Buying real estate in Poland as a foreigner: rules, process and pitfalls

As an EU citizen you can buy real estate in Poland almost as easily as a Pole. Citizens and companies from the European Economic Area are exempt from the permit requirement that applies to buyers from outside the EEA. The purchase itself runs through a Polish notary, with the perpetual land register (księga wieczysta) as your main safeguard.

No permit needed for EU citizens

Polish law in principle requires foreign buyers of real estate to obtain a permit from the Ministry of the Interior. Citizens and companies from the EEA and Switzerland are exempt, with only a few exceptions for agricultural and forest land. For a home, apartment, commercial building or building plot, you buy without any extra permit procedure.

How the purchase works

The process has four fixed steps:

1. Land register check. Every registered property has a księga wieczysta, a public register showing ownership, mortgages and attachments. This is the first and most important check.
2. Preliminary agreement. A umowa przedwstępna with a down payment is common. Mind the difference between zadatek (forfeited on cancellation, or returned double) and zaliczka (an ordinary advance).
3. Financing and checks. Zoning, building condition, sitting tenants and service charges are reviewed. For new builds, you assess the developer and the delivery terms.
4. Notarial deed. Transfer happens before a Polish notary (akt notarialny) and is entered in the land register. Beyond the price, budget for 2% transfer tax on existing property, or VAT on new builds, plus notary and registration fees.

Why the market is interesting

Poland’s economy grew 3.6% in 2025 and the European Commission forecasts 3.5% for 2026. Cities such as Warsaw, Krakow, Wrocław and Gdańsk see sustained demand for housing and commercial space, driven by domestic growth and foreign investment (investment projects rose 13% in 2024).

The pitfalls

Language is the biggest one: deeds, land registers and municipal documents are in Polish, and English is not a given with SME sellers and local agents. Down-payment law also differs from what Dutch or British buyers expect, and the zoning check deserves extra attention.

Polska Consult Holland guides foreign buyers through real-estate transactions in Poland: we check the land register, translate and interpret at the notary, and bring in local lawyers where needed. Get in touch for an obligation-free conversation.