Housing ads searches surge in rural areas, where Home Start could rev up again

By the end of January, home seekers had returned. According to data from Zenga.hu, the number of real estate ad searches rose sharply in January 2026 after hitting a low point in December. The head of analysis at Zenga.hu suggests that the number of sales may also rise in the coming months compared to recent lows.

"Compliance with the Otthon Start programme remains a key consideration among home seekers: nearly 90% of real estate enquiries nationwide, and almost 75% in Budapest, were directed at these properties," said Péter Futó.

The number of serious enquiries (i.e. when a prospective buyer contacts the seller via the phone number listed in the ad) has risen above the level seen nationwide prior to the announcement of the Otthon Start programme. This means that,

by the end of January this year, there were 35% more potential buyers than in the last week of June last year.

Despite growth, the expert emphasised that interest in Budapest is still 18% below the level reported at the time of the Home Start scheme's announcement, indicating that there is plenty of room for further growth.

Currently, the supply only partially meets the criteria specified by interested parties. Most people are still looking for apartments priced at HUF 1.5 million per square metre and with an advertised price below HUF 100 million. However,

only 42% of properties for sale in Budapest and 72% nationwide meet these criteria, i.e. the requirements for the preferential loan.

Zenga.hu data also show that, unlike last year when new apartments and houses were more popular, there is currently no significant difference in the type of properties sought (renovated, average, refurbished or new).

There is also a major difference in apartment size: smaller properties purchased for investment purposes were more popular in the first third of last year, whereas this year, potential buyers are presumably looking for larger properties for their own use.

The most sought-after residential properties currently are those between 80 and 100 square metres.

Interest in this size category has increased by 41% since the announcement of the Home Start programme, while interest in the smallest apartments (under 40 square metres) has only increased by 16%. "This can be explained by the fact that the programme had a greater impact on the rural real estate market, where most of the supply meets the programme's conditions and where properties tend to be larger than in Budapest. Additionally, most people prefer a slightly larger living space for their own use," says Péter Futó.

The impact of the Home Start programme is expected to continue throughout the rest of the year, so more and more people who have only been browsing so far may decide to buy. This could be reinforced if new real estate developments are launched in line with the programme's conditions.

Cover image (for illustration purposes only): Getty Images