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How high can Hungarian house prices rise? There is still room for price rises

napi.hu, 27.09 – The Hungarian real estate market has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, and not even the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has reduced house prices. Hungary is still in the middle of the pack in the European price race, but experts see further room for price increases. Let’s take a look at what the market is like in Europe’s capitals.

The house price index for the European Union shows that house prices rose by 6.1 percent in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period last year. The annual growth rate has never been so high since the third quarter of 2007. Compared with the end of last year, despite the impact of the epidemic, a further 1.7 percent increase in prices is forecast for the European housing market. The highest price increases were recorded in Luxembourg (+17%) compared to 12 months earlier, but were also above 10% in Denmark, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Among the Visegrád Four, not only the Czechs (11.9 percent) but also the Poles are ahead of Hungary in terms of market development: while Poland recorded a +7.2 percent increase compared to Q1 2020, Hungary had a mere +4.6 percent and Slovakia an even more moderate 2 percent.

Rent growth slowed down in August

napi.hu, 22.09 – The rise in rents slowed down in August, with rents rising by around 1 percent compared to the previous month, with 1.1 percent in Hungary and 1.2 percent in Budapest. Despite seven months of steady increases, prices were on average only 3-4 percent above the level of a year earlier, the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) said in its latest report on the KSH-ingatlan.com rent index published on Wednesday. Rents in the inner districts, which form the backbone of Budapest’s supply, rose by 2.6 percent over a year, while the most significant increase in the capital was in the transitional districts of Pest, at 5.0 percent, MTI reports. Compared to August last year, rents rose by 3.7 percent nationwide and 2.8 percent in Budapest. Compared to the low in January 2021, the average rent of apartments for rent in Budapest was about 9.8 percent higher, ranging between 7 and 13 percent per district.

Rents in university towns up by ten thousand forints

napi.hu, 23.08. – According to the KSH-ingatlan.com rent index, rents in several university towns increased by 2.7 percent per month in the peak summer season, but they are still below the peak values of January 2020. In several university cities, rents have risen by 10,000 forints a month. Nationally, rents in the supply market rose by 2.7 percent in August compared to June, with the capital showing a 2.4 percent increase. Compared to the low point in January this year, average rents are up by more than 8 percent. A recovery was expected and rents were also expected to rise, mainly due to the start of the summer rental season in July, with students entering the demand side after the announcement of the university entrance limit scores. Although students are basically the main demand generators in the summer months, those looking for work in the city are also playing a role in the recovery. Compared to 2015 averages, the rent index showed that national rents were 38 percent higher in July this year, while rents in Budapest were 30 percent higher, but this is still below the record high of January 2020, when both the national and the capital’s indexes were a good 40 percent higher than in 2015.

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.