Ask the financial expert

Your Expat Expert: Richard Holmes

Richard Holmes is the Managing Director of Gerrards International. He established the company in Budapest in January 2004. Gerrards International specialise in providing financial planning and wealth management solutions for expatriates. His specific fields of expertise are investments, retirement planning, education fee planning, banking, life, critical illness and health insurance.

Richard has a combined total of sixteen years experience within the financial services and insurance industry. Eight years of which were gained in the UK with Allied Dunbar, now known as Zurich Financial Services, Norwich Union, now known as Avia, and BUPA. Since leaving the UK in 2000 he has worked as an as an Independent Financial Advisor for the past 8 years.

Ask the legal expert

Your Expat Expert: Marcus Gyulai-Schmidt

Marcus Gyulai-Schmidt is a German lawyer. He is residented in Hungary since 2007. Before coming to Hungary he worked for some years in a middle sized lawyer office in Munich. He is member of the bar in Munich and also registered in the bar’s register of European Community Lawyers in Budapest. Mr. Gyulai-Schmidt first came to Hungary in 1996. In 2001 he worked as a trainee lawyer for half a year in Budapest.

Mr. Gyulai-Schmidt is specialized in legal questions on private construction law, law on architects and real estate law. He also gives legal advice about all questions on free movement of people and companies and free services inside Europe.

Ask the real estate expert

Your Expat Expert: Eszter Holmes

I established an estate agency called Gateway Properties in Budapest over three years ago. We specialize in selling apartments in Budapest to expats and foreign investors. We offer a comprehensive range of complimentary services that includes mortgage broking, arrange renovations, and providing furniture packs. We also help investor’s select suitable letting and property management companies.

I was born and grew up in Budapest, I have always been interested in getting to know other cultures and learn foreign learning languages; this is why I wanted to work with foreign buyers.

I speak both English and Spanish and we have an international team that speaks English, Spanish, German, Dutch and French.

Ask the relocation expert

Your Expat Expert: Stuart McAlister

Stuart McAlister is British and has been living and working in Budapest for the last 13 years. Stuart founded his company, Inter Relocation in March 2002. The profile of the company is to provide relocation destination services and immigration compliance for corporate executives relocating to non-traditional European locations. From small beginnings with a staff of 3, the company has grown to its present compliment of 18 full time employees in Hungary and a further 100+ working at its franchise member and partner offices in a further 17 countries. His company assists well in excess of 1,000 relocating professionals per year.

Stuart is a recognized expert on all aspects of relocation to “new” Europe. He is able to give advice on housing, the necessary permits and documents to work and live in Hungary, banking, insurance, car purchase/leasing, schooling, healthcare, cultural adaptation, the language and all the other small but important issues that expatriates face when relocating to a new country.