Pit falls of living in Hungary

It would be more clever to use a translator, you can find one on google. But basicaly the exchange rate you quoted is absurd,     s 289 huf + £1   that cannot possibly be true!

I should have stated when I first hear and purchesed the property the Exchange rate in 2009 spring was 289huf to the £1 now exchange rate 440huf to the £1 sory not making it clear but in real terms when I sell the property with all the work carred out on it I shall be in the red

marwood47 wrote:

..... the property the Exchange rate in 2009 spring was 289 HUF to the £1 now exchange rate 440 HIF to £1,  sorry not making it clear but in real terms when I sell the property with all the work carred out on it I shall be in the red

Yes, there's no money in property in Hungary, except possibly in Budpest.  I see endless houses for sale online priced over 100M HUF and these will take years to sell and possibly may never sell.   They always seem to have swimming pools, saunas, fake rock cladding, water features and Romanesque decor.  I believe these features actually reduce a properties price.  Better to spend money on more rooms, neutral colours, more car parking and better security.   Payback periods on solar heating/electricity are absurdly long.

Very few people have 100 M HUF in cash.  Anyone with say 200K EUR is better off buying about 2 or 3 good (or fixing up) apartments, renovating and renting them out.  Then wait 20+ years and maybe just maybe there's some capital gain.

Yes, we could kick ourselves in the bottom.
Back in 1989 we did an export/import thing from Cal. to HU.
A friend told us at the time to invest in property rather then in goods.
My husband was not 100% behind trusting the new gov. and didn't want property to be taken away if the new gov. went down.( He grew up in Commie HU and is to this day slightly afraid of the gov.)
We blew it, had enough cash on hand to by a dozen or more flats back then.
His friend bought several flats as well as opened up a chain of fast food chicken shops, still all over Budapest.
Needless to say the guy made bank, sent his son to Harvard in the US and vacations all over the world.
Can't look backwards in life however.
Our flat in Budapest will be going up for sale in the springtime perhaps, we pray we can recover our money invested into it. Never know at the moment the dollar is strong against the forint but if anyone wished to convert to dollars or BP they will loose allot.
We could perhaps just stay in HU for the next 10 years and live off the sale of the flat, saving all other income. At our age though 10 years could be a lifetime.
Sometimes I have mixed emotions about us "ex pats" moving to HU and investing for cheap while many young HU families still must move in with family because they can not afford a home of their own. Guess I am turning more and more HU in attitude over the years. I  ( Could I possibly be a closet socialist?), can understand why some in Hungary do not welcome outsiders moving in and buying up the cream of the crop so to speak.
I know  it is not exactly easy to live in a new country and not understand the language etc. but the benefits are higher then the dis advantages are. I know I used to resent slightly people who moved to the US and after years still dd not speak English, well now I am one of those rude people because after 41 years I still don't speak Hungarian enough to get myself out of a jam.
The world is changing , I know many HU in the US that had a hard time learning English so really I suppose I should not judge so hard.

Yes I agree with some comments but the Younger Geration do not whant this type of property I was able to purchase, the are ex-grape field plots there is 1,000 of thes lying empty and neglected secodly my wife is Hungaryn but moor so is I am tyed of others saying that Brit,s have Money not me I am on UK State Pension no topups for years in UK not able to have a property or land and bascaly do what I whanted to do now I have The Good Life witch others can do, sadly servear illness I have to move on and sell but I have not maid any think out of this I have lost a lot but I am hapy and accept that give the chance I would do again not sit on my but and drink my life away with evel drinks (yes bad spelling)

marwood47 wrote:

... (yes bad spelling)

Not trying to be rude but that's really difficult to read.

Sounds lovely for you in Hungary, having a native spouse is a huge help.
I would be lost without mine over here.
Life is that way, if we could only turn back the clock and know when real oppertunity is staring us in the face.
One year and 2 weeks away from my US SS! That will be the icing on the cake.
Enjoy the fresh air and peace of the countryside.

There is Property out there for any one to Purchas but it seems every one whants the same as they have in UK so you will pay Out a Lot I have tryed many times to explane my Thoughts ! You take Holiday Caravan on the Cost in UK cost say £15,000 they give you a leas for 10 years and at the end you my get back £1,000 so a loss of £14,000 then add to this the Ground rent say £1,500 a year, I pay £12.00 Local council Tax then there is the elctricity charges I pay £26.00 a year on  water charges £10.00, what be in UK say £220 per year so For £15.000 you can get some think acceptable to inprove on and it,s yours for holiday, weekends and if let out to freinds and faimly so some my critise you for bying a chep property her they have the same chance  (bad spelling sory)

Cheap is good, no reason to try to impress anyone, never can keep up with the Joneses.
We may look into buying a cheap country place to live in while selling and fixing up our flat in the city. Just use it for a vacation place.
We have no one to leave property to in HU if we pass on.
Our son has zero interest in living in HU again, he plans on moving to Japan where his wife is from, can't even imagine how much it costs to move and live there.
Everyone must follow their own dreams though.
Our city flat was bought as a fixer upper and we have not done much improvement on it in 10 years.
It is comfy enough for our purposes, just a hang out place to sleep and cook.
The only time I realise how funky it is is when we have co. over. My good friends don't care what it looks like and others don't have to come over if they don't like it.
We only lived there full time since my husband retired and now we have lost interest in the place, not happy any longer with the new crop of neighbors etc. Time to move on.

My self not a City person but untill spring arrives fast hear but I have things to do, being in the country side the world is difrent, when the gardning over just sit look out over the country side taking in the fresh air and relaxing in summer suny days then there is time to view the beauty of all the new flowers growing tdisplaying there coulers the fresh foods to lay of the tabel knowing that they, you have grown and fresh and to be at leasts at peice with in one,s mind

Back to nature is good for everyone.
City life suits me but  at times a lovely quiet garden would be just the right thing.
Never been one to settle in one place for long, have to keep moving and trying new things.
Love Hungary but as we age I do miss seeing old friends and family in the US.
Not so lucky as my UK friends who can just pop over within a couple of short hours for a visit home.
Those long hauls to the US are killers and getting worst all the time.

Yes, missing frends in own country and re-uniting the frendship with others in native country is a trying event as with yourselv traverling such a distance can become a problem, myself keeping in touch with Skype is good when in City but when in Country Side phone calls are costly but I have not many in uk count them on one hand they hardly contact myself, hear same amount of frends but not close ones, In fact I think when my time is over it will be the smallest gathering.Frendship is inportand with others speaking english keps you from being totally isulated, but the only ones I have contact with and there is a chilly one is at Church evey Sunday morning some of them wish not to talk, I go there there is only one I listen to:
"Winter time is hard". There is no small groups of english meeting up to share frendship with the young ones but they are party times for them

Yes it is true the older we get the less true friends we seem to have.
I am lucky I still have close contact with 4 old school mates, known them over 45 years.
One lives very near my son here in Vegas even though neither of us are from Vegas.
I have met a new friend from the UK now living in Hungary from this site.
We met up at either's flat and do a tiny bit of running around Budapest. She has a country cottage which is lovely to visit once in awhile, a nice break away from the city.
I have met a few others through her and enjoy the humor and style of the British, cracks me up at times.
She may even pop over here to the US for  a short visit while I am here. Would be nice at least, can show her around and perhaps take a trip to Calif. for a few days, show her my old haunts.
I now seem to enjoy meeting new people from the UK living in Hungary, have meet a few through my UK girlfriend.
Hungarian friends are good to have but everyone enjoys having some sort of connection to their homeland.
I used to wonder why immigrants in the US all seemed to live in certain neighborhoods, now I know.
Yes, I once spent a long 18 months out side the city with my husband while we were trying to sell his mother's little farm.
It was a very long winter but then again I enjoyed the isolation and peace. Used to love taking long walks in the snow and joined a small neighborhood gym where I could hang with locals and fill up my spare time with exercise which I enjoy doing.
My husband and I walked through the snow to shop left the car parked as we had plenty of time to enjoy the slow pace of life.
I still think it could be interesting at some point for ex pats to meet somewhere in public, a park, lake or some sort of event.
It seems many ex-pats are under 30 and really their interests are not always the same as people who have already been there and done that.
My HU husband and I do have a few friends in HU who are locals and older in age.
They are pretty nice but it can be hard at times for them to relate to our life experiences since they have never traveled or lived outside of HU.
It is good to be open to new things and being out away in the countryside on a long winter can be hard indeed.
I say thank God for cable and the internet, at least you can stay up to date and not feel so isolated,

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

I still think it could be interesting at some point for ex pats to meet somewhere in public, a park, lake or some sort of event.
It seems many ex-pats are under 30 and really their interests are not always the same as people who have already been there and done that.

Well, why don't we organize that? Some huge multi-day event -- maybe with venues and music, so expats of different age groups/nationalities can hang out together? A huge meet-up. Maybe next summer. "Everything" seems to happen at some pub in Budapest, which seems rather small thinking. Let's think bigger. I recommend some venue at the Lake Balaton** as a common meeting place. Why not? What the hell. Might be a blast.

** I have some connections to get a lake side event going. 

Yes but Velence Lake is closser to Budapest and only a short distance from train station 45 minute run to and from City I think I no some one to contact for such event in Lovasbereny it depends on numbers and taste in wat they have in view to entertment, food, faciltes,and whether accomdation requred, say some wear privet ajsent to the Lake?? if it was late July by then 1st Batch of Cider should be ready not much 300lts. on first run there will no evel drink avable to next year

marwood47 wrote:

Velence Lake is closser to Budapest

And boring.

Come to the Balaton for an Expat event, and spend a few more days enjoying the largest lake in central Europe. Wine tasting, forest/nature walking (Upper Balaton National Park), historical tours, sailing, swimming, spelunking, etc. etc. etc.

Seriously, I can even help in organizing accommodations. I was once the major fiscal supporter of a two day Jazz concert event near the Balaton. It is worth the few extra hours in the train/bus/car if you stay for a few days. Get out of the Budapest "rut" and see what else Hungary has to offer.

Ok I will support this I will bring down some cider if it will be ready by then But my Days are over for "SEX DRUGS AND ROCK ROLL" untill I am let loose with Tener Tuner "whot I would do for love",or Meet Loaf "bat out of hell" or any of Roby Willams  me- be I will have kneeds for a walking frame at the end

Sounds like a plan, will be back in HU before summer, have to think it over, any help would be great.
A sort of bring your own chair, booze and sunscreen sort of day sounds like a blast.
Nothing better then a day at Balaton in summer and meeting new friends.
Actually anywhere near water sounds great to me.

yes sounds as to be a good event if others where to attened, the other idear would be say some time early new year such event in Budapest at the Akvarium Club??????. any way tomorow I have to travel back to country side to be avable for e-one to do work on incoming electricity it,s a bit of bind as they had all summer to this work, but never mind it will be nice out there for a few hours. Next trip out is on a Sunday Bus Trip Chrismas Market in Vienna leaving b/pest 6.30 am cost is good under 6,000huf look forward to that, the next one cancealed was new years eve dine and cruse on the danue, next time out is back tomuk mid march 10 days oncolgest and my doughters wedding then back to start work in country side, I did ask at church if any members whanting to have a break next summer that if I had not sold Lovasbereny they could have the use of it for a small amount of huf and when they are there to look after the garden, we will see what happens on this, so take care catch up later

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

A sort of bring your own chair, booze and sunscreen sort of day sounds like a blast.

Well, if you want to bring your own chair and booze, that is great.

But I was thinking something a bit more guest friendly. Sitting places provided. Local booze (wine and beer) options from local vendors.

To capture the various age groups, different venues would be provided. Such as the "Meet those you know from Expat.com or Facebook.com" with an arrow to the left, then an arrow to the right for those who just want to lean how to say "Get the &%*? off my lawn!!" in Hungarian.

fluffy2560 wrote:

there's no money in property in Hungary, except possibly in Budpest

There is a great deal of money to be made in land in Hungary, even outside of Budapest. But there are some basic requirements : Who you know.

Given enough capital, and with the right "contacts", there is plenty of EU and National grant money to make land ownership quite lucrative. Yeah, that stinks, and it is against all open and common market ideology, but that is the current reality.

Unless you have a larger business plan, or know "the right people", the small investor is currently at a disadvantage in Hungarian real estate at this point in time, IMHO.

Yes but you have to find the end answear First , so take what I have heard there is to a big expansin to Motor Ways straght away thing bying land on the path of new construction and cash in posiblity of a higher price? so my way of think is that these new road,s requre costruction materals Lime Stone being the main foundation to support the road structure yes there is others Ballest used in Concrete same as gravel from same supply for draing layer above formation overlay of clay, I have 40 years working on these projects when I say 1,000,000m3 can be moved in 12 weeks on 50 hr.week * daily 10 hr shift., Heavy Costruction Plant Hire every think is you Hire in Dunp Trucks Cabins  they are resposible for mantanace so your left  The cost is easy funds for 12 weeks for payments for Fuel Wages Running Cost to find cash for till payments start rolloing in Contract Payment for minded metarels end of each Month falling in non payment stoping delivers till money in bank

Yes a sit down place sounds great too.
Suppose meeting new people while being all hot, sweaty and fitting into a Speedo would not make the best first impression!
Won't be back in HU till springtime unless we get tired of Vegas sooner then that.
I just got hired at a casino and need to give it a shot for a few months, mad money  for a mad women!( trying to make room there for my DIL, told them we were a two fer deal )
Have family stuff that keeps us here  have to help the "kids" out, help them move and get themselves together, some people never grow up, all good though,
When the weather is nice we should all do a "meet and greet" not a formal thing, something  casual and fun. Open to almost anything that is legal!!

Have u ever been?

Wow, I missed something between bring your own booze and chair to road construction costs!
All good however...
Not sure what to say about the construction field.
My husband's old time buddy from the 5th district when they were playing in rubble from WW11 pits to today, age 9 when they met up, is a big time player in construction and he never used a hammer or shovel in his life.
He hired out cheap crews from Romania, built most of the grocery stores now in Lake Velencia and is a "big shot" player on a power trip these days.
He is a smart player, has had many different businesses in HU starting even in the old commie days, lucky dude that has built up a legacy.
I am afraid the good contracts may be hard to get these days and without speaking Hungarian and knowing the in's and out's of under the table Bs it would be rather hard to do.
In any case beyond our needs we no longer give a Rat's a** about money.
Always close to the fire but never received much heat in that re guard!
Sad to say we know many big time business people in Hungary but by our own request have nothing to do with them these days.
Some have heavy duty mob ties and some are so well off they have paid to be free from extortion.
Owning any business of any real value in Hu is a red flag for scammers.
Many outsiders can get away from it, they may not wish to get international with the law but then again I knew people in Cal who tried big time business in HU back in 89 and left lucky to get away with their lives.
Been invited to many , many parties and decided it was saver to just stay home and not attend.
Just saying, sometimes it is better to just be happy with what you have not to reach too high, you may get burned. Our experience anyways...
Some of the people and things we heard about from Calif, HI to Hungary would curl most people's hair! Peace is worth more then gold!

I like your analogy of buying a Tanya in Hungary compared to the cost and outgoings of purhasing a holiday caravan in the UK. That was my choice almost five years ago, so I now refer to my tanya as  the caravan in Lincolnshire that never was.
As a holiday home the Tanya was a much cheaper deal. It will never  be worth much and when I get too feeble to visit and maintain it ( in twenty years time) I will sell it for tupence to a local or will let it go back to nature.
Currently I have got two friends staying there for a long holiday in return for gardening and maintenance . They love it. They couldn't afford to do this uk.  And there is still room for me and other friends and family to visit and stay. Much better than the restrictive caravan option.

I like your analogy of buying a Tanya in Hungary compared to the cost and outgoings of purhasing a holiday caravan in the UK. That was my choice almost five years ago, so I now refer to my tanya as  the caravan in Lincolnshire that never was.
As a holiday home the Tanya was a much cheaper deal. It will never  be worth much and when I get too feeble to visit and maintain it ( in twenty years time) I will sell it for tupence to a local or will let it go back to nature.
Currently I have got two friends staying there for a long holiday in return for gardening and maintenance . They love it. They couldn't afford to do this uk.  And there is still room for me and other friends and family to visit and stay. Much better than the restrictive caravan option.

I will aggre with all that you have stated I wish some one wold look at my place in Lovasbereny witch I have been trying to sell for some time selling with Agents hear.well when you do the maths, when they are only getting 3% commision and yes we have offerd a highr commision but still no sale I am trying to reach out to possible Uk client.,Yes Holiday carvans are a big Rip Off, Skegnes I no very well and all the Carvan Park,s
I have considerd letting out all so but who whants to holiday in semey iserlation with wild life on the door step Deer roaming through in early morning light the shouting of Phesent the cray of the Fox the Red Squirral in the tree tops the sound of Badgear cubs playing with others at crack ok down and well acctivets walking adverture around each corner nowerday,s resting bozzing and acting daft so end of my ranting and bad spelling seea

marwood47 wrote:

I have been trying to sell for some time selling with Agents hear.well when you do the maths, when they are only getting 3% commision and yes we have offerd a highr commision but still no sale I am trying to reach out to possible Uk client.,Yes Holiday carvans are a big Rip Off, Skegnes I no very well and all the Carvan Park,s

There is essentially no retail rural property market in Hungary at this time. I know of a dozen properties to sell near me, which is near Lake Balaton -- a tourist spot. And none of them are selling. Many have been on the market for years.

While you try to sell the property, considering posting at one of the short term rental web sites. There are plenty of people that may like a short stay in a quite, rural location.

While airbnb.com is well known, just type in "bnb" at your favorite search engine as there are many other options where you can post your property.

marwood47 wrote:

I have considerd letting out all so but who whants to holiday in semey iserlation with wild life on the door step Deer roaming through in early morning light the shouting of Phesent the cray of the Fox the Red Squirral in the tree tops the sound of Badgear cubs playing with others at crack ok down and well acctivets walking adverture around each corner nowerday,s resting bozzing and acting daft so end of my ranting and bad spelling

Well... yes, that is pretty bad spelling. And atrocious grammar.  If you want to sell or lease to English speakers you need to edit your posts so they are intelligible for English speakers.

So before you post at the above mentioned short term rental web sites, remember to also edit your English. Holiday English speaking renters are going to be suspicious if the English is weird.

See here for assistance in formatting superior text in your advertisement:

https://www.expat.com/en/business/europ … erpreters/

I find for me a huge pitfall of living in Hungary is getting spoiled by prices.
Not everything is a deal of course in Hungary, major goods are taxed, the VAT is high and some goods just can not be found only through the internet sales.
Food, bills and everyday costs are low.
In the US at the moment and it is a major reality check.
Food costs and bills are high here but all other goods can be found for less then half of what they sell for in HU. Endless supply of everything under the sun.
Can find second hand goods in the US for nearly nothing while in Hungary even second hand is overpriced.

Seconhand Cars Top of List I have 1994 Hyundai Accent payed twice the amount as in uk and then you have to pay a transfer owernship payment by the time they gave a full service put towing hitch on I payed a extra 240.000huf + car 500,000huf so 740,000huf, now time geting close to the two year test 30,000huf to pass the test, Clothes yes are high so seconend ones just working clothes best ones on trips back to uk the cost of say a bed materas paying upwards of 80,000huf for standed double bed size, I have to 90*200cm single materas with base frame for 50,000hf for the  two allong with outher items to sell . and sealing at price as uk. yes they charge the earth for items coparerd to other places

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

in Hungary even second hand is overpriced.

I certainly agree.

Yet, despite that ....  my wife continues to find and bring home the most amazing things she has bought at completely ridiculously cheap prices.

I am simply waiting for her to bring home a lost Rembrandt or Vermeer she bought for 2000 Forint, so I can retire.

But seriously, if you are not Hungarian (i.e. speak fluent Hungarian without an accent), expect to pay more for everything without a clearly listed price tag, including second hand items and property.

Just bought a couple of second hand bicycles in the US, actually 3 bikes for only $50.!!!
Ok, had to buy one new tube for one bike, a whole extra $10. for the tube.
A nice huffy beach cruiser bike with bells and all, a Mongoose 21 speed mountain bike and a smaller mountain bike for my tiny DIL.
Wish I could take them to Hu with me, storage unit in the US is going to be full when I leave here and return to HU.
Bought a wonder comfy reclining chair for $15.! Perfect condition, just did a steam clean on it, they sell for an arm and a leg in HU if you can find one that's comfy.
That's the price we must pay though to live in HU and not have to work , food costs are high in the US.
Might give up eating meat in the US, over $25. for a small steak in the shops!!!
I am afraid I will be paying for extra luggage for my return to HU, too many deals to not buy up items here.

Yes wife Hungaryn allso hand drives a Hard Bargen she got me but did not expect what she ended up with

Funny, my husband once told me if he had understood English much at all when we met, he would of run for his life!!
Hungarians are not known for their humor but when they try, they are really funny!

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Bought a wonder comfy reclining chair for $15.!

When I was young and single, we called that a seat on the Big Ugly S***, also known as the BUS. Really comfy. But still a BUS seat.

But eventually, we guys got a girlfriend. And she then was moving in. And there was no way that gal would tolerate us sitting on a BUS. The problem was, of course, no other Bro wanted to sit on the BUS either (their girlfriend would not let them). So the BUS seat had to be sold at a discount. $15? Got a pickup to pick it up? Cool. Come get it. 

It is different in Europe. People here seem to like sitting on the BUS. Especially in Hungary. Where the longer one sits on the BUS, the more attached they are to it. After 10 years, that BUS seat has not just added character, it now has history. It is worth even MORE than what it cost. You can not part with a BUS seat for less than twice what you paid for it. Better to die sitting on the BUS than sell it for less than what it is really worth.

marwood47 wrote:

Seconhand Cars Top of List I have 1994 Hyundai Accent payed twice the amount as in uk and then you have to pay a transfer owernship payment by the time they gave a full service put towing hitch on I payed a extra 240.000huf + car 500,000huf so 740,000huf, now time geting close to the two year test 30,000huf to pass the test, Clothes yes are high so seconend ones just working clothes best ones on trips back to uk the cost of say a bed materas paying upwards of 80,000huf for standed double bed size, I have to 90*200cm single materas with base frame for 50,000hf for the  two allong with outher items to sell . and sealing at price as uk. yes they charge the earth for items coparerd to other places

Could you pass that through the spell and grammar checker before posting?  Non-native speakers could be confused.  Some punctuation would really help as well.

payed = paid
seconend = secondhand
standed = standard
materas = mattress
coparerd = compared

etc

Stubborn, some people hate to let things go.
I know in Hungary I often laugh at people who dig through those throw out days in Budapest. Those days when you can unload your old doors, windows and other junk on the st. for free, letting the city haul it away.
Anything of much value is shot,Hungarians will never throw out anything if they think it will be useful at some later date.
I hate to say it but half my storage unit in the US is full of total "junk" that my HU husband can not part with.
Screws, bolts and even a  valve for a nuclear sub!! Not kidding, husband did gov. contract machine work in the day, have parts for all sorts of military items in my unit.
I guess it may come in handy some day if my sub needs a new valve, Someone help me!!
Useful things have been left behind in our many moves but no way will he part with his machine made parts.