Hungary

[dodeer]

Does anyone own a property there or lives/ lived there?

[figgy]

Worked with a fella who married a Hungarian, said it was a nice place cheap but very backwards by modern western standards when you got away from the cities.

He was into his cycling and said people would be out and watch him as no one cycles for fun.

His wife wants them to move there he wasn't keen.

Edited August 1, 2019 by figgy

[Vince Green]

My mum's carer is Hungarian. Through her and her husband we have come to know quite a few Hungarians. My impression is its quite basic but very cheap

[dodeer]

My friend just bought 7 acres and a 5 bedroom villa, with pool, all modern near Lake Balaton for about 300,000GBP.

[udderlyoffroad]

Missus is Hungarian.

Life certainly can be cheaper, though the cost of living is rising, especially if you're in the big cities.  Wages for skilled professionals can be on a par with 'Western Europe' (done't ever call it that), in order to stop them taking their skills elsewhere.  Wages for trades on the other hand, are still low, and most people hire out work that we in the UK would DIY.

You need to be very careful with the tax situation owning property in Hungary if you're not resident there; the Orbán government is on the one hand doling out passports to the diaspora in places like Romania, on the other hand squeezing the Hungarians working abroad who want to maintain a foothold in their native land.

Outside the big cities, you need to learn Hungarian, and quickly.  Same as with any country, learn the language, even a little bit, and you will find it orders of magnitude easier to live there.  The younger generations in general speak English very well, the older generation were either taught Russian, German or both at school.

There's still quite a 'Del boy' culture of wheeling and dealing, so be very careful about any deals you strike.  This was a necessary survival mechanism in the days of the iron curtain, and it remains to this day.  There's a saying the translates something like, go through a revolving door in front of a Hungarian, and he'll come out ahead of you.

As you'd expect if you want to develop property, it's a case of who you know, not what you know.  Same as the world over.  Unfortunately, Orbán is apt to taking his strategy straight out of Putin's playbook, so vocal supporters of the party get the breaks and contracts, those who don't support Fidesz, less so.

To be honest, the part of Hungarian culture that drives me absolutely loopy is the insistence on soup before every meal, even when it's 40 C outside.  Again, another iron curtain survival necessity (soup fills you up) that isn't needed now, but very ingrained.

Speaking of which, you get 'proper' weather over there, hot summers and cold winters.  It's not the 'damp' cold we have in this country, so it's easier to cope with, but you'd better know how to walk in snow (a surprising number of Brits don't).

21 hours ago, figgy said:

but very backwards by modern western standards when you got away from the cities.

Depends what you want.  An old farmhouse in a couple of acre subdivision in a village used to be able to be had for £40k...There was running water, electricity, reasonable internet...what else do you need? 

Usually with that setup, you will find you get a couple of outbuildings and a root cellar.  You can probably convert one into a guest annex whilst you work on the main house.  Personally, I find you need less house if you have decent space around the house.

Not particularly sure about hunting/shooting/fishing, though there are a few places that do clays.  Obviously driven boar hunting is a thing there, and hand guns are legal.  Apparently not many wild rabbits nor wood pigeon.  Used to be everybody kept a couple of rabbits/chickens at the bottom of the garden (or in the allotment if city dwellers) to supplement the lack of available food, this is why my missus was competently peeling bunnies at the age of 12, despite being a 'city girl'.

 

21 hours ago, figgy said:

He was into his cycling and said people would be out and watch him as no one cycles for fun

Was he a MAMIL? Never seen one in Hungary myself, not surprised he got stared at.  Plenty of people cycle in Hungary for fun, they just don't feel the need to dress like they're entering the Tour de France.  Speaking of which, a lot of the countryside is a flat plains...think East Anglia, so I'd imagine it wouldn't exactly be arduous, summer temperatures nothwithstanding.

Wow, that was quite a ramble, anything more specific you wanted to know?

Matt

[Penelope]

a lot of the countryside is a flat plains...think East Anglia

Hortobagy?