Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
Jan 6th 2018, 9:28 am
#46
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Posts: 0
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
Since this thread is rattling along so well I was wondering if any brave souls want to stick their necks out with suggestions for business investment opportunities.
As I have already stated I know nothing of such things, my only investment in Hungary was because it met my retirement needs.
But as I have been driving around this thread has been on my mind and I have been looking around to try to identify possibilities, without much success.
Definitely NOT another cake shop!
A friend of the family has just converted his pub to one, despite the fact that there are already two others within a 100 metres. The whole town is the same with dozens of cake shops.
I asked why he didn't convert to a cafe of which there is only one other, he said the regulations for preparing and serving hot food were just to formidable to consider it an option.
One thing that seems to be missing here which most of us might have appreciated at one time or other is a building company.
Every time I have undertaken any building work I have had to contact and contract each trade separately and then have the nightmare of coordinating their work.
So much easier in the UK when you can just call a company and tell them what you want then sit back and watch the work progress.
But I am guessing the reason for the lack of such businesses is the cost of maintaining the staff when there is little work. Since every time I required someone in the building trade they were always available within a day or two.
So I am not being much help to potential investors in Hungary!
As I have already stated I know nothing of such things, my only investment in Hungary was because it met my retirement needs.
But as I have been driving around this thread has been on my mind and I have been looking around to try to identify possibilities, without much success.
Definitely NOT another cake shop!
A friend of the family has just converted his pub to one, despite the fact that there are already two others within a 100 metres. The whole town is the same with dozens of cake shops.
I asked why he didn't convert to a cafe of which there is only one other, he said the regulations for preparing and serving hot food were just to formidable to consider it an option.
One thing that seems to be missing here which most of us might have appreciated at one time or other is a building company.
Every time I have undertaken any building work I have had to contact and contract each trade separately and then have the nightmare of coordinating their work.
So much easier in the UK when you can just call a company and tell them what you want then sit back and watch the work progress.
But I am guessing the reason for the lack of such businesses is the cost of maintaining the staff when there is little work. Since every time I required someone in the building trade they were always available within a day or two.
So I am not being much help to potential investors in Hungary!
Jan 6th 2018, 10:52 am
#47
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 0
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
The two estate agents I know in my area who specialize in selling to foreigners both offer a building contracting service for all trades. But it's expensive.
Conversely, what I'm missing is a property management service for holiday-home owners.
Language tuition. Some intensive Hungarian courses for expats wouldn't go amiss, ahem. But also courses in basic English and/or German for retail sales staff. Körmend is only 25 mins from the Austrian border but it's astonishing how few retail sales staff there don't even have the most basic German or English.
Out in the villages, perhaps a general store. We had one in the next village but it closed and I really miss it. There nearest one now is I think a 13 minute drive, which is a nuisance when all you want is a packet of screws.
I think there are also opportunities in the agricultural sector. Why Hungarians are prepared to pay Tesco prices for fruit escapes me.
Everyone's area will be different though, and I'm out in the boondocks.
Conversely, what I'm missing is a property management service for holiday-home owners.
Language tuition. Some intensive Hungarian courses for expats wouldn't go amiss, ahem. But also courses in basic English and/or German for retail sales staff. Körmend is only 25 mins from the Austrian border but it's astonishing how few retail sales staff there don't even have the most basic German or English.
Out in the villages, perhaps a general store. We had one in the next village but it closed and I really miss it. There nearest one now is I think a 13 minute drive, which is a nuisance when all you want is a packet of screws.
I think there are also opportunities in the agricultural sector. Why Hungarians are prepared to pay Tesco prices for fruit escapes me.
Everyone's area will be different though, and I'm out in the boondocks.
Jan 6th 2018, 10:57 am
#48
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
The two estate agents I know in my area who specialize in selling to foreigners both offer a building contracting service for all trades. But it's expensive.
Conversely, what I'm missing is a property management service for holiday-home owners.
Language tuition. Some intensive Hungarian courses for expats wouldn't go amiss, ahem. But also courses in basic English and/or German for retail sales staff. Körmend is only 25 mins from the Austrian border but it's astonishing how few retail sales staff there don't even have the most basic German or English.
Out in the villages, perhaps a general store. We had one in the next village but it closed and I really miss it. There nearest one now is I think a 13 minute drive, which is a nuisance when all you want is a packet of screws.
I think there are also opportunities in the agricultural sector. Why Hungarians are prepared to pay Tesco prices for fruit escapes me.
Everyone's area will be different though, and I'm out in the boondocks.
Conversely, what I'm missing is a property management service for holiday-home owners.
Language tuition. Some intensive Hungarian courses for expats wouldn't go amiss, ahem. But also courses in basic English and/or German for retail sales staff. Körmend is only 25 mins from the Austrian border but it's astonishing how few retail sales staff there don't even have the most basic German or English.
Out in the villages, perhaps a general store. We had one in the next village but it closed and I really miss it. There nearest one now is I think a 13 minute drive, which is a nuisance when all you want is a packet of screws.
I think there are also opportunities in the agricultural sector. Why Hungarians are prepared to pay Tesco prices for fruit escapes me.
Everyone's area will be different though, and I'm out in the boondocks.
Jan 6th 2018, 11:10 am
#49
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Joined: Dec 2012
Location: Nagykoros, Hungary
Posts: 773
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
Last year my Apricot tree was actually snapping branches under the weight of fruit, problem was so was everybody else's, so can't even give them away, and I still have all the jam from last year and the year before!
Jan 6th 2018, 1:48 pm
#50
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Joined: May 2015
Location: Near the Black Forest and near Esztergom
Posts: 923
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
Re stores in the villages:
Even in Germany they've all been closed - you just cannot compete with the big ones. people would buy only a few things which they need - and then go to Tesco or Interspar for the big shopping trip once a week ...
At home in Germany I talked with the village baker before he closed his bakery and he told me that he paid more for butter e g to his supplier than the big supermarket 5 km away asks when it's on offer!
And the general hardware store where you could buy screws etc closed more than 10 years ago ...
Rather OT re fruit:
My wife makes as much jam of all our fruit as possible - the rest is used by me for "Rumtopf". This has the advantage that there's minimal treatment of the fruit, cherries and sour cherries are just washed, apricots halfed and de-cored, berries just washed and checked of course. That's not too complicated even for an old geezer like me ...
Some of the apples are cut in slices and dried, the rest just kept cool ...
PS:
We also have the advantage of traveling to Germany regularly and bring stuff like home made jam as presents to our friends and family - they are very welcome!
Even in Germany they've all been closed - you just cannot compete with the big ones. people would buy only a few things which they need - and then go to Tesco or Interspar for the big shopping trip once a week ...
At home in Germany I talked with the village baker before he closed his bakery and he told me that he paid more for butter e g to his supplier than the big supermarket 5 km away asks when it's on offer!
And the general hardware store where you could buy screws etc closed more than 10 years ago ...
Rather OT re fruit:
My wife makes as much jam of all our fruit as possible - the rest is used by me for "Rumtopf". This has the advantage that there's minimal treatment of the fruit, cherries and sour cherries are just washed, apricots halfed and de-cored, berries just washed and checked of course. That's not too complicated even for an old geezer like me ...
Some of the apples are cut in slices and dried, the rest just kept cool ...
PS:
We also have the advantage of traveling to Germany regularly and bring stuff like home made jam as presents to our friends and family - they are very welcome!
Last edited by wolfi; Jan 6th 2018 at 1:50 pm.
Jan 8th 2018, 4:12 pm
#51
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 11
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
Think the biggest obstacle for any foreigner interested in doing business in Hungary is gonna be the language barrier. And if your business model is labour-intensive, well, there’s one more challenge for ya. Apart from that, there is some corruption in the bureaucracy but don’t think that’s gonna be a deal-breaker for a lot of people.
So my associate claims there’s quite a few English speaking expatriates in Budapest. Do you agree?
So my associate claims there’s quite a few English speaking expatriates in Budapest. Do you agree?
Jan 9th 2018, 9:43 am
#52
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 0
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
Jan 9th 2018, 1:54 pm
#53
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,096
Re: Real Estate Development near Budapest. Please advise.
There are also quite a few English speaking non-expats i.e.Hungarians, especially amongst the younger generation.
