Real estate intermediation

Check out our guide to buying real estate in Poland now:

1. What types of real estate are there in Poland?

HOUSES
Houses in Poland can be detached, terraced or semi-detached, single-family or multi-family, single-storey or multi-storey. We can buy or build a house ourselves. Together with the house, we also buy the plot of land on which it will stand. You can also build a garage on the plot, and develop the remaining area as a garden. Houses can be located in the countryside, in the city, in the mountains, by the sea, or even by the beach! In Poland, everyone will find something for themselves.

APARTMENTS

Apartments in Poland are very diverse: the smallest is a studio – most often a large room connected to a kitchenette, although we can also find one-room apartments with a separate kitchen among studios. Larger apartments can be two-room, three-room or four-room. Even larger apartments, often decorated in a luxurious style, are called apartments.

Apartments in Poland can be located in various buildings: tenement houses (most often built before or immediately after the war), apartment blocks and skyscrapers made of so-called large-panel construction (the communist period), or modern buildings. Currently, apartments with a garden are increasingly common on the market – they are located on the ground floor and have a designated part of the plot on which the building stands for their own use.

PREMISES

If you are an entrepreneur and need a place for your business, this is also possible. On the market there are service and commercial premises located most often on the ground floor of apartment blocks. This is a great investment, because such a location guarantees many customers. You can also buy a free-standing premises.

If you need space to store goods, you can purchase or build a warehouse or hall with a space tailored to your needs.

PLOTS

When buying a plot of land, you should pay attention to whether it is an agricultural or building plot. If you want to build on an agricultural plot, you must complete the appropriate formalities related to its transformation.

If you are interested in agricultural activity and would like to cultivate crops on the plot, this is possible. However, if the total area of ​​the entire land you want to buy for agricultural activity exceeds 1 hectare, you will need to obtain a permit to purchase the plot.

OBJECTS BELONGING TO THE PROPERTY

Not everyone knows that the facilities that belong to a property (especially apartments), such as a garage, parking space, basement, attic or storage room, are most often sold separately, and therefore their value should be added to the final costs. However, their purchase is not always mandatory – when buying an apartment, you can decide not to buy, for example, a parking space, and buy it later.

2. Do foreigners need to meet special requirements to purchase real estate?

If you are a foreigner, and therefore do not have Polish citizenship under Polish law, you can expect additional formalities when buying real estate, but not in all cases. You are exempt from the need to apply for a permit to buy real estate if you meet at least  one  of the following conditions:

– you are a citizen of a European Union country, one of the EEA countries or Switzerland;

– you have a permanent residence card or a long-term resident of the European Union and you have been living in Poland for at least 5 years since obtaining the above-mentioned residence title;

– you intend to purchase a residential premises (apartment), basement, attic or garage;

– your spouse has Polish citizenship and the real estate is to become part of your community of property;

– you have the right to statutory inheritance from the owner of the property or its perpetual user.

You must also remember that a permit  will always  be necessary (even if you meet the above conditions) if you want to buy real estate in the border zone, i.e. in the area near the border of the Republic of Poland, and agricultural land exceeding 1 hectare.

If you need a permit to buy real estate in Poland, you must provide sufficient proof that:

– your purchase of the property will not be detrimental to Poland;

– you have sufficient financial resources;

– you have a connection with Poland, for example through Polish nationality, Polish origin or a Polish residence permit.

What if you don’t need a permit? You still need to report the purchase of the property to the appropriate office.

3. What options are available on the market?

SECONDARY MARKET

The secondary market offers properties that were already in someone else’s possession. This option is attractive if you are looking for a cheaper offer – often the price of such apartments or houses will be lower than new ones, especially if the property is suitable for renovation.

PRIMARY MARKET

Buying from the primary market means that you are the first owner and the property has only just been built. Due to constant demand, new apartments and houses are constantly appearing on the market, both in large cities and smaller towns. When buying from such a place, you have to reckon with the need to finish the interior to a turnkey standard – such properties are often sold in a raw state, i.e. without floors, walls or equipment.

DEVELOPER

Recently, a very popular form of purchase from the primary market, even in smaller towns, is the purchase of real estate from a developer, i.e. a company responsible for the design of the building and its infrastructure, and then for its sale. Most often, these are freshly built houses or apartments handed over to the client in a raw state. The advantage of this option is the possibility of finishing the apartment according to one’s own idea.

4. Real estate acquisition procedure

FINANCES

Even before you find the right property and are ready to buy it, you should think about finances. You can make the purchase with previously saved funds (paying the entire transaction amount at once when signing the purchase and sale agreement), or take out a loan. The most common loans granted for the purchase of real estate are mortgage loans (even for the entire value of the property) or consumer loans (for the purchase of a garage, storage room, etc., or to cover renovation costs).

To obtain a loan in Poland, you must demonstrate to the bank that you have the appropriate creditworthiness. Thanks to our experience in this area, we will select the best offer for you, taking into account current bank offers, loan prices, margins, and even government support programs.

NOTARIAL FORMALITIES

The notary makes sure that the formalities related to the purchase and sale are carried out correctly for both parties. He draws up the appropriate agreement, as well as the notarial deed. Then he reports the purchase of the property to the appropriate court along with an application for entry in the land and mortgage register. However, this is not the end – do not forget about other formalities that will await you, such as reporting the purchase to the commune office, housing cooperative, or utility provider.

TAX

The buyer is required to pay tax on civil law transactions – in short PCC. It amounts to 2% of the total price of the property. However, you can use exceptions so that the transaction is not subject to this obligation. Are you curious about what these exceptions are? We will be happy to advise you!

Have we not answered your questions? Is your situation different than the ones presented in the article? Do you need more details? Do not wait and contact our specialists now!