- Real Estate Agent in Warsaw and Poland: Help Buying Property
- What does a real estate agent do for a foreign buyer in Poland?
- Flat purchase calculator for Poland
- Who comes to us
- You live in Poland but don’t speak Polish
- You are buying from abroad
- You are buying to let
- You moved to Poland and want your own home
- How we support buying a flat in Poland, step by step
- Request and brief
- Agreement
- Search
- Viewings
- Checks
- Negotiation and deposit
- Permit and mortgage
- Notary and keys
- UWhat we do
- YWhat you do
- NWhat the notary and the bank do
- What else a real estate agency in Warsaw and other cities can do for you
- Rent a flat or premises
- Sell a property
- Buy to let
- Renovation and furnishing
- What are the risks of buying property in Poland?
- Debts and encumbrances
- The developer and money outside escrow
- The border zone and the ministry permit
- Source of funds
- A deposit without a proper agreement
- A tax exemption you may not qualify for
- Stanislav Tsys on buying a flat in Poland
- How much does it cost to buy a flat in Poland on top of the price?
- Can a foreigner get a mortgage to buy a flat in Poland?
- What we don’t do
- We moved to Poland ourselves — and know where people go wrong
- Frequently asked questions about buying property in Poland
- Tell us what you want to buy — we start with the checks
Real Estate Agent in Warsaw and Poland: Help Buying Property
We find the flat, check it and the seller, and see the deal through at the notary. You hear about the risks before the deposit.
For foreign buyers, in English. All of Poland, offices in Warsaw and Kraków.
What does a real estate agent do for a foreign buyer in Poland?
Help with buying property in Poland is a service in which a real estate agent takes the buyer from a brief to the keys: shortlists properties, checks the land and mortgage register (księga wieczysta) and the seller or developer, negotiates price and terms, prepares the preliminary agreement and accompanies the buyer at the notary. A foreign buyer needs this for three reasons: the contracts and the deed are in Polish, the rules for non-EU citizens are different, and a mistake missed before the deposit is far harder to fix after the notary.
A foreigner buys a flat in Poland with a passport — no residence card and, in most cities, no permit. But the rule has exceptions, and they cost money: the border zone, a house with land, the tax on resale property, the notary’s question about the source of funds. Our job is to make sure you know about them before you pay a deposit.
Flat purchase calculator for Poland
Mortgage payment, cash needed at completion and an indicative household income. An estimate only — the bank makes the decision.
- PCC tax—
- Notary and court fees—
- Indicative household income—
Down payment below 20%: banks usually require additional security — most often low-down-payment insurance paid by the borrower. Terms depend on the bank.
How the calculator works and what is not included
An estimate as of 1 October 2026. The default rate of 6.0% is the average rate on new PLN housing loans according to the National Bank of Poland for August 2026 (5.99%). Enter the rate from your own offer: bank terms for foreigners may differ. The payment assumes equal instalments, without bank fees and insurance. “Monthly income” is net household income.
The indicative income follows the logic of Recommendation S of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF): the rate with a buffer of at least 2.5 percentage points, an assessment term of no more than 25 years, a payment of no more than 40% of income — a cautious level, not a legal requirement — and, after the payment, the household must still cover minimum living costs (the IPiSS social minimum for Q1 2026, up to five people). Each bank uses its own method. “First home” means you do not own and have never owned a flat or house, including abroad; an inherited share of up to one half does not count. Deal costs include PCC tax, the maximum notary fee for the contract and court fees, plus PLN 200 for registering the mortgage and PLN 19 tax on it when you buy with a loan; for a new-build, the costs of the developer agreement are split in half and the buyer pays for the final deed. Not included: notarial acts for the mortgage, certified copies of the deed, the valuation and bank fees, a translator, the agency fee. The calculator is not a loan offer or credit advice.
Who comes to us
Most often — people who want to buy a flat. You tell us what you are looking for, in which city and on what budget, and we work from that brief.
You live in Poland but don’t speak Polish
Listings, talks with the seller, a ten-page contract and the notarial deed are all in Polish. We explain every document before you sign.
You are buying from abroad
We view properties for you and send video, and the purchase can be completed under a notarial power of attorney — you don’t have to travel for the signing.
You are buying to let
We work out purchase and running costs before the deal, then support renovation, furnishing and letting.
You moved to Poland and want your own home
The details matter: your residence status for a mortgage, a home you own abroad for the tax, and the city you are buying in.
Tell us what you are looking for: city, budget, timing. We will tell you what is realistic and where to start.
How we support buying a flat in Poland, step by step
Request and brief
City, type of property, budget, cash or mortgage, your citizenship and status in Poland.
Agreement
The scope of work and our fee are set out in a written agreement before the search starts.
Search
We look for properties that match the brief — new-build and resale — and filter out those that would not pass checks.
Viewings
We go with you or instead of you: video, notes on the condition, questions to the seller.
Checks
Land register, owner, debts and encumbrances; for a new-build — the developer, the prospectus and the escrow account.
Negotiation and deposit
We negotiate price and terms and prepare the preliminary agreement — with the completion date and time for the bank’s decision.
Permit and mortgage
If the property needs a ministry permit, we prepare the application. The mortgage is handled by a partner — a credit intermediary from the KNF register.
Notary and keys
We review the draft deed, arrange a translator and attend the signing. Then come the handover protocol and the meters.
UWhat we do
- Shortlist properties and arrange viewings
- Check the land register, the seller, the developer and debts
- Negotiate price and terms
- Prepare the preliminary agreement and documents for the notary
- Prepare the permit application when one is required
- Arrange a sworn translator and a purchase by power of attorney
YWhat you do
- Decide which property to buy
- Gather documents on the source of your funds
- Sign the agreement and the deed — in person or through an attorney
- Pay the seller, the tax and the fees
NWhat the notary and the bank do
- The notary draws up the deed, collects the PCC tax and files for registration of ownership
- The bank decides whether to lend — by its own criteria
- The ministry decides whether to grant the permit
The full process — documents, new-build versus resale, the steps at the notary — is covered in our guide to buying property in Poland as a foreigner.
Already found a flat yourself? We will check it and the seller before the deposit and go to the notary with you.
What else a real estate agency in Warsaw and other cities can do for you
We work across Poland: Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań, Łódź, Katowice and other cities. Viewings in other cities are arranged locally; documents and negotiation are handled remotely.
Rent a flat or premises
Search, checks on the owner and the lease, including najem okazjonalny with the tenant’s statement made before a notary.
Sell a property
Preparing documents, viewings, negotiation with the buyer and support at the notary.
Buy to let
Finding a property to let, working out the costs, then finding tenants and managing the flat.
Renovation and furnishing
Handover from the developer, fit-out and furniture — so you can move in or let the flat.
What are the risks of buying property in Poland?
Almost every expensive mistake happens before the notary — at the deposit stage. This is what we check first.
Debts and encumbrances
The seller’s mortgage, easements and applications the court has not yet processed are all recorded in the land register and stay with the flat. Separately, there are debts to the homeowners’ association or housing cooperative and people registered at the address.
What we do: read the land register, match the owner with their ID, request certificates of no arrears.
The developer and money outside escrow
A new-build buyer is protected by a notarial developer agreement, an escrow account and the Developer Guarantee Fund (DFG). This protection works when payments go through the escrow account; a payment outside it weakens the protection. A reservation fee may not exceed 1% of the price.
What we do: check the company in the KRS register, the prospectus, the escrow account and the bank’s consent if the land is mortgaged.
The border zone and the ministry permit
A non-EU citizen needs a permit from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA) for a house with land or a plot. In the border zone the permit is required even for a flat — and the zone includes Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot, Szczecin and Przemyśl. A purchase without the permit is invalid.
What we do: check the municipality against the border-zone list before the deposit and prepare the permit application.
Source of funds
The notary has anti-money-laundering duties and may ask where the money comes from; the bank will also look at a large transfer. Cash from abroad should go through a bank account first — see our articles on bringing money into Poland and on documenting the source of funds.
What we do: help you collect the documents in advance: the sale contract for your previous home, statements, tax returns.
A deposit without a proper agreement
Zadatek (earnest money) and zaliczka (advance payment) are not the same: if the deal falls through because of the buyer, the seller keeps the zadatek; if because of the seller, the buyer may claim double the amount; an advance is simply returned. A notarial preliminary agreement lets you make the seller complete the sale through the court; a simple written one only lets you claim damages.
What we do: prepare the preliminary agreement and explain what happens if either side backs out.
A tax exemption you may not qualify for
A first-time buyer on the resale market does not pay PCC. But according to the tax administration, a home abroad — even one sold long ago — removes that exemption.
What we do: establish before the deal whether the exemption applies to you and include the tax in the budget.
Send us the land register number or a link to the listing — we will tell you what to check before the deposit.
Stanislav Tsys on buying a flat in Poland
How much does it cost to buy a flat in Poland on top of the price?
Besides the price, the buyer pays tax or VAT, the notary and court fees. The amounts below come from the law, not from us: we quote our fee after we have gone through your brief.
- PCC tax — 2%Resale market only, on the market value; collected by the notary. First-time buyers are exempt.
- VAT on a new-buildAlready included in the developer’s price: 8% for flats up to 150 m². No PCC is paid when buying from a developer.
- NotaryNo more than the maximum statutory fee: for the purchase of a flat it is half of the scale rate plus 23% VAT; certified copies of the deed are charged separately.
- Registration of ownershipPLN 200 court fee; for a new flat, another PLN 100 for opening a land register.
- Ministry permitPLN 1,570 stamp duty — only if your property requires a permit.
- MortgagePLN 200 for registering the mortgage and PLN 19 tax on it, plus costs under the bank’s terms.
- Translator and agentA sworn translator’s rate and an agent’s commission are not set by law — they are defined by contract.
Example: a flat for PLN 700,000, no mortgage.
Notary amounts are maximum rates; a notary may charge less, and certified copies are extra. From 19 November 2026, in transactions where a foreigner buys property, the parties will also pay for placing an electronic copy of the deed in a repository for the ministry — the amount will be set by a separate regulation.
We will work out the costs for your property and status — before you pay a deposit.
Can a foreigner get a mortgage to buy a flat in Poland?
Usually yes: the bank requires legal status and verifiable income in Poland, and decides by its own criteria. The benchmark down payment is 20% of the price, and some banks lend from 10% with additional insurance. A bank must give its decision on a complete application on the 21st day — we build that time into the preliminary agreement, which lowers the risk that the completion date comes before the bank’s answer.
We do not select a bank or file applications ourselves: paid intermediation in mortgage loans is the business of a credit intermediary listed in the register of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF). We go through your situation and, with your consent, pass it to our partner — a credit intermediary from the KNF register. Bank terms for foreigners are covered in our article on mortgages in Poland.
What we don’t do
Some of the things buyers ask for are against Polish law. We don’t take them on — and we explain why.
- We don’t arrange a purchase through a nominee to get around the ministry permit: such a transaction is invalid, and you can lose the property.
- We don’t understate the price in the notarial deed. The tax is charged on market value anyway, and a false statement in the deed is the liability of the parties to the transaction.
- We don’t promise other people’s decisions. The ministry grants the permit, the bank grants the loan. We prepare the documents and tell you in advance if the chances are low.
- We don’t arrange loans ourselves — that is done by a credit intermediary from the KNF register.
- We don’t take the purchase money into our account. Payment goes to the seller, to the developer’s escrow account or through the notary’s deposit.
- We don’t work around source-of-funds checks. The notary’s and the bank’s questions are answered with documents, not schemes.
We are not a law firm or a credit intermediary: a legal opinion comes from a lawyer, and a loan is arranged by an intermediary from the KNF register. Under Polish law, a real estate intermediary works under a written or electronic agreement with a copy of the professional liability (OC) policy attached — ask any agency about both before you sign.
We moved to Poland ourselves — and know where people go wrong
Uniconsulting Group has been operating since 2015, with offices in Warsaw and Kraków. It is led by Stanislav Tsys: 12 years of living and doing business in Poland, and the author of the YouTube channel @business_poland about business and property in Poland, with 59,000+ subscribers.
People come to us when a flat is part of a move: alongside it they need to open a company, get a residence card, sort out taxes and a bank. So we look at the purchase more broadly than a single deal — how it affects your status, taxes and plans.
The most common mistake is to pay a deposit first and only then find out whether a permit is needed, how to pay from a foreign account and how to document the money. The order should be the reverse.
Frequently asked questions about buying property in Poland
Can a foreigner buy a flat in Poland?
Yes. A citizen of any country can buy a self-contained flat with a passport — no residence card and no permit. The exception is the border zone, which includes Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot, Szczecin and Przemyśl: there a non-EU citizen needs a ministry permit even for a flat.
When do you need a permit to buy property in Poland?
Citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need one for a house with land, a plot, and any property in the border zone. The permit is no longer required once you have lived in Poland for five years after obtaining permanent residence or long-term EU resident status — except in the border zone and for farmland over 1 ha. The stamp duty for the permit is PLN 1,570.
Does buying a flat give you a residence permit or Polish citizenship?
No. Owning a home is not a ground for a residence card and does not by itself give citizenship. A flat helps only indirectly — as proof of a place to live in residence applications. You need a separate ground for residence: work, business, studies or family.
Can you buy a flat in Poland without travelling there?
Yes, under a notarial power of attorney. A power of attorney issued abroad needs an apostille or consular legalisation and a sworn translation into Polish. In that case we carry out viewings for you and send video.
Do you need an English-speaking real estate agent in Warsaw?
If you don’t read Polish, it helps: listings, the preliminary agreement and the deed are in Polish, and negotiations with sellers are usually in Polish. We work with buyers in English and explain each document before you sign.
What is the difference between an agent and a notary, and why do you need both?
The notary certifies the transaction: draws up the deed, collects the tax and files with the court. The notary does not search for a property, negotiate, or check the condition of the flat and arrears to the homeowners’ association or cooperative. That is the agent’s work — and it is done before the notary.
How do you check a flat before buying?
With the land register number you can open the register free of charge on the Ministry of Justice website: the owner is in section II, encumbrances and mortgages in sections III and IV. In addition — a certificate of no arrears from the homeowners’ association or cooperative, information on who is registered at the address, and the seller’s power of attorney if they act through a representative.
New-build or resale — which is better for a foreign buyer?
With a new-build your money is protected by an escrow account and a guarantee fund, and no PCC is paid, but you move in after construction is finished. A resale flat is ready at once, but the buyer pays 2% PCC and the only protection is the contract and document checks.
Do you need a translator at the notary?
If you don’t know Polish — yes. The notary translates the deed personally if they speak your language, or with the help of a translator. A sworn translator is usually needed; we arrange one for the signing date.
Can you pay for a flat in cash?
There is no cash limit between private individuals, but in practice the money is transferred to the seller’s account or placed in the notary’s deposit — the method of payment is recorded in the deed. With a developer, payments go only to the escrow account.
Which cities do you cover?
All of Poland. Our offices are in Warsaw and Kraków; we also support purchases in Wrocław, Gdańsk, Poznań, Łódź, Katowice and other cities. The purchase rules are the same nationwide — only border-zone municipalities differ.
How much does a real estate agent cost in Poland?
Our fee depends on the task: a full search or checks on a property you have already found, the city, a remote purchase. We quote it after going through your brief and put it in the agreement before work starts. An intermediary’s commission is not set by law.
Tell us what you want to buy — we start with the checks
Describe your brief: city, budget, cash or mortgage. We will tell you whether your property needs a permit, what costs to plan for and where to start the search.
Rules and amounts are stated as of 1 October 2026 based on isap.sejm.gov.pl, gov.pl/web/mswia and podatki.gov.pl. This page describes general rules and does not replace advice from a lawyer, a tax adviser or a credit intermediary on your situation. Decisions on the permit and the loan are made by the ministry and the bank.