However, the launch of the Otthon Start subsidized loan program brought significant changes in the second half of the year.

According to data from real estate search portal zenga.hu, the supported financing scheme encouraged many people to move forward with purchasing their own homes, abruptly replacing investors with buyers looking for larger apartments or family houses.

The upturn in the real estate market this year was characterized by an unusually diverse group of buyers, with investors, panel apartment seekers, and those looking for family homes all actively present—though not at the same time.

Data from zenga.hu show that in 2025, interest levels fluctuated sharply not only by property type and condition but also by size.

Panel Apartments Dominated H1 2025

“At the beginning of the year, when buyers in many cases were searching for properties primarily for investment purposes, there was strong demand mainly for smaller panel and brick apartments, while family houses were searched for by fewer people than usual. After the announcement of the Otthon Start program, however, prospective buyers began looking for homes for their own use, and by now family houses have taken the lead. Currently, more people are searching for this type of property than for panel and brick apartments combined,” said Péter Futó, head of analysis at zenga.hu.

According to zenga.hu data, by the end of 2025, those planning to buy family houses would most often do so in the Budapest agglomeration. More than a quarter of all interest in this property type was directed toward Pest County, while the fewest buyers were looking for family houses in Vas County.

The popularity of panel apartments declined significantly in the final months of the year, following the early-year surge and the spike after the Otthon Start announcement. Among those still interested in this type of property, most would choose Budapest, with every third inquiry nationwide for panel apartments targeting a home in the capital. “In the case of brick apartments, the number of property inquiries is proportional to the population of the counties,” Futó added.

Owner-occupiers Prefer Move-in-ready Homes

Entrepreneurial investors were often willing this year to take on the burden of renovation when purchasing property, and in the first months of the year, homes in average condition or requiring renovation were the most sought after.

According to zenga.hu’s expert, this changed somewhat following the announcement of the Otthon Start program, as interest increased most sharply in properties in average condition. “In recent months, buyers have been specifically looking for nearly new apartments, and there are now far more owner-occupiers among them than investors,” Futó emphasized.

These trends are also reflected in demand by size category. At the beginning of the year, the most sought-after properties were well-rentable units, typically two-room apartments in the 40–59 square meter range, while the largest homes—over 99 square meters—attracted relatively little interest.

By contrast, in the second half of the year, larger apartments and houses became more popular, with increased interest in properties sized 80–99 square meters as well as those exceeding 99 square meters.

“Overall, the upturn seen at the beginning of the year and in the second half had a different character. Early in the year, investors were looking for smaller, well-rentable panel and brick apartments and were not deterred by the need for renovation. With the introduction of the subsidized loan program, however, owner-occupiers came to dominate the housing market, most of whom are thinking in terms of nearly new family houses or apartments of around 80–100 square meters,” Futó said in summary.