Buying and registering property in Hungary

Buying property in Hungary is relatively easy and it’s possible to find and buy property in a couple of days. After that, a lawyer takes over the remaining steps. In total, the buying and registration process take about two months.

Restrictions on property purchases

Foreign citizens are prohibited from buying:

• agricultural and forest land;
• land outside city limits that exceeds 6,000 sq m;
• military and strategic property;
• national landmarks;
• property located on the territory of national parks.

How it works in Hungary

1. Find a property. A local real estate agency offers properties that match your preferences as a buyer. The city, district and your budget are the main things to take into account. Once you have found one or more options that interest you, the agency will arrange viewings. Don’t hesitate to ask your real estate agent any questions about the property, payment procedures or potential discounts.

2. Sign the preliminary sales contract and pay the deposit. After the property is chosen and the price and payment terms are agreed upon, you and the seller sign the preliminary sales agreement in the presence of a lawyer. As the buyer, you will also remit a down payment in the amount of 10–20% of the property price. This takes about half a day (including the certification of your passport as proof of identity).

3. Get the property registered. Once the preliminary agreement is signed, a lawyer delivers it to the land registry office where they record the intention to sell this property.

4. Obtain permission to purchase the property. Permission from local authorities is required to buy property in Hungary and is applied for by a lawyer. It usually takes 30–45 days but may take up to 60 days in exceptional cases. This can be done without your presence.

5. Pay the remaining amount. Once permission is obtained, you pay the remaining contractual amount.

6. Register the property. The ownership title is delivered by the Land Register (Földhivatal). The process takes 30 days unless there are several parties involved in the transaction, in which case it may take up to 90 days. After registration is complete, you become the legitimate owner of this property.

Taxes and charges

When the sale is complete, the buyer pays stamp duty, legal fees for lawyer services, agency commission and notary fees as well as any expenses for finalising documents.

*HUF: Hungarian Forint currency unit

Stamp duty payment is delayed if a land buyer intends to build a house within four years of the purchase. If the buyer has a construction permit, they don’t have to pay stamp duty at all. However, if the house is not built and the permit is not issued within four years, the buyer must pay stamp duty and a fine for that period.

• Agency commission is 2% of the market value of property (+ VAT 27%).
• Legal fees are 1% (+ VAT 27%).
• Notary fees are about HUF 2,000 (€6.50).
• Title deed (extract from the land register) is HUF 6,000 (€19.30).
• Notarised copy of passport – HUF 2,000 (€6.50).
• Stamp duty for property purchase permission application is HUF 50,000 (€161).
• Registering the sale with Land Register is HUF 6,000 (€19.30).