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Hungary: Debrecen good place to live?:
Not sure about Debrecen. It is a bit far from most nice places in Hungary. Have you looked at Kesztehly area? It is close to lake Balaton, Heviz thermal lakes, and excellent train service to Budapest. Might be good if you took a couple of weeks and toured the country a bit. That would be the most helpful.
Hungary: Moving to HU, tax free import for 1 year ?:
Lesdit,
I can tell you that a Hungarian citizen who has lived outside the country for more than a year will not need to pay import VAT on their personal goods shipment. You will need the Hungarian passport AND your resident and tax I.D. card as well for the customs clearance process.
Hungary: USA to Hungary Auto Shipment:
I am looking for a reliable international auto shipper, preferably located in Budapest. I am looking for a complete quote for a door-to-door auto shipment from USA to Hungary. I utilized the recommended links on the Expat Exchange but they are not very good. I would prefer to have a knowledgeable Hungarian company that I could contract. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hungary: Realtors don't work for buyers?:
Hi Lesdit,
I have looked into this last year as well. One thing is though, in the US, if the real estate agent is the listing agent of the property, they represent the seller, which would be similar to contacting a listing agent on a property in Budapest.
With that said, you can contact Capital Real Estate in Budapest and they offer a service for assisting Expats with purchasing properties. There email is info@capitalrealestate.hu.
I copied an email I received from them last year when I was looking into purchasing a place. Hope this helps:
I would like to give you some general information about the costs associated with investment into Budapest and also send you a few links from our website that might match your criteria. Our agency operates as a "buyer's agent". We take our clients through the whole buying process and introduce them to lawyers, accountants, management companies, accompany them to banks, to the notary and any other office where our help is needed in connection with their property investment. Bear in mind that as the agent that represents you it is my job to negotiate on the price of any potential property and get you the best possible deal. I represent you and you alone and am here to give you professional property investment advice and impartially look after your interests. This applies prior, during and after any potential investment has been made. For this comprehensive service we charge 3% + VAT of the purchase price.
The total acquisition costs are all together about 10% + VAT of the purchase price which breaks down as follows:
Stamp duty 4 % (due only about 2 to 12 months after purchase)
Our commission 3 % + VAT (27%)
Lawyers fee 1.5 % +VAT (27%)
Private permit (for non-EU residents) about €700 or company formations €900
Bank transfer fees: about 60 EUR
I have a few questions before we take the next step forward:
- Do you have specific criteria (renovated, elevator, condition of building etc)?
- What is your maximum budget?
- Are you able to purchase property without financing? (Please note that financing in Hungary is @ 9% APR for the Euro and @ 12% APR for the HUF)
I will be more than happy to help you and send you any offers but I need to know a few parameters of the apartment that you are looking for. What I need to know is the size, the location (centrally located, floor preference, street or courtyard facing) and of course the amount that you are willing to invest.
Here is also some information about the residence permit as well.
A person who is a citizen of a country outside the EU can obtain a residency permit. In order to obtain the permit the following conditions shall be met:
The applicant:
- shall have a valid passport
- shall have the permit to travel back to his/her country or travel to another country
- shall certify the purpose of the residence (please let me know it and I will let you know if the purpose is sufficient for the application)
- shall certify that he/she has a place to stay in Hungary (certification on the right to use a property under any title is enough, it can be for example a rental contract as well)
- shall certify that he/she has the necessary financial sources for the living for the entire period of the residency and to travel back to his/her country
- shall certify that he/she has health insurance in Hungary
- is not subject to prohibition of entry and residence, and his/her entry and stay in Hungary does not endanger public safety, national security or public health interests;
- is not subject to the alert of the Schengen Information System declaring the prohibition of entry and residence.
The residency permit can be issued up to 2, 3 or 5 years depending of the purpose of the residence. Generally it is issued for a maximum of 2-3 years but the authorities do not always apply the maximum length, so for example if the maximum is 3 years and an application is submitted for 3 years than they might give it only for 1 year. Nevertheless it is important to note that the permit can be extended up to 2 years but more than one time so for example it is possible to stay in Hungary for 10 years with a residency permit.
1. The applicant of the residence permit shall fulfill the requirements listed above. The applicant is more likely to get the permission without any problem if the applicant owns an apartment. The value of the property is not an issue in this case; the applicant shall attach the property sheet or a copy of the sales contract.
2. The permission you can get is always temporary for the first time, but it can be extended several times.
3. The competent office has to decide within 30 days, from filing the application.
4. The owner does not have to stay in Hungary.
Hungary: American retiring in Hungary:
Hi Hunter,
I am seriously thinking about doing the same thing, although our situations are a bit different. I am an American married to a Hungarian woman from Budapest but we are presently living abroad due to my work.
If you don't mind sharing, I would really like to here your reasoning for retiring in Hungary. As far a Hungarian citizenship option I believe it would be best if you contacted the Hungarian embassy in the USA and asked for their assistance. That way you would be sure everything was done correctly and you would have no issues relocating.
Thanks
Hungary: I Wish I had Known... Before Moving to Hungary:
That how much of an impact the Hungarian culture and living in Budapest would have on my personal life, both positively and negatively....... LONG story, believe me. My live has completely changed, I now have a much different view and understanding of the world, and a deeper appreciation for the good things in life.
Hungary: Possibly moving to Budapest:
westcoa.... I am an american and have lived in Budapest for 6 years. I am married to a Hungarian from Budapest and know the system and the cost of life here VERY well. Without a degree you will struggle to make any kind of living in which you would find comfortable, let alone having the funds for traveling. I completely understand your desire to live in Budapest. I too am in love with the city, but in Hungary a college / university degree is a must if you want to find a decent paying position in which to support yourself. The cost of living is pretty high in Budapest compared to most cities in the USA. Before making the big move, maybe it would be good if you go to Budapest for 3 months and have a good look around, get a feel for the cost of living, and do some job searching.
Hungary: Retire in Hungary:
I have lived in Hungary and had a Hungary Citibank account and a US Citibank Global Executive Bank account. With the Global Executive Account I received monthly wire transfers to my Hungarian Citibank account without any issues. Also, if you do have a US Citibank Global Executive Account there are no ATM fees anywhere in the world, so you really do not require the Hungary bank account.
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