How to negotiate with a Polish landlord and buy property profitably

Buying real estate — it's always a matter of negotiation. Even if the apartment is ideal in terms of price, location, and condition, the final outcome of a deal very often depends on bargaining.
Many foreigners who are planning Buy an apartment in Poland, underestimate this stage or skip it altogether - and end up overpaying.

In this article I will tell you, How to negotiate with an apartment owner in Poland, what mistakes do buyers make, how does it affect mortgage in Poland for negotiations and why help professional realtor often allows you to reduce the price further than it seems.

Is it possible to negotiate when buying an apartment in Poland?

The short answer is - Yes, it is possible and necessary..

Bargaining when buying an apartment in Poland is one of the most important elements of the deal.
Sometimes it's the outcome of negotiations that determines a buyer's final decision—even if both the apartment and location are completely satisfactory.

Luckily for buyers, The Polish mentality is conducive to bargaining. Poles are prone to bargaining and often do so with pleasure. The main thing is don't overdo it.

Seller Emotions: What Buyers Forget

It is important to understand one key thing:
For many sellers, an apartment is more than just a piece of real estate.

Very often people sell their apartments. once or twice in a lifetime, having lived their best years in it. Even if it's a grandparent's or parents' apartment, most owners have strong emotional connection with the object.

That's why an aggressive approach can completely ruin the bidding process and close the possibility of further negotiations.

The first step to bargaining is even before viewing

My practical advice:
If you liked the apartment, already on the phone It's worth asking a calm, non-aggressive question:

«"Please tell me, is it possible to negotiate?"»

In most cases It's already clear from the seller's reaction, what can you count on.
There are, of course, exceptions when aggressive bargaining helps to get a better price, but this is more likely rare situations, not a rule.

In this article we talk about standard and operational scenarios, which are actually used in the Polish real estate market.

What is important to find out when inspecting an apartment

The first thing you should do when inspecting an apartment is to find out:

1️⃣ Reason for sale

2️⃣ The timeframe within which the seller plans to close the deal

If the reason for the sale is a situation that puts pressure on the seller (urgent relocation, purchase of another property, division of property) - for the buyer this is a very good sign.

In such cases, when bargaining, it is worth emphasizing the following:

• you are ready to quickly complete the transaction,
• quickly collect documents,
• Minimize the time to the notary.

In Poland The speed of a transaction is often more important than the maximum price.

Mortgages in Poland and Negotiating with the Seller

If the purchase takes place with use of credit, the buyer is located in a weaker position.

Sellers in Poland are often willing to:

• sell an apartment a little cheaper,
• but to the buyer no mortgage,
  so that the transaction goes through faster and without banking procedures.

This does not mean that negotiating a mortgage is impossible.
But a negotiation strategy needs to be developed especially carefully, emphasizing:

• bank readiness,
• realtor experience,
• control of deadlines.

How to bargain without hurting the seller's feelings

From my practice realtor in Poland I can say:
sellers most often they love their apartments very much and tend to exaggerate their merits.

A typical situation is a renovation done 5–10 years ago.
Even if it is outdated today, for the seller it is still «expensive» and «high quality».

Therefore, harsh phrases like:

• «"bad repair"»
• «"everything old"»

may trigger the seller's emotions and complicate the bargaining.

How to properly justify a price reduction

You need to bargain not with general phrases, but with specific facts.

✔️ Point out only real flaws:

• old windows,
• worn out doors,
• technical defects,
• the need to replace communications.

✔️ Support your arguments with numbers:

• approximate cost of window replacement,
• estimated cost of repairs,
• actual costs after purchase.

❌ Don't devalue the apartment as a whole - this almost always works against you.

The Main Rule of Bargaining When Buying an Apartment in Poland

Always save calm and don't give in to emotions.
Even if you completely liked the apartment, don't show it.

From my experience I can confidently say:
Every price you see online is negotiable.,
even if the seller is initially skeptical.

Summary: How to buy an apartment in Poland at the best price

To sum it up:

✔️ Bargaining is the norm in Poland
✔️ The seller's emotions are more important than pressure
✔️ The speed of the transaction is a strong argument
✔️ A mortgage requires the right strategy
✔️ A professional realtor almost always saves money

If your goal is - Buying an apartment in Poland is profitable, working with an experienced specialist — this is not an expense, but an investment in results.