Hungria, Budapest Business Journal, Hungaro

BBJ: This year, Tecnocasa in Hungary celebrates 30 years of doing business. How did this story start?

Laura Bindi and László Szabó: Practically, this is a double birthday, because the international Tecnocasa Franchising Network is also celebrating its 40th anniversary. In August 1996, a team of ambitious real estate agents from Turin, affiliated with the Tecnocasa brand in Italy, inspected Budapest, at the suggestion of the founder, Oreste Pasquali, to determine whether it would be worthwhile to create a franchised real estate network in Hungary. And here we still are!

Together, we have faced challenges and achieved projects; we created this kind of working experience in Hungary for the first time. We have always tried to pass on values of integrity, fairness, and transparency. We continue along this path. Some of the team have been with us from day one, and to them, we truly want to say, “Thank you.” Allow us also to remember the person who guided us here for 20 years and who passed on to us the sense of belonging to this company. With all our heart, and with his memory always alive, our immense thanks go to Stefano Accornero.

BBJ: What plans do you have to mark the anniversary this year?

LB & LSz: This year, we have major plans which, thanks to the solid growth of the past years, will come to fruition through further developments and the opening of regional offices. We have understood the challenges of the Budapest and suburban markets, so the time has come to establish our presence in additional counties.In 2026, we plan to open offices in three major cities, with work already underway.

BBJ: What have been the biggest changes in the market in those three decades?

LB & LSz: We have witnessed major historical, commercial, and technological changes, and have been able to understand and respond to the needs of clients, who have become attentive and well-informed “professionals.” The evolution of the media and the internet has shaped the development of the real estate market, where, over the past 30 years, sales prices have multiplied.

When we started, there were no organized real estate brokerage structures, and we rode that wave. The market was something of a jungle, with very few rules, and real estate brokerage was a profession that was practically nonexistent. One thing that has remained unchanged over the years is our strong commitment to involving and developing young colleagues, supporting their professional growth through continuous training and hands-on experience. We firmly believe in building from within, which is why the opportunity to become a franchise partner is reserved for those who have grown and proven themselves within our organization. This reflects a broader principle that has always defined our company: we regard real estate not as a part-time activity, but as a true profession to be pursued with full dedication and long-term commitment.

BBJ: You work in a crowded marketplace. What are the values that set you apart from your competitors?

LB & LSz: We believed in Tecnocasa then, just as we believe in it now, because when a good idea is deeply shared by the people who work with you, it becomes an extraordinary force that has an impact on both the team and the market. Working at Tecnocasa is not just about being a real estate agent; it is a way of being. There are strong values we strive to convey to both our clients and our colleagues: transparency, sharing, innovation, growth, achieving clear, well-defined goals, a sense of belonging, and, above all, a passion for our profession.

BBJ: The Tecnocasa name is well known, and you operate it in Hungary under a franchise basis. Your network also provides additional services to clients. How do these businesses complement each other? What are the areas where they overlap or offer exclusive services?

LB & LSz: Under the Tecnocasa brand, our real estate brokerage franchise partners operate with a strong local focus, specializing specifically in the residential property market. The foundation of our business is to provide clients with high-quality, personalized support throughout every stage of the buying and selling process.

Beyond traditional real estate brokerage, our network also offers additional services designed to enhance client convenience. For more than a decade, we have worked in partnership with a property management and rentals partner. Thanks to this cooperation, our clients can rely not only on expert sales support but also on long-term management and utilization of their properties. We also work with a financial solutions partner who ensures professional mortgage brokerage services, enabling clients to access both real estate and financing solutions in one place.

BBJ: How do you see the Hungarian market in 2026? How have the geopolitical situation (the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East), the recent general election, and the relative weakness of the Hungarian economy influenced matters?

LB & LSz: The Hungarian real estate market has been one of the “winners” of the past decade in terms of price growth, so the question on everyone’s mind now is whether prices will continue to rise or whether a correction may follow. It is a difficult question, because we do not know how long government incentive schemes can remain in place, nor how severe an economic crisis the current geopolitical developments may trigger.

We remain hopeful that common sense and economic considerations will prevail, but for the time being, these factors are still surrounded by considerable uncertainty. What we can already see with certainty is that in the first quarter of 2026, the transaction volume in the Hungarian market declined. The current uncertainties point to rather extreme possible scenarios, but in our view, the most likely outcome for the year as a whole is nominal price stagnation, accompanied by fewer transactions.

BBJ: And what about beyond 2026? How do you see the next three decades for Tecnocasa in Hungary? What are the trends that will define the market in the years to come?

LB & LSz: The period ahead of us will be about building a bridge between the digital age and human relationships. In our profession, there is a simultaneous need for both innovation and tradition. AI is already everywhere, but it cannot replace a handshake. Despite the long line of innovations, the vast majority of people will not buy or sell property without human relationships. Thanks to Tecnocasa and our corporate environment, provided by the Italian headquarters, we have always been ahead of the market in terms of technology. With these and our internal training programs, we aim to secure market leadership over the next three decades.

This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of April 24, 2026.