Fun facts on Hungarian residential properties

napi.hu, 06.06.2017 – According to a recent survey almost one third of occupied apartments in Hungary were built from brick and mortar, the percentage of apartments in concrete high-rises is 14 per cent while those built from adobe have a share of 13 per cent. In Budapest every fourth apartment is in a concrete high-rise. On a national level, one third of occupied apartments have three rooms while 31 and 29 per cent have two and four or more rooms, respectively. Average floor space has increased by 6 per cent since 2011 and is currently 84 sq. m. In Budapest the percentage of apartments with 40 or less sq. m. is 15 per cent, three times the national average.

In 2016 there were 2.49 people living each apartment. Occupant density is the lowest in Budapest with 2.15 people per apartment and the highest in small settlements (2.75 people per apartment). Last year more than 12 per cent of the 4.4 million apartments registered were vacant, and the tendency is rising. The number of unoccupied apartments grew as a result of the diminishing population, the aging population of small settlements, migration from villages and also the growing tendency of using apartments in towns as offices.

Points considered by Hungarian residential property buyers

napi.hu, 29.05.2017 – According to a recent survey Hungarians acquire their first own residential property at the average age of 27 and two-thirds of them never move out of it anymore. Two-thirds of those who do move out stay within the same municipality. More than two-thirds of respondents were searching for their new property for three month maximum and one third (30 per cent) needed less than one month to find it. Only 17 per cent spent more than six months trying to find their dream home. The majority of buyers (63 per cent) visit four or more properties but one fifth (19 per cent) bought the first one they had visited. The main aspect to consider when choosing is, not surprisingly, price (66 per cent go by the price and 40 per cent by the funds available), but location (52 per cent) and physical repair (43 per cent) are also important. Only 5 per cent of buyers base their choice on whether the property is new or pre-owned.

Strong start to the holiday home buying season at Lake Balaton

napi.hu, 25.05.2017. – According to a large property agency approximately 600 properties changed their owners around Lake Balaton in the first four months of the year. The majority of buyers are still Hungarians and prices in the most popular areas equal those in Budapest. In places with more difficult access from the capital – especially by public transport –, e.g. in Badacsonytördemic, Badacsonytomaj and Balatonberény, prices average at HUF 100-150,000. In Balatonfüred, on the other hand, apartments cost HUF 575,000 per square metre and those in Tihany fetch about HUF 700,000 while those directly at the lakeshore are even more expensive at HUF 1,000,000 per square metre. Along the Southern shore of the lake there is still a growing interest for holiday properties or even building plots situated closer to the lake. Properties farther from the water are, predictably, less sought after, especially if they are multi-story houses with 200 square metres or more, mainly from the “Zimmer Frei” period some twenty or more years ago.

Apartment boom at Lake Balaton

napi.hu, 24.05.2017 – Many new apartments are being built at Lake Balaton and prices at Lake Velencei are also increasing. According to figures published by KSH, the National Statistical Office of Hungary, holiday home construction is also on the upswing. At Lake Balaton apartment development projects are also intensifying. Judged by the number of planning approvals and properties in the blueprint phase the number of completed apartments will peak in the next few years. Buyers increasingly prefer newly built condominium properties with a panoramic view directly at the lakeshore. These command significantly higher prices, not only on account of their better features but also because the number of building plots with direct connection to the water is diminishing.

Even though prices at Lake Velencei are lower compared to those of Lake Balaton, some factors put an upward pressure on prices there, too. First, the effects of the bourgeoning apartment market of neighbouring Székesfehérvár can also be felt in the surrounding area. Second, some settlements around Lake Velencei are comparatively close to Budapest, which means they can offer a viable alternative for buyers from the capital.

Residential property market report

napi.hu, 12.05.2017 – According to a recent residential property market report published by MNB, the National Bank of Hungary, prices in Hungary grew by 15.4 per cent on average last year. This increase can continue at a more subdued rate in 2017. Budapest witnessed the highest increase with 22.5 per cent, which is, however, still lower than the 25-30 per cent seen in previous years. Domestic residential property market is still shaped by rising prices and a growing turnover, and the supply side responded to increased demand with a significant boost of construction activity. The report, which was published for the third time this year, says the increase in demand was supported by favourable household income and labour market trends and low interest rates. MNB experts say neither the increasing volume of residential loans nor the growing average apartment prices are a sign of overheating.

Changes in the taxation of apartment letting

napi.hu, 09.05.2017 – According to a new analysis published by one of the largest property trading websites of Hungary next year’s tax legislation will rearrange the HUF 110-130 billion apartment rental market. Rental prices in Budapest are not expected to grow anymore, but in other towns there is still room for expansion, especially on the demand side. This is not expected to cause any rise in prices because next year’s revised tax legislation will basically halve current taxes and duties levied on apartment letting revenues.

According to plans the 14 per cent health care contribution would be abolished on revenues exceeding HUF 1 million per year. Revenues will only be subject to 15 per cent personal income tax, which may mean that the current average rental fee of HUF 130-135 thousand will not increase – not least because clients cannot afford to pay more. The average rental fee already equals two thirds of the average salary in Hungary.

Residential Property Market Slowdown

napi.hu, 04.05.2017 – According to the estimate of a major property agency a total of 10.6 thousand apartments changed owners in April, 16 per cent less than a year ago. Poor weather and the Easter holidays were bad on the property market which, following the boom in March, closed with significantly more modest numbers in April. That said, 10,575 transactions are still one of the highest figure since last summer though, despite being 16 per cent less than a year ago, the survey says. According to the agency’s estimate 40,175 properties were sold in the first four months of the year, 13 per cent less than the 46,000 transactions recorded in the same period of the previous year.

This is how crime rate affects apartment prices

In theory, there is a strong correlation between the crime rate and the property prices of a neighbourhood: security has a well-defined market value. However, in reality this relationship is not that straightforward: “As ever so often, the devil is in the details”, a property market analyst said. 60-70 per cent of the price of an apartment depends on the property’s physical parameters and the rest comes from the quality of the neighbourhood and the quantity and quality of services available locally. Crime and security have a strong influence, but we must also consider what type of crimes the statistics mention.

For example, although according to data published at www.police.hu the crime rate per 1000 inhabitants is the highest in downtown Budapest, apartments here are still some of the most expensive ones in the Hungarian capital: the average offering price of HUF 515 thousand in 2014 increased to HUF 862 thousand by 2016. The districts most severely hit by burglaries are the central ones in Buda (with the exception of District I.), and although the number of reported cases sank by 30-50 per cent in all of them, burglaries are still very frequent compared to the number of inhabitants.

Apartment buyers deterred by prices

napi.hu, 06.04.2017 – According to the transaction volume estimate of a large Hungarian property agency 11 560 apartments changed owners in March in Hungary. March was a strong month on the property market, far stronger than the second half of 2016, even considering the 7 per cent backlog compared to the same month of last year. The recoiling was caused by the earlier surge in property prices which forced the market to take a deep breath while potential buyers waited to see where prices were going next.

March transaction volumes and indeed the increased demand in February indicate a return of buyers to the market, which means the wait for lower prices is over. This is also supported by the increasing proportion of buyers purchasing for themselves as opposed to investors. In total, there were 29.6 thousand property sales transactions completed in the first quarter of 2017 in Hungary. In 2015 and 2016 the same figure was slightly over 30 thousand, while in 2013 it was a mere 18 thousand.

Experts expect a boom in apartment construction

napi.hu, 03.04.2017 – According to experts the number of apartments constructed this year may rise significantly, but a change in VAT legislation and the lack of skilled workers may have an unwelcome effect on the construction industry. A recent survey showed that the number of condominium apartments completed this year will reach 2010 highs, but even last year’s 10 thousand was a four-year record. Experts base their estimate on the number of planning applications mainly in the periphery of Budapest, in larger Hungarian towns and in the vicinity of Lake Balaton, mainly as a result of the 5 per cent VAT. This VAT rate will probably be in force until 2019 only, so – due to the time requirement of planning permission procedures – developers have only one year left to start new projects.

Overpriced properties on the Hungarian market

napi.hu, 05.01.2017 – A recent survey published by the Hungarian Statistical Office revealed that half of all Hungarian residential properties are worth less than HUF 10 million and one-third falls into the HUF 10-20 million category. Only every tenth property is worth more than HUF 20 million and less than five percent have a value of more than HUF 30 million. An apartment whose asking price is unrealistic will be sold with great difficulties only, no matter how strong the market is. Finding the perfect price is a key aspect of a successful sale and experienced property agents clearly have the edge here.

Overpricing can, in most cases, be attributed to one of two main reasons. In many cases the owner is also attached to the property emotionally and will attempt to reflect this attachment in the asking price. Another reason is the lack of experience: in their entire life, most people have the opportunity to sell two or three properties only, unlike real estate agents who, thanks to their professional experience, have a better overview of market prices.

First Apartment Trivia

napi.hu 14.12.16 – Demand and opportunity tend to arise ever later for young people to have their own first apartment and household. According to data collected by the Hungarian Statistical Office during the past 10 years young Hungarians leave the family home at the average age of 27.5.

During this ten-year period a total of 280,000 young people moved to their first new home, 75 per cent of them started their new life as proud owners. Ten years ago the average purchase price of the first home was HUF 9 million (approx. EUR 28 650 at current exchange rate) and it bought a studio or a one bedroom apartment.

This has also changed during the past decade although HUF 9 million does not seem a lot if we include the properties purchased in small settlements and small towns. An apartment bought for HUF 9 million ten years ago can be worth twice as much today. Only a few fortunate can buy their second apartment without having to sell the first one. The majority adds HUF 3 to 4 million to the selling price and buys an apartment with one or two bedrooms more.

Decreasing apartment prices on the horizon?

napi.hu, 29.11.2016 – There are signs of slowing of the property market, not only in downtown Budapest but in the outlying districts such as South-Pest, too. Prices are stagnating but experts believe they may even start to decrease in the near future. Real estate agents agree that the selling price hike has stopped and is hovering at previous, high levels, but any further growth of supply may result in lower prices. One source of such growth could be the consequence of the exchange rate limit that may increase the monthly instalments of loans denominated in a foreign currency and this, in turn, can force owners to offer their properties for sale. This could bring about a price drop of 5-10 per cent. However, the bargaining margin has not increased yet. Owners of condominium apartments seem very tough negotiators and are not prepared to give discounts exceeding 5 per cent. For detached or semi-detached houses buyers can achieve a little more: 5-12 per cent.

Ruined apartments in the wake of Airbnb

napi.hu, 15.11.2016 – Airbnb is causing more and more problems worldwide. The scheme faces stiff opposition, too, because it poses competition for the hotel industry, reduces the number of apartments available for long-term rental and also results in increasing rental fees. The situation is the same in Budapest, where many Airbnb hosts have already become disillusioned.

A great number of owners joined the Airbnb bandwagon with high hopes a year or two ago. Some had just one single apartment and many of them are now forced to admit that this is not what they were expecting. Their properties have been devastated by foreign tourists, the revenue has been less than they had hoped for and Airbnb requires a lot more work and attention than letting an apartment for the long-term.

Short-term apartment letting involves active marketing, one must follow the dates of important events in the city and amend prices accordingly, and both the apartment and the guests need constant attention, too. If you just post your property for EUR 40 a night and hope for the best — you will be seriously disappointed.

Residential Property Price Outlook

napi.hu, 05.10.2016. – The pre-owned residential property price increase expectations in Budapest are almost the same as in the previous quarter. 28 percent of respondents of a survey expect that prices will go higher and 19 percent said they would go down. The expected overall average price increase for Budapest is still approximately 1 per cent. A material increase of about two per cent is expected in Buda and in the upmarket parts of the downtown areas of Pest. As far as the Eastern and Western parts of the country are concerned, the survey forecasts a price increase of 2 and 3 per cent, respectively, while strong regional differences will prevail. This means the national index is back at where it was six months ago while that for Budapest is somewhat lower than that. Based on the responses building plot prices will increase by 3-6 per cent in the next 12 months.

Tax Authority plans changes

napi.hu, 05.10.2016. – Such changes should give taxpayers a real chance to win their disputes with the authority (currently 80 per cent of all lawsuits initiated are won by NAV, the Hungarian Tax Authority) and to ensure that honest taxpayers are pestered less frequently. However, independent experts say it would not be a good idea to ignore unanimous whistle-blowers (another plan of the management) because they are an irreplaceable source of information.

The management of NAV would also give taxpayers more opportunities to pay their debts. Currently, unpaid tax obligations are subject to forcible collection on the second or third banking day after they have become due. Experts, however, warn that payment warnings and on-site distrainment are more costly than forcible collections from taxpayers’ bank accounts.

Satellite settlements’ decreasing popularity

napi.hu, 26.09.2016. – The population of Budapest is increasing by almost 0.6 per cent a year, while the settlements in the outskirts are rapidly losing popularity. The inner districts of the capital are more and more appealing to apartment buyers, which is reflected in increasing prices. Ten to fifteen years ago Budapest and several other large Hungarian towns were facing slumming, a phenomenon known by Western metropolises, i.e. the radical worsening of standards of living in the inner districts. However, development projects succeeded in reversing this tendency and now potential buyers are again showing increased interest in downtown areas. At the same time, the population growth of satellite settlements has slowed down: while at the turn of the millennium some of these places registered an annual growth rate of as high as 4-7 percent, today there are hardly any that grow at a rate exceeding 1 per cent a year.

CSOK has still not taken grip

napi.hu, 27.09.2016. – The initial enthusiasm has ebbed and now CSOK (Family Home Allowance) does not seem to be such a success story after all. Real estate agents say the most serious problem is the sluggishness of the approval and disbursement procedure, which in turn causes extreme difficulties to construction contractors. CSOK is unlike a bank loan that you can apply for during the construction phase. The future allowance must be pre-financed either by the buyer or the developer. Most applicants are still waiting for their money even though they signed their contracts months ago. Banks regularly reject the documents, requesting new or additional information or amendments. On account of the poor experience of the past months developers and construction contractors are not happy to deal with CSOK clients and ask their real agents not to engage buyers who want to finance their purchase of a new apartment from CSOK.

Lodger tax to be introduced? – The Ministry responds

napi.hu, 12.09.2016 – Rumours of a new “lodger tax” have been spreading lately, so the Ministry of National Economy issued a bulletin to set the situation straight. The letting of apartments has been subject to income tax since more than 25 years, so there is no news here. The rules are clear: offering your apartment for lease through an online accommodation marketplace qualifies as a taxable accommodation operation and the landlord must have a tax number and register with the local notary public. Letting an apartment or part of it for the long term, e.g. to a lodger, is also subject to tax, but the landlord does not need to have a tax number.

According to the Ministry the online accommodation marketplaces undoubtedly created new opportunities for Hungarian landlords. The National Tax and Customs Authority started a systematic analysis of the situation back in the spring of 2016. Based on the data collected from just a single online marketplace they found that in May there were 8299 properties offered by 5206 landlords.

How to calculate profit before tax from a long-term apartment lease?

napi.hu, 13.09.2016 – There are two ways to calculate profit before tax from a long-term apartment lease. First, the landlord can deduct every verifiable cost item (cost of utilities, renewal expenses etc.) and depreciation from the revenue earned.

Second, the landlord can deduct a flat-rate 10 per cent cost ratio from the revenue earned. A tax advance shall be paid on a quarterly basis and the revenues shall be entered into the tax return under “revenue earned from non-employment activities”. The tax rate is 15 per cent. If in any tax year a private person’s revenue earned from property rental exceeds HUF 1 million, then 14 per cent social security contribution must also be paid.

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