Alcogod

Hello there, a while ago i was looking through the topics and found a property website which had the prices in forint rather than pounds and also seemed a lot cheaper due to this. I now cannot seem to find the link and was wondering if anyone knows of a decent site to look up apartments to buy.

Hungary Hippo

Hi Alcogod - I like this site:

realestatehungary.hu - Every real estate listing, all in one place.

There's also:

Apróhirdetés ingyen és biztonságosan - jofogas.hu

Personally, I find that one a bit difficult to navigate as my Hungarian is very poor, but you may find it useful.

Hopefully, others will be along with some other suggestions.

Alcogod

Thanks, I've had a quick look but i don't think the prices are correct. I mean this surely cant be this low.

Budapest 2. district #20285452

Hungary Hippo

That listing seems to have been taken down, but if it was ridiculously low then it may have been for a rental and the price would have been a rent rate. It's not always obvious that the listing is for a rental, but if it's in Budapest or near the lake and it's got a seemingly very low price, it's probably is a rental.

mawood47

I just back from country side wear I have property one of witch is on the Market, Selling Agents a mixture of Hungarian Selling Agents whom are English Speaking and the Non Distractive UK Agents whom only Won't cash up front if there is Client Interested in seeing the property, When I arrived her investment was at 290.00fh to the Pound Today rate around 400.00fh to the Pound, so the point is wright Bargain prices to be had if you can find the wright Property I shall losses out on my investment sale digger47

Alcogod

I have found a few apartments i like the look of and i am planning on going over in august to view them if they are still available and any others which i find before then. What is the best way to deal with estate agents over there?

I am only going for 2 weeks to get a feel for the place and make sure i really want to live there. I have read some stories on here about estate agents upping prices and things to earn more money, but i was hoping to visit a few agents and get them to show me properties and obviously show them my own i have found.

Is this a good approach?

sowise

Depends on where you are looking, is it a big city or small village ?

Alcogod

Budapest, mainly around districts 7 and 8 are around my price range or anywhere further out with close links to trams/trains as i am not going to bother with a car.

Peter_in_Hungary

IMO No.
If you were going to a relatively unknown major city in the UK would you give yourself 2 weeks to decide you want to live there and then buy a flat?

I would suggest renting something first and then take some months deciding what / where you want to be, before splashing out on a purchase.

I would not show agents any properties you had found yourself, they are working for themselves first, then the seller, and you pay their mortgage via the commission they charge. What is in it for the agent if you show them a property you have found? As helpful as they might appear they will be telling you what you want to hear and not the reality. You do not have the consumer protection here that you have in the UK and there will be virtually no come-back for miss-selling!

The Hungarian housing market is in surplus and if you decide after purchase you want to change and sell on and move then this may not be a quick exercise - it can take years to sell a property if you don't want to drop the price to the floor.

sowise

Hi there Alcogod, I think what you really need is a translator so that you can go around and find out about the places you have found. That way you get to see what you like and you don't pay extra for agents, sellers are more likely to lower their prices a bit too if they don't have to pay 2-4% of their sale price. I'll be in HUngary from the end of the first week of July and although I'm in Gyor , I'll be taking my teenage daughter and her friends up to town so while they galivant I can check out a few places with you and translate if you want. I'm not perfect by a long stretch but I do contracts in Hungarian and seem to have managed okay. I agree with peter that it's a wise move to rent for a while and check out the city , however some people have strong instincts and if you are one of those then you'll have a strong sense of what you like anyway. Be careful of areas with big gypsy/roma populations - and it's important to check out if your house is majority inhabited by them because culturally they are very loud and they're not going to turn down the tv, music, screaming or fighting just because you have bought a flat there and want to rent it out. If you like a soap opera then fine but it's another world and it can become quickly tiring, they also have a propensity for breaking glass

Jack_Russells4ever

Good advice! I totally agree.

Alcogod

Sadly Peter im only allowed to take a maximum of two weeks off work although i would like to take longer. Also yes i would decide to move somewhere within two weeks as im pretty impulsive and its worked well for me so far.

I will certainly take your advice about being more cautious without the buyer protection.

Sadly sowise i wont be there at the same time as yourself but i am talking to some hungarians and getting to know them, maybe when i go over i might meet up with them and see if they could possibly translate as ive only been learning for a year.

sowise

sounds like you have it sorted