Man! Their website with regards to Romania is VERY, VERY hard to pick apart! There is a whole lot of truth mixed in there with a whole lot of Bullsh*t!
I think I'd have to read it for a week to really give a good analysis of it. I have the following negative comments on it....
(1) Apart from the foriegn banks, all of whom have a presence in every Romanian city, how many of the manufacturing companies on their list have you ever heard of?
(2) Arad is a bit smaller than Dun Laoighaire and 10 times poorer.
(3) The Bucharest - Budapest motorway which they talk about running near Arad is actually 150km to the north and crosses the border at Bors (near Oradea) when it actually will be finished. My best estimate 2012!
(4) I'd say that the rental market in Arad is extremely small in the extreme! So, after getting your 2 years guaranteed rental, who are you going to sell to? An Irish guy I know works for an automotive parts manufacturer based in Nadab, Arad County. Their parent is American and all these guys have been transferred out of Dundalk, County Louth to work here and get the plant running. Where do they live at the weekend? Budapest! I asked why they don't just grab an apartment in Arad and they laughed 'til they got sick!. Apparently they only stay in Arad in a hotel if they are here for less than 3 nights and then it is only a good venue for a quick meal, a few beers and a collapse into bed!
(5) The closest major border crossing into Hungary is at Varsand, closer to Timisoara than to Arad.
On the positive side...
(1) Arad is in Romania which will, soon, enter the EU
(2) The prices they quote for apartments in their build of 700 Euro a squre metre are in and around accurate on the west side of Romania although I would have thought they were more on the money in Timisoara or Oradea, NOT Arad. By the way, unless these apartments are right in the city centre of Arad then there is no way they are worth 70k. 55 - 60k would seem more fair. I think i have seen these apartments. They are right at the exit of Arad on the Mures river towards Timisoara, about 2 miles from the city centre. Not close enough to justify the price tag even if there was a strong demand for them which in my opinion there is not.
(3) If I was an expat manager working in Arad then I would live in Timisoara and commute. 60kms or 45 minutes once you shook-off Tim....
(4) Timisoara and Oradea are kicking & cheering on the West side of Ro. Arad is tapping its toes and humming.
Don't believe the hype!