Viewing properties
 

We are in Hungary for two weeks. Viewed two properties so far. First one was in good decorative order and had two outbuildings, which included a sauna, utility room and shower/toilet, the other outbuilding a make-shift summer kitchen and toilet/shower. It also had a double garage and an incredibly long garden (plot size 2,225 sq m) with two metre high fencing all the way round. All bedrooms were a good size and the kitchen was big enough for a dining table. It's one downfall was you couldn't see the garden from inside the house unless you stepped into the extended "conservatory". No nice views from the kitchen or dining room and snug except towards the sauna outbuilding! Decided this was not for us but we can't get out of our head the garden! The snug would only have room for a sofa, armchair and the TV! The dining room would be perfect for those christmas or special family gatherings! The second house was a work in progress and had not been finished. There were three other couples viewing at the same time but we both felt it was in the wrong location and the layout wasn't for us. Unlike the first one the builder had attempted to make this one more modern and although more to our "modern" taste we prefer something with a hint of old hungarian. Am I making sense? There's one more property to view next week and it's not too far from where my wife's family live. The owners of the first one are known to friends of ours and the husband has done some work on their house! Small world!
The first house also seemed to have three boilers, one in kitchen, one in shower/toilet and one in the utility room. Our thoughts are .... heating bills are going to be high! Surprisingly there was no bath in this house!!! It didn't look like there was room for a bath to be fitted! Unless you considered the utility outbuilding which my wife isn't keen on the idea of venturing outside to do the washing and I would think ... going to a good soak in a hot bath!
We have just been told there's a fourth property for sale on the same road as the sister-in-law so we might make enquiries before we return to UK end of next week!
The parents-in-law have offerd us the opportunity to convert some of their outbuildings to accomodation for us but we think they would be too small, unless a long extension was added, and the building works would be too much hassle for them especially at this time of their life when they are struggling to cope with every day life. Our house in UK is three bedrooms, end of terrace and a garage at the bottom of the garden which could fit two cars. We have a loft too! I can't see how all out stuff would fit in the converted outbuildings so it looks like our best option is to think of ourselves and find a house big enough and preferably a bigger size than our house in the UK.
Ideally, the sister-in-law's house is the kind of house we want. Everything seems to be in the right place .... but we should not be surprised because the sister-in-law's husband built it! We might crack a joke before we go home we'd like to buy their house!

Re: Viewing properties
 

If the parents-in-law (p-i-l) have offered the opportunity to convert an out building and your problem is the size that sort of implies that the location and garden size etc. is ok.

If the p-i-l are getting on and can just cope with daily life - this situation will get worse......So if the p-i-l house is suitable for you (even with changes) have you thought about converting the outbuilding for the p-i-l and moving in to the main house. This would solve the future issues of the p-i-l needing extra help and perhaps give you a property you like.

Lots of thought and discussion needed with p-i-l and the rest of the family before you go down this route but this can work, we had my m-i-l with us for 10 years and it worked.

Re: Viewing properties
 

It had crossed our minds for the p-i-l to move into the converted building because the access would be by a gentle slope whereas main house via steps which they are finding difficult. We could put in a bathroom with toilet and walk in shower big enough for a special chair and grab handles. But their house is quite small, more of a one bedroomed house. A friend suggested extending it but it is not our house and I personally don't want to put this idea to them. One snag they do have alot of stuff in the outbuildings and so do we in our loft and garage.
Thanks Peter in Hungary for your suggestion.

Re: Viewing properties
 

The way such things can work here is that on of the children buy out the other children from the parents house and then live in - or in your case take over the main building and convert the out building and the implication is then that the child buying out looks after the parents. This is where the discussion with the parents and the rest of the family come in - everyone has to be happy with the deal, but it does solve care problems coming down the line.

For us actually my m-i-l said she wanted to move in with us so we called a family meeting where she said she would sell her flat and divide the proceeds, after expenses, between the children. M-i-l wanted a small sum for herself and part of the expenses were converting our place to have a downstairs bathroom and separate heating controls. We took control of her finances (which she found getting too much) and took her pension for her upkeep. It was all agreed with her and the family and it worked well until she past away. But it dos need everyone to the happy at the outset and there is no real way to go back!

For my mother (back in the UK) such a solution was not feasible so the (UK) usual solution was needed which was down size her house to a flat then have live in care then when that was no longer feasible she went into a home at 1900 quid a month all of which had a different set of problems.

Re: Viewing properties
 

Have fun viewing!
You will probably see a lot more houses for sale which are not advertised, just an Elado sign on it or in a window, so don't restrict yourselves and most importantly don't be rushed into buying something which is 'almost' right. You will be living in your choice for a good few years and things that seemed minor imperfections when you bought can turn into annoying mountains after a while.
Very best of luck!

Re: Viewing properties
 

Good luck! It took us pretty much 5 years to find our place after a few false starts! We looked at so many houses and there was quite the range of condition and lay outs.........

Re: Viewing properties
 

Am starting to think I have to take the initiative. I'm the one with the finance to ensure my super duper parents in law can have a comfortable life courtesy of a bit of luck with my first property. I made a significant profit due to the area becoming upwardly mobile. I hadn't predicted it. I was gritting my teeth whether I'd made a good investment. My second property value has not risen as high but it is reasonably good.
I'm going to bite the bullet tomorrow and hopefully sister in law will accept the idea. I'm 11000% wife will be on board. Actually mother in law did suggest we bought their home and they go into old people's home but we both agreed no way. We will look after them.
Thanks for everyone's comments. I feel so much better.
Hey, soon I might be your nearest neighbour.
Am visiting Sachina tomorrow.

Re: Viewing properties
 

What sort of questions should I ask about the construction of any property? My Hungarian wife told me today her parents house is part mud brick, whatever that means. It looks pretty solid to me so I'm a little puzzled what I should look for. The outbuildings are normal brick.

Re: Viewing properties
 

We have decided not to carry out any conversion works. The house needs a new roof and a friend has suggested rebuilding the outbuildings. There are three huge walnut trees. One or two would need chopping down. Another needs branches cut back due to extending beyond their border.
It's more than likely we will rent until we find the right house.

Re: Viewing properties
 

Neighbours of my sister in law know quite a bit what's happening locally so the first property we viewed is now out of the question. A third property we were to view is also out. Estate agent is a friend of sister in law. Neighbours not nice!!
Sigh...

Re: Viewing properties
 

Ahh! Yes. The biggest problem you will find is not finding a suitable property it is find one in a suitable place!
If I had known about all the barking dogs in my street I would have never bought the house.
Another one we viewed at the week end, and looking over the high wall at the end of the garden revealed a garage/scrapyard, I didn't need to view during the week to know how much noise was going to come from there.
Viewed a lovely pleasant property out in the country, ideal in ever way, except for the pig farm hiding just behind the trees.

Don't loose heart, but don't get frustrated and jump too quick, Good luck!

Re: Viewing properties
 

Barking dogs wouldn't bother me. I have become accustomed to it from all my visits to where my wife's family live. Everyone knows when someone is walking up or down the road from the chorus of barking that starts at one end or the other. No doubt once we get over there they will all hear a different dog barking and think where's that coming from!!! That would be from Archie our sprocker! Not sure if our GSD will survive long enough to get a taste of Hungary! Atleast all the family have met her but not Archie.
Scrapyward - at one point the garden of a neighbour in the UK looked like a scrapyard it got to the point whereby it rose above the six foot wall. This is a terrace house I'm talking about so can you imagine how bad it looked. After eight months I had no alternative but to report it to the council. He seems to be a bit of a hoarder and even uses one of his cars as a "mobile" storage unit! The garden is now clear. No doubt the wife of the man next door must have been ecstatic because she couldn't hang any washing outside! I wouldn't want to live next door to a scrapyard either because of the additional traffic and possible leakage of fuel in any scrapped vehicles.
Buying land and building a house - this has been an option on and off. There's a plot of land near my sister in law but her husband mentioned it had been used as landfill at some stage so won't be 100% stable. Surpisingly a property has been built smack in the middle of it but not reaching the full length from road to boundary. The owners are now building additional buildings for .... wait for it .... a kennels where they intend to breed dogs .... I've been told the breed is .... corgis ...(I am not joking!). I think it's a wind up. Am quite surprised it's been approved because it is close to a cemetery and I don't think it would go down too well the existing dogs and additional "stud" dogs barking their heads off as mourners say good bye to a loved one!
Now we are back in the UK I can see why we weren't sure of the two properties we viewed. The flow going from room to room is better in our current house. I'm certain the right house is out there somewhere.

Re: Viewing properties
 

What's the term used to describe fibre optic broadband? When in Hungary I've never been able to spot a fibre optic cable connecting to a property!

It's now five days since we returned to UK. Initially I thought I can't leave this area because we really like it and we like our UK house but .... after twenty-four hours that soon wore off and we've been asking ourselves what are we doing here! No new properties have popped up on Ingatlan although the prices have changed. Interestingly, one we didn't like has gone up a couple of thousand. Still that one is in the wrong location.

Re: Viewing properties
 

Afaik it's " üvegszálas kábel " which the Telekom has put in this spring in our village near Hévíz and probably in many other places too.
We switched everything to this:
Phone, TV and internet

Re: Viewing properties
 

When looking at houses the only thing you can't change is the location and allied to this is the fact that the only thing you have no control over is the neighbours activities, anything else you can alter or rebuild.

Mud brick aka adobe aka vályogtégla is a brick made of sun dried clay type earth with a binder (usually straw). special consideration is needed when altering or maintaining these houses otherwise disaster can result. They are susceptible to wet and damp which can 'melt ' the bricks. Mortgage providers don't like them which for me says enough.

There are some timber frame houses in Hungary, but not many. I would not buy a timber frame house unless I had overseen the construction. With timber frame attention to detail in the construction process is vital and cutting corners or slapdash work can cause the framework to rot out some years down the line. Also unless the insulation within the walls is done correctly and to a high standard the insulation can slump which means that for those areas the insulation level will be that of plasterboard and what ever external skin there is - effectively none. Again mortgage providers don't like them and many will not lend against them.

Stone / rubble construction is used where stone is available locally. This type of construction is more robust than mud brick or timber frame and whilst care is still needed with repairs and alterations most builders can manage these with out causing damage.

Mud brick and stone / rubble will be the older houses. More modern construction will be occasionally of small brick or more likely block of some size. Cavity wall as in the UK is unknown here. A brick or block house will have foundations but not necessarily a damp course. This type of construction is easy to modify and / or extend.

A lot of houses here have cracks in the walls. Cracks over windows at the lintel ends are less important but cracks at the corners indicate subsidence and IMO probably a walk away unless other desirable factors make the (expensive) repairs worth the effort. With older houses doors can be a good indication of movement, is the door frame still square with the door? Insulation in older (30 years+) houses (even brick or block) can be little to non-existent and most houses will probably need a re-wire. Roofs can also be a weak point and many were put up using asbestos cement tiles. These have a life span of 50 years or so, are expensive to dispose of and the timbers won't take the weight of new tiles - so it is a new roof. Not a problem, just an expense that need to be factored in (just like replacement doors and windows).

The population in the UK tended to be mobile and the housing market reflected this with people moving house every 7 - 10 years (on average) this meant that upgrades (kitchen, bathroom heating etc.) would get done with the new owners. The population in Hungary was much more stable, particularly in villages so expect to find internal features dating from the previous generations (parents or even grandparents).

Buying a plot and building your own is much more common here than in the UK. and can have the advantage that you get what you want without extending or modifying and done properly (the key) can mean virtually no heating bills in the winter and cool in the summer. But as with anywhere builders have to be watched to ensure the attention to detail that will reduce problems down the line.