Peter_in_Hungary

Yes but it is still possible for Roma or something similar to cause a problem but this is usually evident from looking at the state of the properties and in the local pub during working hours.

wolfi

Thanks, Peter and Watchpost - you described it better than I could and I totally agree with you!

I'd like to add that one reason of course is the strange (at least in my eyes) reluctance of the government to help financially e g the people with renovating their houses in the villages. In my eyes that's a real shame - and my wife thinks the same, but she generally has a very low opinion of the governments here ...

When we walk our dog we often see houses that look like ruins - often a part of the building has fallen down and is uninhabitable, the walls have cracks, the windows obviously have no insulation ...

And that smell in winter from burning coal and whatever else is horrible - so if your nose is sensitive ...

PS:
Our neighbour just told us proudly that he's making "briquettes" out of the accumulated sawdust and newspapers ...

Peter_in_Hungary

It is generally perceived that new build puts more into the GDP than renovation. Also new build can be put where, due to changing work patterns etc. the houses are wanted. If you renovate an empty village house where there are many other empty houses, what will you do with it after renovation. If the rural economies are revitalised and / or remote working becomes more achievable then renovation becomes more possible and probable.

wolfi

Peter, of course you're right - we have a similar situation in Germany, the cpuntryside is getting empty (especially in the East) while in the West rents in the cities are exploding!

So of course it makes sense building for the new arrival in the cities - but at least renovating the many "panel apartment houses" would also be a good idea.

My remark was at people building new houses in our village - of course if they can afford it, no problem.

Actually there are a few houses being renovated right now (new roofs, new windows etc, even air conditioning) - some by Hungarians, others by Ukrainians, Austrians and Germans.

PS and not too much OT
:
Especially the West Balaton and Hévíz are attractive forus Germans and Austrians because the traffic time "home" is minimised!

For us e g it's no problem to drive back to the Black Forest in one day ...

AJK

Both of you have made a comment about the Roma population...is that something that has an impact on your everyday life?

Note that I am not trying to be provocative here - being a Canadian, any racial discussion actually feels quite awkward. I am just looking for people's thoughts and impressions about life in Hungary today.

stargate1234

Hi AJK... I have crossed paths with a few Roma people. The (white) Hungarians don't like them much. They say they steal and are offensive. This is no doubt true in some cases. I know Hungarians that also cheat and are offensive. I imagine if you get mixed up with lots of them you might have a problem as they do stick togeather and, yes can be troublsome. They tend to be poor so they do try to take advantage.
The two Roma men I got to know (labouring for me) were fine. You just have to treat them with the same respect you treat any other person and they will like you for it. But of course,, keep an eye on 'em !!.. Having said that we dont have many Roma people in the area we live...

wolfi

One basic problem with the Roma is that many don't have real education and therefore no chance for a well paying job which is frustrating for them and I see it in the village.

We have a lot of alcoholics (not only Roma) who can only do simple work - which gets them 600 HUF an hour, max.

So the risk of doing something illegal is large ...

Many years ago my neighbour who organised work on my garden employed two Roma men which got two enough to drink (one and a half liters of cheap wine plus soda) and in the evening he paid 1000 HUF - to their wives ...

Tapsony-Hungary

You asked about the Marcali area, well I can tell you it's very nice, has good restaurants open all year round, shops, garages and workshops, bakeries, supermarkets, a market every Friday morning, lovely parkland and an open air theatre arena, schools for every age of child. A wonderful spa and park/sports area which has open air pools in the summer and two indoor pools plus spas open all year. A hospital, dentists, hairdressers, bridal shop etc and some very nice houses. Plus easy access for the lake and motorway.

teklovics

I'm not sure if this is the right thread to write to (I'm quite new to forums).
I live in the North-West side of the country and I would like to sell my house.
Since it is an old mantion with a big land in a quiet village, this is not something that Hungarians would tipically look for. It would be most suitable for a (foreign) couple being able to work from home.

I would like to ask you if you have any suggestions on where I should advertise or if there is a reliable agency I could contact. Even if it's in the UK.
There is a local agent but his intentions are not quite clear to me (I had mentioned this in a previous post) and I also know some hungarian sites (ingatlan.com and ingatlanbazar.hu).

I hope this information will also be useful for people not knowing where to start looking for a real-estate in Hungary.

123Emily

I live in a building with 40 families, 2 are Roma families, the are normal people that go to work, one works at CEU as a admin assistant, the kids go to school and are clean. So dont write a place off, just because it has a few Roma, some Roma are bloody awful, but you might get lucky like I did. So far I have there a year and my bike has not been nicked from the court yard yet. So fingers crossed. If your buying a place, I recommend returning very late in the evening, when the seller is not expecting you, and checking out noise and trash levels.

I live in the 8th district, the worst part, not the palace bit. Its fine, def better than SE London, but still a little rough and run down. But I knew that when I was buying. We have no major maintenance issues with the building and the community is not in debt.

You could try Capital Real estate - However they do charge you a 4% finders fee on top of the other fees as they are a buyers agent. But I found the service good and honest.

yamyamsam

This is a great thread, I am saving up for maybe moving to Hungary/Poland, the bloody language is hard though! Cheap housing and the beautiful nature makes me want to return

123Emily

Yamyamsam. One of the biggest issues I have with Hungary is the education system and the Halapenz you have to pay at the doctors. In Poland there is no Halapenz which is a bonus. I dont know what the education system is like in Poland so I cant compare.

PaulinEger

You don't HAVE to pay anything. That's just a myth still supported by the older generation.

123Emily

Yeah but try getting anything from the doctor from the morning after pill to an inhaler without it, all the students on our course have complained, but the problem is the doctor is only getting 36,000HUF per week and if the students don't help then there will be no doctor the following semester.

PaulinEger

Surely there is an obligation to provide a doctor. If your current doctor decides to cut his/her nose off by leaving (and then trying to find a new job) then they will have to be replaced. Hopefully by someone less corrupt.
Doctors and medical professionals are in the process of getting huge pay rises.
We've never paid anything to anyone in order to receive the treatment we are entitled to and neither do most of the people we know these days. It's generally older people who believe that they won't receive decent treatment if they don't pay extra. Having said that, I don't live in BP .....thank goodness.