After deciding on an off plan property or plot of land in Poland, the buyer must apply to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a permit allowing the purchase to be carried out. Once the permit is obtained, which usually takes around two months to finalise, the buying process is pretty straight forward – it is recommended that a local lawyer is hired to check the ins and outs of a transaction and assure legality of everything, as well as checking that the reclamation of the property has gone through beforehand and the property isn’t being sold illegally. As per usual, the reason a local lawyer is the preference is that they will be aware of any regional difference in the buying process. It should also be noted that a permit does not have to be obtained in all circumstances, and it helps to check beforehand with any local laws and suchlike.

To purchase off plan property, the developer must present plans of the proposed building or renovations, which are priced by the square metre – these plans can be changed at the buyer’s discretion. A pre-agreement contract is then drawn up which includes building specifications and a timescale for work and payments – off plan property purchases in Poland are characterised by their strict timelines, and penalties are enforced if payments are missed or building work is not completed in time. Unlike more traditional format of ‘payment after work’, off plan buyers in Poland pay as the work is being carried out in instalments. Once the work is finished a final contract must be signed to legally transfer the property over to the buyer, this signing must take place in the presence of a notary.

Other fees that will have to be paid by the purchaser include stamp duty of two percent, court fees of around one to one-point-three percent, notary fees normally around one percent, agency fees of around three percent (if an agency is used, of course) and wages for both a lawyer and a sworn translator, who is necessary for the contract signing if the buyer speaks no Polish. The fees of the last two services vary from person to person.