Otthon Start EXPO – Quick Market Snapshot from Bálna

Otthon Start EXPO – Quick Market Snapshot from Bálna (January 17, 2026)

A quick summary for you from Saturday’s Otthon Start Expo conference at Bálna, where visitors were supported with continuous presentations and free, in-person bank consultations to help them make well-informed and sound decisions. 📝🏦

The Otthon Start program has become one of the safest first-home schemes on the market. It supports not only homebuyers but has also contributed to a moderation in rental prices (–1.5%).
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📊 Key figures of the Otthon Start loan:
– 50,000 applications currently in progress
– 18,000 loans already disbursed
– Approx. 30,000 people have moved into their own homes
– The program accounts for 72% of all mortgage disbursements
– A total of HUF 35 billion has been paid out so far

🏠 The majority of rural properties and around 80% of Budapest apartments meet the program’s criteria.
The initial, unjustified price increases (around 20%) eased by year-end as demand cooled.

🏗️ Good news for new-build properties:
In Budapest, the number of building permits has doubled, although the impact will be visible in 2–3 years.
With the introduction of condominium construction rights, new-build apartments may become available as early as this year at around HUF 1.5 million per sqm, eligible for Otthon Start loans—even from the planning phase.
For this reason, a balanced price increase is expected in the property market: many buyers are waiting for this opportunity, while those who want to move in now continue to focus on Otthon Start-eligible homes.

💡 Expert advice:
Get a preliminary loan assessment first, and only then start viewing properties.
Don’t expect a price drop, but make decisions calmly and thoughtfully.

👉 If you’d like to leave the process to professionals, feel free to get in touch.