New build or resale – which flat to choose?

This is one of the first questions buyers ask us: is it better to buy from a developer or on the secondary market? The answer depends on what you are looking for, how much time you have and what your budget looks like. Instead of generalities, here is a concrete comparison of the two paths.

Price and additional costs

The price per square metre on Warsaw's primary market is usually higher than on the secondary market in the same location – the gap reaches 10–20%, although in popular districts like Wola or Mokotów it narrows every year. But the asking price alone does not tell the whole story.

On the primary market the price includes VAT (8% for flats up to 150 m²), so you do not pay the civil-law transactions tax. On the secondary market that tax is 2% of the price – on a one-million-złoty flat that is 20,000 złoty. On the other hand, a developer flat comes in shell-and-core condition: fit-out in Warsaw today costs between 1,500 and 3,500 złoty per square metre, or 75,000 to 175,000 złoty for a 50 m² flat. A resale flat is ready to move into or needs far less work. We have set out the full cost breakdown for buyers in a separate article.

Timeline – from decision to moving in

On the secondary market, four to eight weeks normally pass between the preliminary agreement and the notarial deed – that is how long the mortgage process and document checks take. You can move in within days of signing.

On the primary market the schedule looks different. If you buy during construction, it may be months or up to two years before you get the keys. Then fit-out takes another two to four months. All told, the gap between signing the developer agreement and moving in can reach two and a half years. If the flat is already finished, the timeline is shorter, but fit-out still has to be added.

Legal protection for the buyer

Poland's Developer Act protects buyers on the primary market: payments go to an escrow account, the developer is liable for defects for five years, and the developer agreement must be a notarial deed. If the developer runs into trouble, the money in escrow does not become part of the bankruptcy estate.

On the secondary market protection is more limited. The statutory warranty for physical defects runs for five years from handover, but a private seller often excludes it in the deed – which is legal. This is why it is so important to check the flat's condition, land register and ownership history before buying. We do this with the client before an offer is even made.

Location and availability

On the resale market the choice of location is far wider – you buy where Warsaw is already built up: Śródmieście, Żoliborz, Stary Mokotów, Saska Kępa. New developments go up mainly on the fringes of districts or on former industrial land (Wola, Praga-Południe, Ursus, Białołęka). If you want a particular street in the city centre, the secondary market is your only option.

Investment or a place to live?

Buying to live in? The resale market gives you a faster move-in and a lower total entry cost. Buying to rent out? The primary market lets you do a standardised fit-out for tenants and avoids renovation for several years. Buying to sell at a profit? That comes down to purchase price and the district's growth potential – and there is no clear-cut answer without analysing a specific listing.

We handle transactions on both markets. If you are not sure which option is better for your situation, book a free consultation – we will compare actual listings, not theoretical scenarios. And if you are buying with a mortgage, our financial partner Notus Finanse will compare bank terms for both variants.