How to buy an apartment?

ModernHouse 2023-08-09

Buying an apartment is a big challenge for someone who is doing it for the first time.
It doesn't matter whether you are buying for yourself, for rent or as an investment. It is worth making an informed choice.

How to look for real estate?

  • internet,
  • newspaper,
  • tenders in the cooperative,
  • tenders at the city hall,
  • from the developer,
  • friends,
  • broker.

Most people are skeptical about the brokerage service. UNNECESSARILY. Data from 2021 clearly show that more and more people make transactions through intermediaries, and forecasts indicate that this upward trend will continue.
Hiring an agent will not only save us time, but above all it will help us avoid additional costs related to the property we buy, which we may sometimes not be aware of. Very often we encounter a situation where the amount paid to the intermediary would be much lower than the amount that a client who does not use our services incurs after making a "bad" transaction (e.g. the buyer purchases a property with a legal defect on his own - then he will be forced to use the services of a lawyer , for which you will have to pay extra). The remuneration paid to the intermediary is payment for knowledge, experience, safety and time devoted to the client.

Remember,
that you can always reduce the purchase price of the property by the price of the agent's commission.

For example, let's discuss the story of Jan Kowalski. Mr. Jan told the broker to offer the seller a price below the expected price. Eventually the broker found out, quote

"PLN 140,000 is not enough, we agreed that the maximum we can go down to is PLN 150,000".

Ultimately, the sale was for PLN 148,000.

Remember,
that an intermediary is an impartial person. You can find a good broker to hire for a specific task. You've probably heard of the "bad cop and good cop."
Every experienced intermediary knows how to play both roles to negotiate the best possible offer for you.
The agent does not favor the apartment you like, because emotions automatically reduce the ability to reliably evaluate the property, instead he makes a pure, cold calculation..

We already have an apartment and what's next??

The first and most important thing we need to check is the legal status of the property.

Then it's worth checking:

  • the right to purchase real estate,
  • Is there a land and mortgage register?,
  • full ownership with share in the land and perpetual usufruct,
  • cooperative ownership right to the premises,
  • premises constituting a separate property,
  • cooperative tenant's right to the premises.

If the land and mortgage register is missing, all information is available in the cooperative.
Please note that you are not a party and you must go to the cooperative with the seller, the intermediary can obtain such information and documents for you based on the regulations and the agreement with the seller..

We can obtain certificates in the cooperative:

  • certificate of no contraindications to establishing a land and mortgage register,
  • a certificate stating who is the owner,
  • allocation,
  • certificate of transformation of the cooperative tenant's right to the premises into the cooperative ownership right to the premises.
  • certificate of no arrears.

It is worth talking about utilities such as water, electricity, heating and gas while viewing the apartment.
Pay attention to who has lived in the apartment until now.
Was it an older or younger person?
How many people will live there?
This may affect the change in utility fees when you start living in it alone or renting it for three people.

What to pay attention to when viewing an apartment?

  • condition of the floor, whether it is even (often the radiator leaks and water soaks into the panels, destroying the floor),
  • the walls are smooth or wallpapered,
  • condition of windows,
  • what doors are installed, whether they are burglar-proof,
  • electrical installation,
  • sanitary installation, whether taps work, etc.,
  • apartment on the top floor, are there any stains on the walls?,
  • condition of the balcony,
  • condition of window sills,
  • neighborhood,
  • do reconnaissance, parking lot, school, shop, doctor; focus on what you need and what you care about most.
Remember that the most expensive rooms to renovate are the kitchen and bathroom.
Regardless of whether you are renovating or refreshing, it is worth checking all the above things that we talked about, because it directly affects the renovation costs.
You can also use this in conversations when negotiating the price.
The question of whether the furniture stays is natural and understandable. You can also negotiate what should stay in the apartment.

The most important thing when buying an apartment is conversation.
Building a relationship with the seller is a very important issue that will help us obtain the necessary information and help negotiate the price.
Prepare for the purchase by collecting information and preparing an action plan, in orderly action you will buy what you need.
A cool approach to the purchase will protect you from failure in the transaction.