Harvest in Berg, Austria. (source: TASR)
Living in an Austrian border village was once all the rage. Kittsee, Berg, Hainburg and Gattendorf expanded in part thanks to an influx of Slovaks seeking comfortable housing at relatively affordable prices — all within a stone's throw of Bratislava.
However, since the pandemic, surging demand has pushed property prices in these villages to levels comparable with those in the Slovak capital. Following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022, interest in the Austrian side of the border intensified. For many, the region carried a psychological appeal, offering a sense of enhanced security.
But when banks began raising mortgage rates later in 2022, the real estate market across the Austrian border cooled, with interest declining for nearly two years. According to some property agents, activity has picked up again since the end of 2024. Still, several admit that Slovak interest in Austrian villages may have already reached its peak.
Price stability despite rising mortgage rates
A decade ago, property in Austria’s border villages was 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than in Bratislava. This price gap attracted many Slovaks to purchase land, houses or flats, often escaping the noise, congestion and urban grime of the capital.
Now, with prices having more or less levelled out, the boom has subsided. Today, most Slovaks considering property in Austria are those disillusioned with their country's political and economic trajectory, seeing real estate abroad as part of a broader escape plan.
