Investors Bought Less, Sold More Real Estate Last Year

Investors became more cautious as buyers, but remained very active as sellers on the real estate market in 2025, real estate broker Duna House told MTI on Monday.

According to the company's data, investment purchases accounted for approximately 23% of total national turnover for the year as a whole, down from nearly 27% at the beginning of the year to below 21%. The decline accelerated mainly during the summer months, which can be explained by the combination of persistently high interest rates, rising prices, and a deteriorating risk-return ratio, they explained.

Budapest continued to dominate in terms of region, with around 35% of sales in the capital and roughly 23% of transactions in the countryside linked to investment purposes. In terms of age, there was little investment motivation among 20-30 year olds, while more than a third of purchases by those over 40 were for investment purposes.

The sale of properties purchased for investment purposes was around 35% in Budapest and 26% in rural areas, rising from quarter to quarter.

The Otthon Start program clearly reshaped the investment landscape from the second half of 2025, with the proportion of investment-oriented purchases declining in Budapest and stagnating in the countryside. Subsidized fixed-rate loans strengthened demand for owner-occupied properties in the capital, which limited opportunities for investors. At the same time, in Budapest, the proportion of loans previously acquired for investment purposes increased by about 5 percentage points in the second half of the year. At the same time, in Budapest, the sale rate of properties previously acquired for investment purposes increased by approximately 5 percentage points in the second half of the year, meaning that many owners took advantage of the demand stimulated by Otthon Start to exit the market.

Duna House expects that investors' room for maneuver in 2026 will be shaped by a combination of moderating inflation and subsidized loan programs. The proportion of purchases for personal use is expected to continue to grow, which will reduce the number of lower-priced, high-yield investment opportunities. Decisions may thus become more cautious, with the emphasis on stable rentability, good location and predictable returns.