European and Hungarian residential property trends

Data regarding European housing trends highlights high home-ownership rates in several Eastern European nations. According to Eurostat’s EU-SILC survey, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary lead the continent with ownership rates exceeding 90%, while countries like Switzerland and Germany report significantly lower percentages due to regulated rental markets.

Specific data from the Hungarian National Bank (MNB) regarding the Hungarian residential property market shows that foreign nationals accounted for 4 percent of all buyers in 2025. German citizens were the largest group of foreign buyers at 1.1 percentage points, with notable participation from Romanian, Slovak, Dutch, Chinese, and Austrian nationals.

Regional variations in Hungary were observed, with foreign buyers reaching 11.3 percent of the market in Zala and Somogy counties. In Budapest, foreign nationals comprised 5.5 percent of buyers, reaching a concentration of 13.2 percent in the inner districts. MNB Vice President Péter Benő Banai noted that non-EU buyers, specifically Chinese and Vietnamese citizens, are primarily active in the Budapest housing market.