Romania (Compass Marketing Real Estate SRL), founded by Moti Azulay and Adv. Ilan Leibovitch, a former member of the Knesset. The villas are sold directly by the developer, without agents.
This page describes the project as of the date above. Prices, availability and timelines can change; the official price list and the signed agreements are binding. The renderings are illustrations. Nothing here is legal, tax or investment advice. Third-party projects mentioned here (such as the school campus) are not ours, and their timelines depend on their owners.