Information
Below is some information on buying which is provided as a guide. Agenda-Properties will help you with these steps; the information is general and may vary slightly from authority to authority.
Foreign citizens can purchase dwellings, summer houses or building plots anywhere in Hungary without limitation. The purchase of property should be laid down in a written contract compiled by a lawyer. After the conclusion of the contract, the lawyer will forward it to the County Office for Public Administration where the terms and conditions of the purchase of property are controlled for legal validity. The legal administration deadline for this is 30 days. This procedure is not required if the foreign citizen acquires the property as a constant residence with the aim of settling in Hungary. The procedural cost of the County Office for Public Administration is 55,000 HUF. After the decision has entered into legal force, the property will be registered to the name of the new proprietor at the Land Registration Office. The cost of the lawyer is normally 1 to 2 per cent of the property value.
On property acquisitions the buyer has to pay to the state a levy tax of the following value:
| For dwellings : | On the basis of the purchase price of the property, after the proportion of the value up to 4 Million Forints 2 per cent, for the part above 4 Million 6 percent. |
| For summer houses : | 10 per cent of the purchase value. Local taxes are payable to the local government on the basis of the location of the property. These vary between the communities since they are established locally. Example: Balatonboglár |
| Tax on buildings : | According to belt 600-, 700 or 800 HUF/m2 /yr. For constant residents the conditions are more favorable. Garage, workshop 100 HUF/m2 /yr |
| Tax on plots : | If you buy a building plot, it is free of tax for 4 years on condition that a valid building license is procured and the construction is commenced within 4 years. This deadline can be lengthened by 2 years for constructions in process. After plots not built in a tax of 200, 150 or 100 HUF/m2 /yr should be paid after the expiry of the previous deadlines according to belt.. |
There are local governments where there is no building obligation in case of purchase of plots, so there is no plot tax either. More accurate information on local taxes is available at each local government on basis of the location of the property. The extent of the taxes is determined by the local governments in their budget order each year.