tag: real estate

According to investment plans announced this summer, the government is preparing to implement large-scale road and railway construction projects over the next ten years. These public infrastructure developments will significantly impact the country's transportation network, ultimately affecting the national economy. However, the developments have a rarely discussed but also important consequence: the expected increase in expropriation cases.

At the beginning of the summer, the regulations governing the land registry in Hungary were amended, introducing significant changes affecting owners of so-called garden plots in the outskirts ( in Hungarian: “zártkerti ingatlanok”), such as weekend houses, garden homes, and similar plots. The practical benefits, however, will largely depend on the location and on whether the local municipality allows their application.

The new Real Estate Registration Act that came into effect in January restructured the system for registering properties purchased in installments or subject to conditions, and introduced the so-called buyer's right. However, since January, there has been considerable debate regarding whether the buyer's right can be registered on properties involved in bank financing (and therefore under alienation and encumbrance prohibition). A recently enacted amendment to the law, however, resolves this issue.

Buying or selling real estate in Hungary is a private agreement between a seller(s) and a purchaser(s). The process is governed by strict form and content requirements and overlooking them may easily put the entire transaction at risk. Understanding these rules in detail — from formal signatures and escrow arrangements to the special restrictions applying to agricultural land — is the key to ensuring that every property transfer is not only valid on paper, but also secure and enforceable in practice.

If a property price includes VAT, the question often arises as to whether the gross or the net purchase price should be indicated as the market value of the property for stamp duty purposes. Even if it hasn’t been officially announced yet, it does seem we’re getting closer to an answer – and the good news is, it looks like the net price will win out.

Because of its wealth protection features and favourable tax environment, trusts have become one of the most popular tools for family wealth planning. However, it matters what assets the settlor places in the trust– a mistake could easily undermine the favourable tax treatment of the trust.

Recently an increasing number of market players operating under the mandatory off-take regime (KÁT) have taken the opportunity to sell their renewable energy in the free market and thus, due to the current favourable market situation, sell their electricity at a much higher price than the subsidised price paid by the state. This flexibility, however, has disappeared overnight.

Two weeks ago, almost on the sly, a legislative amendment was adopted that could solve one of the “hit problems” of the real estate market: the complicated process of selling parking spaces in a condominium building. The changes came into force on 2 May, so it is now up to market players to put the new provisions into practice.