The authors of the study indicate that the main motive for selling real estate on the secondary market is the desire to improve the standard of living and purchase a larger area – this reason is declared by 28 percent. sellers.
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As Marcin Jańczuk, Metrohouse expert, notes, In recent years, Poles have mainly bought “compact” two-room apartments (approx. 40 sq m), which cease to be comfortable when the family grows.
Half a million debt for comfort
Experts have analyzed a scenario in which a family living in a large city sells a 40-square-meter apartment and buys a premises with an area of 75 square meters. This family is not burdened with a mortgage loan and can use all the funds obtained from the sale of their current apartment as their own contribution to purchase another one.
It turns out that in cities such as In Warsaw or Kraków, the difference in price requires taking out a loan or an additional payment of approximately PLN 500,000. zloty.
According to the report, in Warsaw the purchase of a 75-square-meter premises costs approximately PLN 1.19 million, in Krakow the price for a larger area is average PLN 1.06 milliona in Gdańsk and Wrocław prices are at the appropriate level 954 thousand PLN and 893 thousand zloty.
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In the capital, this means a monthly loan installment of nearly PLN 3,000. PLN, which for many households is a burden comparable to purchasing the first property years ago.
Stratification of the real estate market
The report draws attention to huge differences between Polish agglomerations. While in Warsaw improving comfort is a drastic burden on the budget, in other cities the mobility of residents can be much higher.
“In cities like Katowice, Bydgoszcz or Łódź, the cost of “additional” 35 square meters means a loan installment oscillating around PLN 1,400-1,450. – says Daniel Orlikowski, financial expert at Credipass.
In these regions, premises with an area of 75 square meters can still be purchased for less than PLN 600,000. zloty.
Financial condition of borrowers
Despite the need to incur high liabilities, the data of the Polish Bank Association are optimistic. Although most mortgage loans (approx. 60%) are concluded for a period of 25-35 years, Poles repay them much faster – usually within 13-17 years. The scale of overpayments suggests that the financial condition of families that already own real estate is relatively good.
However, in the first quarter of 2026, creditworthiness remains a key challenge. Experts emphasize that in the largest agglomerations, simply having a smaller apartment is not enough – rising financing costs make current income a decisive factor when planning to move on your own.
