mglaze
6 Jul 2011
Real Estate / Foreign investor, properties in Poland, walk away from mortgages? [209]
Hi, I am a foreign investor (from the UK), and I purchased three properties in Poland in 2007-2008. The properties have been built and rented out, and all purchase agreements are complete. Unfortunately the mortgages were based in Swiss Franks (CHF) at the lowest point. Now, the change in the rate for CHF, combined with a bit of property value loss which has still not recovered, has lead to these mortgages costing far more than they are worth. I am paying at least twice the amount on the mortgage payments, compared to the rental income each month. And the total value of the mortgage loans outstanding is so far beyond the actual value of the properties, that I cannot imagine this ever correcting itself in the next few years, or even in the next 10-15 years. The CHF continues to go up, and so do my monthly payments, and it is becoming impossible to keep up with the payments. Even if I keep these properties for 10+ years, I don't really see any way for them to be profitable now.
So what happens if I just walk away? I have read a lot about how the legal system is very different in Poland than in the UK, and how there is no concept of Polish bankruptcy, defaults, etc. I have property in the UK, and I have read that the Polish bank could come after my UK assets, since I have no other assets in Poland. But realistically, what will happen if I just stop making any more payments? I have just received my final disbursements from my mortgage, so I don't have much more to gain from continuing to make these payments, unless CHF is going to make a fairly rapid decline and fall back the 50% it's grown against PLN over the last couple years. And it just continues to grow so I don't see that happening any time soon.
Can this even really affect me outside of Poland? If I just stop sending money, stop making payments, etc. - and leave the bank to sort out the mess? What are the negative consequences I could face? I'm sure there are plenty of other people in my situation as a foreign investor, and probably even more as local property owners in Poland. What are all the rest doing? I consider myself fairly responsible and have always paid my debts and honored my responsibilities - so if someone like myself is considering such an extreme course of action, I think times must be getting quite desperate!
Thanks
Hi, I am a foreign investor (from the UK), and I purchased three properties in Poland in 2007-2008. The properties have been built and rented out, and all purchase agreements are complete. Unfortunately the mortgages were based in Swiss Franks (CHF) at the lowest point. Now, the change in the rate for CHF, combined with a bit of property value loss which has still not recovered, has lead to these mortgages costing far more than they are worth. I am paying at least twice the amount on the mortgage payments, compared to the rental income each month. And the total value of the mortgage loans outstanding is so far beyond the actual value of the properties, that I cannot imagine this ever correcting itself in the next few years, or even in the next 10-15 years. The CHF continues to go up, and so do my monthly payments, and it is becoming impossible to keep up with the payments. Even if I keep these properties for 10+ years, I don't really see any way for them to be profitable now.
So what happens if I just walk away? I have read a lot about how the legal system is very different in Poland than in the UK, and how there is no concept of Polish bankruptcy, defaults, etc. I have property in the UK, and I have read that the Polish bank could come after my UK assets, since I have no other assets in Poland. But realistically, what will happen if I just stop making any more payments? I have just received my final disbursements from my mortgage, so I don't have much more to gain from continuing to make these payments, unless CHF is going to make a fairly rapid decline and fall back the 50% it's grown against PLN over the last couple years. And it just continues to grow so I don't see that happening any time soon.
Can this even really affect me outside of Poland? If I just stop sending money, stop making payments, etc. - and leave the bank to sort out the mess? What are the negative consequences I could face? I'm sure there are plenty of other people in my situation as a foreign investor, and probably even more as local property owners in Poland. What are all the rest doing? I consider myself fairly responsible and have always paid my debts and honored my responsibilities - so if someone like myself is considering such an extreme course of action, I think times must be getting quite desperate!
Thanks