Where to buy a vacation home for a reasonable price in Hungary?

The incredible boom of property prices around Lake Balaton will probably not stop this year either. It seems almost impossible to get our hands on a reasonably priced vacation house as on many occasions, they are sold for a million forints per square metre (around 2.7 thousand euros).

According to experts asked by Pénzcentrum.hu, Lake Velence already technically belongs to the agglomeration of Budapest, and it is definitely showing in the prices. We wrote about the

crazy jump in property prices in the capital

despite the pandemic, which naturally increases the value of its surroundings.

When we ask a foreigner what areas of Hungary they know or have visited, very few people will leave out Lake Balaton.

The Hungarian Sea and its towns and villages all around it will save their leading position

not only in Transdanubia but in the country in general.

When it comes to the market of vacation homes, Balaton seems like an unbeatable destination. It is also due to the fact that more and more tourists decide to visit Eastern Europe’s biggest lake.

Tourism of Lake Balaton is further boosted by the development works at Hévíz-Balaton Airport

The pandemic situation, of course, further intensified the already strong position of Lake Balaton as the weekend houses, vacation homes, and bigger or smaller lands ready to be occupied by someone attract a huge number of people who seek the best way to disconnect from their everyday lives in a big city, spent mostly in quarantine in the past year. Working from home sounds much nicer when you hear birds chirping in the morning, and a bunch of tall trees give you a refreshing shadow when the sun tries to enter through the window in July. Infrastructural developments all around the lake will make sure it keeps its unbeatable position.

If you are looking to invest in a nice holiday home and I have just scared you off with how expensive the Hungarian Sea has become, let me offer some other options. If your standards are not that high that you need the absolute proximity of the lake,

you can still find wonderful possibilities that will not break the bank.

For this, of course, you have to forget about the most popular towns, such as Siófok, Balatonfüred, or Zamárdi.

Going a couple of kilometres further will still not get you very far, only away from these jaw-dropping prices. The less costly settlements can be found on the Western side of the lake, like Balatonberény or Balatonmáriafürdő. Here, you can get a square metre for the quarter of the price I mentioned in the introduction. Sounds much better, right? If you go just one village further, prices are even lower, but you still stay in the close proximity of the lake.

Balatonberény beach – Facebook

According to Ingatlan.com, the cheapest prices can be found in Balatonmagyaród and Balatonújlak, for well under 200 thousand forints per square metre (under 600 euros). These lovely villages are even named after the lake, making it obvious that Lake Balaton can be reached in a heartbeat.

In the case you would like a beautiful property for a weekend getaway or for the whole summer but you want a more unique place you get to completely explore and tell all your friends about, Lake Tisza is the perfect option.

biker’s bridge over Lake Tisza – Facebook – Csodás Magyarország

It is as easily approachable as its bigger brother thanks to the developed motorway system; however,

prices can be 75% lower.

Even after a 20% increase in prices compared to last year, the lake is still an absolute runner-up. The increase is due to the infrastructural developments carried out in the area. Still, the average price for a square metre anywhere around Lake Tisza does not reach 170 thousand forints (under 500 euros). Tiszafüred, Poroszló, and especially Abádszalók are the most recommended settlements to settle down for the summer.