Szeged

Hi all,

Just wondered if any of you could share some tips for newcomers to Hungary in terms of buying property and living in Hungary? The kind of tips that avoid potential mistakes, unknown scenario tips, etc. Example:

My tip - National Insurance Contributions (TAJ contributions) can only fall to around 7,000 HUF per month when you have had your address card for at least 9 months. So do not apply for a TAJ Card until that time period has passed, if you can.

Thanks in advance

duztee

My Tip:- Be totally sure that you can accept this is a different country with a different culture, outlook and attitude.

If you are going to be judging by what you could do in the UK you are going to be constantly frustrated!

Peter_in_Hungary

My tip Don't expect the housing market to be like the UK It isn't. Outside of Budapest the housing market is in a position of supply surplus. Houses can take years to sell. Money spent on renovations probably won't come back if the property is sold.

Don't expect to come to Hungary for a 2 week holiday, look around and buy your retirement home. It takes longer and more investigation to avoid mistakes.

In Hungary estate agents work first for their profit line, a poor second is the seller (the client) and the purchaser is the cash cow!

Peter_in_Hungary

Another tip - avoid adobe / mud brick aka vályogtégla built houses unless you really really know what you are doing and it is v. cheap and ticks ALL the other boxes.

Szeged

Does anyone have specific tips on managing land (i.e. growing things, not buying to much land because of xyz reason, do you have to maintain the front lawn between the pavement, council laws to be aware of, etc)?

Szeged

Forgot to add my mattress tip!

A Hungarian double bed and more precisely it mattress will be 160cm wide and NOT 140cm like in the UK. This is important because Argos' cornered sheets for example will not fit. I know because I made this mistake! So general advice, measure things like beds, mattresses and coat hanger space beforehand (bigger coat hangers from the UK might not fit certain wardrobe/closet sizes/spaces in Hungary).

cathyg

My tip is to bring as much as you can with you from the UK. In particular kitchen units (very limited choice here) likewise furniture e.g. Sofas, solid wood units, dining tables, chairs, beds. My husband bought everything in his garage, tools etc and many of a time have been glad we bought bits and pieces with us.
Electrical goods are fine in Hungary so no worries there, likewise bathroom stuff is good too.
If you like reading bring your books with you although you can buy English books in Budapest.
Stock up on teabags, stuffing, gravy granules, marmite, decaf coffee. Also any over the counter medicines you prefer. Paracetamol is expensive here. I have drawer full of medicines that I keep stocked up LOL

FenTiger

I'm surprised about the kitchen units bit as per above. We have a carpenter friend in Hungary and they upgraded their kitchen units. They were more than decent standard and I wouldn't hesitate to get those. They looked similar to what I had installed in my previous property in Surbiton, Surrey.
On the bit about bed linen we've often been given these as gifts to take back to UK. I liked them being bigger because it didn't mean having to stretch them over the corners. My wife being a Hungarian trained seamstress just cut up the larger pillow cases to fit UK size pillows.
Books - I'm more into e-reading on my kindle so nothing for me to worry about that although I do miss thumbing through some of the coffee stained pages. Not forgetting the smell of sun protection soaked into the pages.

FenTiger

Medication - one summer in Hungary I was experiencing severe hearing loss due to excessive wax. My parents in law bought something from the chemists .... I was gobsmacked how much it cost. In UK it was 60% of the price. Anyway, just shows my parents in law with their very low pension income would be anything to make me happy :-)

scrubbedexpat142

Surprised at the comment re furniture. We did not bring any from the UK and sourced everything here (a mixture of antique & modern) & were very pleased with the choice, availability & cost. However, in fairness we live in Budapest, may not be so easy outside.

Now Marmite is a different story!

enter

As I have previously quoted we would have sold most of our furniture etc etc as we have found over the years you can get most things here,depends on tastes etc. There was a hooharr about white goods being expensive, maybe not the vast choice as in UK but they were not that much more expensive.
Marmite you can get here, small tubs, a bit expensive, but who's counting, kellogs corn flakes weetabix,jacobs cream crackers etc etc.

scrubbedexpat142

The other thing about buying here was the fun doing it (particularly given our limited Hungarian!) and of course getting furniture that suited the flat rather than t'other way round.

As for Marmite, the only counting around here is how many jars are left in the cupboard!

Sachina

[QUOTE=Szeged;12277261]Forgot to add my mattress tip!

A Hungarian double bed and more precisely it mattress will be 160cm wide and NOT 140cm like in the UK. This is important because Argos' cornered sheets for example will not fit. I know because I made this mistake! So general advice, measure things like beds, mattresses and coat hanger space beforehand (bigger coat hangers from the UK might not fit certain wardrobe/closet sizes/spaces in Hungary).[/QUOTE

I have a double bed bought from Jysk in Miskolc which has a 140 cm wide mattress and have no problem with my fitted sheets which were bought either in South Africa or Tesco UK.

If you're bringing table lamps from the UK remember to bring a stock of bayonet type light bulbs with you because Hungarian bulbs are screw in!

Sachina

I can buy English books in Miskolc but it's actually cheaper and you have a fantastic choice of reading material if you order from The Book Depository UK. Every month they have a Bargain Shop with a choice of (mainly)novels for under £5 and delivery to anywhere in the world is free!

Szeged

I was on about a typical wooden Hungarian bed with wooden planks from a local Hungarian bed shop that you would normally find in a small town or village whereby the frame is made for a 160cm mattress as standard. Although the Swedish company JYSK is more commercial than a local bed shop, in certain areas of Csongrad county for example there are no JYSK shops. Hence my tip was for everyone and not just for those living near a JYSK or IKEA for example.

On a general note: If you do not support local shops, when possible and if necessary, you end up with commercial shops selling you what they want, not what you want.