Residential plots in Katowice

Consistent growth of apartment prices and high demand are connected with high prices of building plots. Average prices in southern districts (Podlesie, Kostuchna, Zarzecze) are about PLN 200 per sq m. The closer to the core centre of the city, the higher prices. In very nice, old residential areas - Ligota or Ochojec prices reach even PLN 300. Price records we can find in Brynów, a traditional winner in category: "the most expensive and snobistic district in the city". Developers and private investors want to pay for a well located plot even 1000 PLN/sq m!
This situation is connected with main tendencies on the local residential market. Accessibility for building lands is limited, most of Katowice area lacks plans for the local land development, which provide specification of each development planned in a particular location. Plans describe many crucial elements, for example what is the purpose of the land (commercial, residential buildings, warehouses, recreation etc.) and what area and height of investment is permissible.
Another thing is that period to obtain a construction permit is usually in Poland very long. sometimes it takes even one year to complete all documents necessary to start an investment, because you must collect about 10 different formal opinions of local institutions.
You should also remember that new flats are often sold even before the developer obtains a construction permit. Developers try to build more and more efficient profitable constructions. The rule is simple - investors compete to get the best located land, the better location, the higher price for their apatments or houses can be reached.
So may be buying good building plot is the best investment today? I'm sure that's right. There is only one problem - it is really difficult to find one...

Residential market in Katowice - main tendencies

In last two years the capital of Upper Silesia was fast developing residential market, although we had much less investmets than for example Warsaw, Cracow or Tricity. The growth of apartments prices in the period from the beginning of 2006 till now was extremally rapid. Specialists claim there is still shortage of about 10 000-15 000 residential units, so, considering the development pace, it would take several years to satisfy demand!
What is most important for buyers? Prestige of the district, reasonable price and good access to public transport. The housing construction sector is developing mostly in southern districts, like Kostuchna, Zarzecze, Podlesie, Panewniki. Piecful and green environment is their main advantage. And, what's more, these are the only places where building plots for developers are available.
Very desirable areas are still the southern parts of the city centre, Brynow and Koszutka. Unfortunately there are only a few new residential investments located in these places - apartment houses on Jesionowa Str. (Koszutka), Fliegera Str. (near Academy of Sport), Osiedle Przystan on Paderewskiego Str. and Osiedle Ptasie in Brynow (left side from Kosciuszki Str. vis a vis Kosciuszki Park), which is still found the best and the most expensive district in the city.

Do you want to buy an apartment in Katowice?

If you don't know our city and, in spite of this, you are still interested in buying some flat here - read some useful hints below.
Of course each village, city or metropolis has its better and worse residentional districts. Prices on real estate market are the result of many different factors: location, type of buliding, its age and technical condition, infrastructure and facilieties availability, neighbourhood, finally - fashion tendencies (some places are or will just become fashionable... and expensive...)
Before you buy any poperty in the capital of Upper Silesia - you should know there are few districts of very good reputation and some, you shouldn't explore when it's dark.
So read carefully, please, here is my private rank.
On the top you will find southern part of the center. The beginning of Katowice as the biggest industrial city in Silesia came back to the XIXth century. In the center you can find many tenement houses from the end of the XIX and first years of the XXth century. Remember one useful Polish word - "kamienica" - it's the name of this kind of buildings, in contrary to modern blocks of flats called "blok, bloki" or old workers-houses named by aboriginal Silesiamen in their dialect "familoki" (sounds familiar? yes, this name means: houses for family).The most representative streets with old architecture objects are for example 3 Maja Str., Slowackiego, Warszawska, Kosciuszki, Jagiellońska Str. If you are visiting our city as a turist you should make a sightseeing tour by these streets. Pay attention to monuments: the Mickiewicz High School built in neogothic style, the Silesian Theatre in The Central Place, the Neo-Romanesque Evangelical Church inWarszawska Str., the most beautiful in Katowice neogothic Church of the Immaculate Conception of St. Mary the Virgin, built in 1862-70 in Mariacka Str.
You shouldn't omit some younger but interesting buildings- the Silesian Technical University in Krasinskiego Str., built in 1928-32 in style joined classicism and functionalism, and administrative centre of Katowice on Sejm Slaski Square - with The Silesian Parliament and Regional Authority from 1925-29 and the Languages Department of the Silesian University built in 1936. Worthseeing is also the Arch-cathedral of Christ the King, built during 1926-56 and the "skyscraper" built in Zwirki i Wigury Str. 1930-32, a 14-storey tall highrise, Poland's tallest building at that time.
If you don't like car traffic and are looking for peaceful, quiet apartment in an old stylish tenement house - look for something in the neighbourhood of the Arch-cathedral - in Wita Stwosza Str., Jordana Str. or a little bit further - Bratków, Astrów, Narcyzów, Różana Str. Especially last four of them are famous for nice, stylish buildings from 20's and 30's of the XXth century, projected for local elites- lawyers, engineers, doctors. Similar buildings, typical for modernism and functionalism can be found on the opposite site of Kosciuszki Str., for example in PCK Str., Stelmacha, Zajaczka, Rymera Str. This part of the center has been said to be the most attractive, elegant and prestigous district in Katowice, from the beginning of the XXth century - till today.

How can foreigner buy real estate in Poland?

If you are foreigner interested in buying a property in Poland you must first answer the question if you are a citizen of Member States of the European Economic Area. If your answer is "yes" - you can buy almost every real estate, except of agricultural and forest real estate (during the period of 12 years of the Republic of Poland Accession to the European Union), and second house (during the period of 5 years of the Republic of Poland Accession to the European Union).
For all foreigners coming from different countries there is one general rule - you should have an official permit (an administrative decision from the minister competent in internal affairs). But permit is not required if for example: you buy a separate living accommodation, you buy real estate if you are living in the Republic of Poland for at least 5 years following the granting of a permit to settle thereto, you are the spouse of a Polish citizen and residing in the Republic of Poland for least 2 years following the granting of a permit to settle thereto, of real estate that as a result of acquisition shall constitute marital estate of the spouses, etc.
All details you can find on the web side of The Ministry of Interior and Administration. Read very carefully art. 8 of the Act. And buy real estate in Poland!