I am planning to buy a house in the Lower Selisia region in the near future and would welcome comments on some of the better areas to live (in terms of lifestyle, facilities, forests, communities, etc), for example in the area of, Lwowek Slaski, Wlen, Boleslawiec, Gryfow Slaski, Jelenia Gora etc. I am looking to relocate to a property outside towns in the countryside but not far from smaller villages/towns. Thanks for any help on this.....I just want to make sure I buy in the right place.
Hi, we have a house in a small village just outside of Lwówek Sląski. It is a beautiful area, surrounded by forrests, castles, lakes, rivers, mountains,ski slopes and plenty of countryside if you are an active outdoor person. All the towns in the area were pretty much obliterated during WWII so the buildings surrounding them are utilitarian and not pretty but each towns square (Rynek) has been either rebuilt or well preserved and are well maintained.
Lwówek Sląski has all the facilities of a small town. Post Office, vets, doctors, Banks, shops and 6 supermarkets (a lot for a small town) a Pizza restaurant and a traditional Polish restaurant, It is a mixture of new and very old with fortified walls, cobbles, watch towers and churches dating back the 13th century
I think the first impression you get from most of the buildings around here is neglected. Poles were reluctant to invest in their homes in case they were displaced again after WWII..
There has been a flurry of new build homes in recent years but quite a few that havent been finished due to lack of funds.
In the larger towns, Jelenia Gora and Boleslawiec there is a much wider choice of shops, supermarkets, cinemas, restaurants, dentists, doctors..Jelenia has just opened a new shopping centre and there is another under construction..
We think it is a beautiful area of Poland and being only 40 mins from the German and Czech borders is a great base to explore and the airport at Wroclaw is about an hour and a half away.
It all really depends on what you are looking for as to where you live. I can give you the website of the estate agent we used if you would like. If you do come to live in a smaller town you will need to speak some Polish or German to be able to get by day to day,
We have a house in Karpacz and would recommend the area. Karpacz is more expensive because it is a popular resort but around the area are beautiful villages and rural property. We have found people really friendly and generous, our neighbours are wonderful and tolerate our poor language skills! The proximity to the German and Czech borders means a variety of cultures, great UK connections from Wroclaw Poznan and Prague. Jelenia Gora is changing constantly and whilst we miss some of the old bars etc the improvements are amazing. The investment is massive, the Euro football started the road and airport improvements and it hasn't stopped. Last year our neighbour was so proud of our cul de sac's never before tarmac and streetlight, and this in a two house remote road. Fantastic area and people!
Thank you very much for the detailed information you have posted it is much appreciated. Lwówek Sląski is a town we are considering and glad it has plenty of facilities including vets as we have a dog and cat. Because of our love for the countryside we are attracted to this area because of the mountains, forests, rivers lakes etc and of course proximity to the German and Czech borders. Thanks for your offer of an estate agent it would be very helpful. We have looked at quite a few estate agent sites so far and another will help. My wife is Polish so this will of course be a great help when settling in but of course I need to really improve on my Polish. Neither of us are familiar with this region and it can be difficult to find the sort of information you have kindly provided, so thank you for this.
Karpaczboy
Thank you very much for your insight on life in your area and how things are changing in Jelenia Gora. It is also good to know that you have found people friendly and generous. It can be difficult to get this sort of information on an area so it is much appreciated. It provides my wife and I with a better understanding of the region. I am sure I will be posting more questions again.
I have a property in Jelenia Gora, Boleslawiec, and a cottage near Lwowek Slaski, don't need to add much more about the area as Webkot has described it perfectly, and I do agree that this is a great area to live in.
My advice would be to look at as many properties as possible (in 5 years I have looked at over 100 properties before I've found the cottage that ticked most of the boxes), the Lwowek area has many great properties at very good prices, Jelenia Gora area is far more expensive, Boleslawiec is a pretty town but the surrounding area is not as nice as the other two.
There are many properties offered for sale, renovated or "renovators delights" both have good and bad sides, could go on for ever on the subject (or write a book), pretty much your budget would determine you choices...
Hi, Glad I can be of help. Im assuming you are looking at websites like otodom.pl and domy.pl. That is where we found our house. The estate agent we used is scheiner.pl (check out their website).
I will say that house prices here can be unrealistic, some houses, altho much cheaper than in UK, are way overpriced. For example you can find a new but unfinished house (not connected to utilities or even first fix electrics) for 450,000zl but for much less you can get an older property that is in good condition.
Forgot to mention that Lwówek has a notary and a hospital, both of which we have used! As your wife is Polish and you speak some Polish you will have no problem here. A lot of the younger generation do try to speak English to me, which is great as my Polish is rubbish.
Thank you again for your helpful information and estate agent details. The area, facilities and house opportunities all sound good. One of our major worries for this area is flooding. I have looked at past floods in Lower Silesia and elsewhere and there have been some quite destructive floods. I do of course wish to find a house in an area that is flood free. Would you know from your experience if there are flooding problems in this area around Lwowek Slaski and nearby and the risk of floods. As far as I can make out South of Jelenia Gora, Wroclaw seems to be prone to flooding and there has also been flooding problems in Gryfor Slaski so we are concerned. Any advice would be most welcome.
Tadoz
Thank you for your response and like other reponses it is much appreciated and valued. We will need to rent a house when we arrive and use that as a base to view potential houses. As mentioned in my last posting we are concerned with flooding problems in this area and will feel more reassured knowing the 'safe' areas to live. It is difficult to be absolutely sure of flood free areas but would appreciate any advice.
2 years ago when we came back in Spring there had been over a week of heavy rain and a few places in the surrounding area had experienced flooding, we live in a valley near a small river but we are much higher up, our neighbours however are right next door to the river and the land around their house is slowly being eroded (after that downpour the river bank is now outside his back door). My suggestion would be if you want to be by a river make sure you are high up and not that close!
Lwówek has a flood plain just outside by the Bobre river and there are flood defenses all around the area. The dam at Pilchowice which controls the Bobre has been emptied and dredged this summer and as a result the village close by, Wlem has suffered with wells drying up.
That is another thing to factor in. If you live in a town you have mains water, but away from town you will have a well. Currently because of the very hot weather the water table is very low. We have a well but havent experienced any shortage of water at the moment. The local council have been saying for a long time now that our village will be connected to mains water but it has yet to materialise.
Luban and Gryfow have been recently having reinforcements along the rivers because of erosion. I personally wouldnt live in Gryfow, it has a small prettyish square but not much else (except Lidl's on the outskirts!), Its the kind of place you pass thru to get somewhere else.
Boleslawiec has some pretty areas in the centre and a lot of EU money is being spent on refurbishing buildings and public areas. It also has a Carrefour and Tesco supermarkets and Boleslaviec pottery. The ceramics festival is actually on during 19th to 23rd Aug. And an outdoor Lido has just opened this summer on the outskirts in the forrest.
Lwowek has a yearly Agate festival in July (the main agate field is across the way from our house) There is supposedly gold in them there hills as well!
Swieradow Zdroj is a very pretty Spa/Ski resort about 30mins away. House prices there are more expensive.
If you want to get a feel for what is going on in the area there is a website for local news - lwowecki.info.com not that much goes on but it can make quite funny reading at times. Crime here is minimal, mainly petty theft and drink driving. (I apologise to your wife beforehand but) Poles are crazy drivers, spend their lives doing mad overtakes and speeding, therefore the local Police are always hiding somewhere to catch you out, especially in low speed areas.
In regards to flood free areas I would have a tendency to evaluate it on case to case basis, all the rivers in this area flooded at some stage, also keep in mind smaller streams as those often break their banks. Having said this, do not limit you search to the "high and dry" properties, some smaller streams have no records of ever flooding or would only flood at some point along their course (my cottage backs on to the stream but no flooding in living history).
Pretty much all the towns and villages in this area have a river or a stream going through them, so a little research and local knowledge will go a long way.
Another useful website: olx.pl a lot of private sales here.
Thank you again for your detailed information it really has helped to understand what the situation is like 'on the ground'. Before I forget my wife and myself have had experience of driving in Poland and yes I can say it was memorable. (no need to apologise) We will tread carefully with our selection of houses against possible flooding and your information has been really helpful. Thanks for the website link, we will see what we can find. Good to know that Boleslawiec has a Carrefour and Tesco in addition to a pottery centre. Thanks again for the information and hope to keep in touch.
Tadoz
Thanks for your information which again has been very helpful and we appreciate the estate agents link. We have also carefully noted your comments on flooding and will tread carefully. We also now appreciate not to disregard areas which have a stream/river which do not pose a threat and will ask lots of questions and research as much as possible. It is tricky and it helps to have the opinions of other people such as yourself.
just noticed this property, not in the area I like but looks interesting (that is if you're into old homes): olx.pl/oferta/sprzedam-dom-z-duzym-ogrodem-CID3-ID6euln.html
As far as I am aware , there is a land size limit of up to 1ha, but i understand that this changes in 2016, not too long to wait.
I might be wrong tho, its something the notary said maybe a problem for me, until I told him I was a polish citizen.
Some say there maybe a house and land gold rush in 2016, when the Germans who were displaced to west Germany from Silesia are able to buy back their old family homes.
The above might be a local fairy tale, they can tell allot of porkies round here.
"yes but that was supposed to happen a few times recently wasn't it?"
Proves it is another local fairy tale, or it might be another plan that keeps getting put on the back burner, bit like being able to register right hand cars.
I dont think Dolnoslaskie is classed as Poland B. I love that part of Poland, if i ever live in Poland again it would probably that area...again. Plenty of diversity, more favourable climate than other areas, near to Czech republic and Germany, mountains....and of course Wroclaw. I really like the city of Klodzko, shame it has so much poverty.
Yosemite Im only joking about polska B because some people on the forum have decided there is some kind of sub class of polish person so it is just sarcasm on my part.
Yes it is a nice place and the weather here is pretty good, Yes people here in general do not have allot to live on, but they do get on ok, most have extended families and smallholdings and everyone helps out.
I know of people who went over Germany to make some money, but they have come back because the didn't like the city and the speed of life there. they are happier in Silesia with only a little money. one lad I know only eats potatoes and gravy sometimes with some seasonal veg from the allotment, but he is as fit as a fiddle.
If one does not have very much money this has to be the place to be, Silesia is huge with not very many people cheap property to rent or buy , beautiful to boot .
Johnny "And that area is where I have been invited to stay with my "invisible" Polish Pen Pals. " let me know when you are over I have a place where you are welcome to
come and stay during your travels. (Grass hut and I keep the toilets very clean)
most have extended families and smallholdings and everyone helps out.
If theres a zombie apocolypse tomorrow the people living out of town in Dolnoslaskie should be able to survive pretty well, they are exremely resourceful.
THANK YOU SO MUCH dolmoslask ! I am getting pumped up again about coming soon. My health is almost back to normal. I have put that link on my favorites so I can click onto it later. Grass hut and clean toilet. lol All I require to be happy is a hot shower, one good meal a day and a clean warm bed to sleep in. Of course it's always nice to have a fishing buddy that can tell a bigger lie then me that enjoys cold beer. How far is the nearest big hospital ? Once I read about the good fishing there I started to worry I may never come back. Thank you so much again because after being here for over a year now you and one other member have been most helpful. Why don't you join as a member so we can personal message each other. I would like to give you my e-mail address so we can converse in private so we don't get insulted, belittled or mocked.
The nearest big hospital is about 40 mins away , we do have a small one int the town 20 mins away, I hope things are not that bad for you health wise that you would need them, fishing is not something that i have tried here, I used to fish trout carp and salmon when in the UK.
I do plan to do something about membership later on once i can use my polish IP address properly, tho not sure if i want all and sundry to pm me, there have been a few people who have been chased off by nasty emails. don't post your private email here wait til i sort my membership.
Yes it is a nice place and the weather here is pretty good, Yes people here in general do not have allot to live on, but they do get on ok, most have extended families and smallholdings and everyone helps out.
-20 this morning here in Poland C Podlasie. My in-laws don't have material riches but they live well. On New Year's Day my MIL smoked some excellent sausages and gave me a few links, but before I left she cut me a sausage, some bread and her own horseradish. I sat there like a Lord's bastard! Who needs more?
Thanks again dolnoslask. I have spend quite some time now reading about the beauty of Silesia. It is no doubt the part of Poland I wish to discover when I come visit. If you have good brook trout fishing I may have to consider spending some serious time there.
the doomsday preppers would do well to have a second home here,
I live on fresh venison, wild blackberries in pie, do my own canning from my garden......I resemble that statement
We thought we might buy a house there when we retire ...
Buy one with a guest house to rent to foreigners :-)
No probs Johny, I hope to begin growing some crops and having some farm animals once I reach pension age but that won't be for another 13 years, meantime I will continue to explore Silesia and Europe.
Hi we are English and love the area we are renovating a house near Olszyna (spell check keeps changing the name!!!). Lovely tiny farming village beautiful lake and castle nearby can't wait to leave uk permanently to live there. People very friendly and helpful. Green spacious pace of life slower ... it's not easy but then if it was everyone would be doing this. We have lots of experience of the processes and renovation, and we're even married out there (our family thought we were nuts until they saw it). If you need any help or advice get in touch. Roads good now and loads more services than when we started in 2004. I have been all over the world but this is where we want to be. MountAins, lakes, peace, 3 countries nearby but civilisation if you want it too. For good B and B recommend Czerwony dworek English run at mislakowice near karpacz back porch view of the mountains and forest beautiful. Great spot for exploring whole area. Happy to chat so do get in touch
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