The Hungarian market for new-build apartments could gain new momentum from 2026 onwards thanks to a change in the law. A draft law is set to allow mortgage registration for new apartments at an early stage of construction. From next year, buyers will also be able to purchase apartments that are still in the planning phase on credit, as announced by the real estate portal ingatlan.com in a statement.
Experts emphasize that the change could expand the pool of buyers eligible for the state-subsidized three percent loan under the “Otthon Start” (“Home Start”) program.
This, in turn, is likely to significantly boost the development of new residential projects and accelerate sales of apartments eligible for the new loan program and premium new-build apartments in the coming year.
Number of real estate purchases in Hungary between 2006–September 2025 (residential property transactions concluded between private individuals). Graph: KSH/Duna House/Nemzeti Archívum/MTI)
László Balogh, chief economist at ingatlan.com, pointed out that the new regulation may also raise questions among buyers, such as: What happens if a multi-family house is not completed for some reason or deviates from the plans?
In this situation, banks could play an important role in providing security. Since banks are likely to finance only financially stable and technically reliable construction projects, credit checks also serve to protect buyers. If a project does not receive financing, this could be an early warning sign of investment risks and prevent problems later on, emphasized the expert.
Data from ingatlan.com shows that the “Otthon Start” program is already noticeably boosting demand.
Between June and September, 74 percent of the increase in demand for existing apartments was concentrated on properties that met the criteria for the government-supported three percent loan. For new apartments, this figure was slightly lower at 67 percent. The increase in demand for new builds was therefore explained to a lesser extent by the three percent loan than in the case of existing properties.
Building permits/housing construction in Hungary, and the number of dwellings occupied (first half of 2024 / first half of 2025). Graphs: KSH/Duna House/Nemzeti Archívum/MTI
The report also provides an up-to-date overview of square meter prices for new condominiums in the capital and the most important county seats.
The median square meter price for new apartments in Budapest apartment buildings is currently 1.61 million forints (4,100 euros).
The largest selection in the capital is offered by the 13th and 11th districts, with median prices per square meter of 1.68 million forints (4,280 euros) and 1.71 million forints (4,360 euros), respectively. The most expensive new apartments are in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, and 12th districts, where prospective buyers can expect to pay between 2.8 and 3.5 million forints (7,140 and 8,920 euros) per square meter. The cheapest districts, including the 10th, 17th, and 21st districts, have prices ranging from around 1.05 to 1.1 million forints (2,680 to 2,800 euros) per square meter.
Among the county seats with the largest supply, buyers in Győr can expect to pay 1.1 million forints (2,800 euros), in Debrecen 1.2 million forints (3,060 euros), and in Szeged almost 1.4 million forints (3,570 euros) per square meter. In Kecskemét, the median price per square meter is also 1.2 million forints (3,060 euros), while Székesfehérvár is characterized by 1.19 million forints (3,030 euros) per square meter.
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Via MTI, Featured image: Pexels
