News / Dalai Lama says: "POLAND HAS RETAINED ITS SPIRIT" [77]

One of the primary reasons Poland is on the map of Europe today is due to the spirit of its people. It certainly wasn't due to the generosity of map makers or the countries surrounding Poland. :-)

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]

All markets, including real estate, go through a period of fluctuations, with a peak and trough (bottom). The property markets in the UK, Ireland, USA, are bottoming out and it is now more or less a buyers market. For many with cash, this presents a good time to buy. In Poland, the property market seems to be holding it's own at the moment, without any serious increases or decreases in real estate prices in the aggregate, or course, there may be regional differences. There are various segments of property when speaking of real estate: flats, private detached homes, farms, arable land, zoned building land. I think the best investments in property right now are in private homes, land / forest, and farms small or large. Flats will always be available and prices seem to have stablilized. Keep in mind, 'anyone' can purchase a flat in Poland, locals and foreigners alike without restrictions.

Land (arable or building), forests, and farms in excess of 1 hectare still require permission from the Polish interior of Ministry, and foreigners (non Polish citizens) cannot just come to Poland and buy such a property. The true value of these properties will come into play around the year 2012, when permissions to buy will be revoked and anyone will be able to invest in these. True supply and demand will then take place and true fair market value prices will be established. These types of properties are good to invest in before 2012.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


This is exactly what I have stressed in my previous post..the property "type". One must identify within the Polish real estate market, which category of property is a good invesment, rather than grouping all properties into one basket.

- Flats
- Houses
- Industrial Structures
- Land (agricultural / arable)
- Land (industrial)
- Land (Residential)
- Land (Forest)
- Farms (small or large)

The key is, flats can be purchased and sold by anyone. So, the prices you see today are well reflected. However, other types of property still haven't had 'true' supply and demand factored into it. Hence, an objective market price still has not been determined between buyers and sellers. This should prove to be an interesting observation when 2012 comes along. Even more important, by that time, most world economies will have partially or fully recovered from recession. Timing is essential in this regard.

Love / Do Polish Women age well? [153]


I'll add my observations as well from living in a village in Poland for over 6 years. I also conclude that Polish women 40 years or older do not age well at all. Most here are terribly overweight with poor facial complexions. Many do smoke, so that is a "why" factor to consider. Should I mention some unpleasing hair styles and hair color?

That said, the younger Polish women seem prettier than most of their European counterparts, like models from heaven. Again, many of them do smoke. That's too bad.

I often think, what eradicates their former beauty so quickly? Smoking, bad diet, lack of excercise, drinking, hormones, stress, other?

Hopefully, an honest opinion doesn't offend anyone.

Love / Do Polish Women age well? [153]

My friends and I know the ages of the women in this village very well. What do you expect when the population is under 2,000 people? :-)

An excellent example of 'aging well' is the French actress, Juliette Binoche, born in March, 1964 (44 years old). A note of interest is she is half French / Polish descent.

Love / Do Polish Women age well? [153]


As RebelOReilly mentioned previously, our comments are only simple general observations and not conclusive statements. Naturally, an individual's personality and heart count more than anything, but that's not what the topic was about. The topic questioned, "Do Polish Women Age Well?". I provided my opinion based on the population of a small village where I live. The women here can hardly be representative of the entire country of Poland, at least I think it can't be. When answering the question which the topic puts forward, one looks at the physical aspect of the Polish women, if she ages well beyond 40 years old. My interpretation of the question of this topic was more about physical appearance, and not the good nature, personality, or heart of the person in question.

Patrycja19, there is another topic on Polish Forums entitled "Polish men vs german men:Who is hotter?". From what I have seen of the postings which have taken place there, it is full of 'pin ups' of the physical appearance of men, and comments of men how they look on the outide. I haven't seen any woman on that forum coming to the defense of a man's personality or heart there, as has been done on this forum. Why? So it seems, it's ok to lust after and judge a man's physical appearance, but not talk about a women's appearance? Food for thought. :-)

Love / Do Polish Women age well? [153]


This thread never seemed to approach 'women hating' at all. Now you seem to be revising the theme of the topic. Do you consider judging a women's appearance as 'misogynistic'? It's only allowble to say, 'she is beautiful', but not "she is not attractive at all'? Provide some facts on your analysis? Again, look at the topic, and try to answer the question which was posed, instead of playing Mr. Neutral Diplomat.

There seem to be other forums which focus on the 'appearance' of individials. Take a good look at the "Polish Men versus German Men" thread. It asks 'who is hotter', which is quite similar to how a person ages. It's an 'appearance' question, and not an issue on personality traits or who has a good heart.

Travel / Poland wildlife and similar wild life where you live. [243]


In my area, south of Tarnów, there is an abundance of: Fox, deer, owl, eagle, rabbit, squirrel, stork (in-season), pheasant, and more.

Travel / Poland wildlife and similar wild life where you live. [243]

Nature's gift of a view behind (south) of my house. :-)

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Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]

It should be stressed that most 'house' price analyses for Poland and other countries in Europe are actually for 'flats' and not houses per se. It is a grave error to bundle the drop in 'flat' prices with that of private 'house' prices. Keep in mind, as I have often mentioned numerous times on Polish Forums, land exceeding 1 hectare has not been allowed for sale to foreigners without permission from the Polish government. That law will end in the year 2016. This pertains to private houses on such land, and small farms. This is where the real estate market in Poland still thrives and has the most potential. I can attest to that since I own a large small farm exceeding 7 hectares, with a new home, barn, two farm buildings, arable land and forests, well with spring water, plumbing, and electricity. Such property represents true ownership, rather than a cramped flat in a large concrete apartment building stuffed with hundred's of other families.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


It is true. Foreigners are allowed to buy a flat without any permission, and as many as they wish. They can also buy a private home on a parcel of land less than 1 hectare also without permission, although, permission may be necessary under certain circumstances. Anything exceeding 1 hectare needs permission without a doubt until the year 2016. This mostly has to do with the status of being a 'farmer' and the special privileges they have when it comes to insurance, pension, and taxes.

To me it is clearly a hidden market in Poland that most foreigners don't pay attention to. Also, all of the property price reports focus only on flats, and not the houses on larger parcels of land. They tend to group everything into 'property' or 'houses', which isn't accurate at all. It is true that there are currently an abundance of flats on the market for resale. Small farms are much more scarce, although there are some still to be found at reasonable prices.


It really is. I remember at one time the date was 2012, and then got bumped up to 2016. I think Poland is trying to keep the date in sync with when Germany allows Poles to work in their country legally.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


Agreed, I think this provision is a good one. Another theory behind this was to give some time for land prices in Poland to reach a near equilibrium with Western European countries.

1 hectare = 2.471 acres

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


You're very welcome.


No, that was probably Wildrover. I'm more into Agro / Eco Tourism, and hope to complete and open a pub in my barn along with activities in the other half of the building, like ping pong, basketball, and even dances every once in a while.


I was able to buy my property in Poland because my mother was born and raised in Poland and later went to the USA. I was born in the USA, but now I hold dual citizenship (USA and Poland). Poland has a great law which allows non-Polish born individuals to become a Polish citizen if one of your parents or even grandparents were born in Poland. If this is the case, in Poland's eyes, you are a native Pole. So, I was able to purchase as much land as I wanted, unrestricted.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


B&B, maybe horse riding and hay rides in the future. You are welcome to visit anytime. I'm about 30 km south of Tarnów in the mountains.


I'm quite comfortable financially already, so there is no reason to 'suck' people into doing anything. The fact is, parcels of land over 1 hectare haven't been exposed properly to any form of supply and demand 'Europe-wide', so prices haven't been determined according to true market value yet, which makes land / forest / meadows underpriced. It's no delusion.

You sound very bitter "Guest". Why hide behind a guest nick?

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


Your prognosis is fair and accurate, because you specify a component of the real estate market ("flats") instead of lumping the housing category into one. That's what more property analysts should be doing. They should be more specific as there are obviously various components comprising real estate.

Recently in my village, there was an old wooden home in inhabitable shape (no other farm buildings except for an outhouse) for sale down the mountain from me, near a stream and paved road. It sits on only 0.40 hectares of arable land with no forest and has electric and well water. A nearby local Polish family just purchased it for 120,000 zloty. In itself, this amount of land would not qualify someone to become a farmer. However, this particular family already owns over 3 hectares elsewhere in the village, so they can live there and maintain their farmer status. Overall, a good investment as opposed to dropping money on a flat.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


Agreed, I notice that as well. There also seems to be an influx of people now longing to own their own house on a piece of land where they can breath a bit.

I'll give you some examples of the recent activity in my village. A Spaniard who has a Polish wife just recently purchased a large brick home here near the parish church. They have around 1/3 hectare of land surrounding their home and recently put in a new roof. We now have about 8 families from the Śląsk area that have bought wooden homes and farms here. One Pole from Tarnów bought a farm and now produces home made wine and sells rabbits. Another Pole from Tarnów bought vacant, unused farm land on top of the highest mountain here and opened up a very successful ski area. It's not large like Krynica, but people still swarm in to go skiing. Two villages away from me, the number of people from Śląsk is even higher. In an adjacent village, a German (along with his Polish wife) bought a charming farm exceeding 3 hectares and great views, before I moved into the area. He got a great price and that was in the year 2000. The family that sold it to him seems to be regretting the sale because they know they could have gotten over 15 times more for the same farm today. This is an unfortunate consequence for those locals who sold in the early 2000's (or even before that). Not many people really anticipated how much of a demand there would be for the simple rural life.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]

When living in a village and area with such a small population, how can you not know what is going on around you? Everyone pretty much knows about everyone else's business here. One doesn't even have to buy a local newspaper...just talk to your neighbors. This is very typical.

I'm not involved in any local planning or tourist board. I came here over 6 years ago by myself as a foreigner and built a new home. My nearest relatives are about 70 km north of me. This has been my primary residence ever since then. It really is beautiful. I'm not promoting this area in any "organized" way, however, I don't mind when tourists do visit and stay with me. It's also good to inform others who seek a similar lifestyle what's it's like here. I would also welcome opinions from others who have a rural lifestyle in Poland. This would provide a more balanced view on living conditions and the real estate market in a rural setting.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


Yes, my house is ready for guests in almost every respect. It beats staying in a hotel because you get to mingle with the locals and really see Poland and experience Polish culture, take rides in horse drawn wagons in the mountains, have campfires, pick mushrooms, berries, fruits, take walks in the forest trails, and even be part of the local gossip. :-) You get to help the owner split wood! Not only that, but there is more freedom of movement by staying here and the price is much lower than any hotel or motel. All facilities are available for use (kitchen and living room), and free unlimited internet. It's also a great base to visit Kraków (by bus for about 12 zloty each way or train for slightly higher amount - train station in the next village), Tarnów, Nowy Sącz, Biecz, etc. I don't mean this to be an advertisement, but you did ask.

Real Estate / House prices in Poland to drop more or rise again? [228]


It's all part of the experience here.


Sure, my neighbors would be more than glad for you to shovel manure out of their stable 2 times per day. You might even get a meal out of it!


The train ride takes longer than the bus and is more expensive. About 3 hours. The bus ride is more pleasant, with views via rolling hils and sleepy towns, and takes only 2 hours.

Genealogy / Family Decendent of Gen. Jozef Bem [28]

General Jozef Bem was born in Tarnów, Poland (only 30 km south of me) and a hero in both Poland and Hungary who fought for independence. He was brought back to Poland in 1929 and laid to rest in a mausoleum in Tarnów, located in the center of a pond in a beautiful park.

Genealogy / Family Decendent of Gen. Jozef Bem [28]


Please look at the Muzeum Okręgowe W Tarnowie
muzeum.tarnow.pl
It has a link on the front page which says that this year is the "Year of General Jozef Bem" and there is plenty of information about it on their website.

Travel / Castles and Palaces in Poland (with pictures) [155]


If you enjoy castle ruins, I suggest you visit the Melszytn ruins located near the small town of Zakliczyn, which stands above the Dunajec river. There are MANY hidden tunnels located all around where the castle walls once stood, and numerous wall fragments and partial bastions still stand. Part of the former aqueduct still survives near the main structure and there is a tunnel in the aqueduct 'pit' which is supposed to lead far underground, underneath the Dunajec river. The authorities have sealed off this tunnel due to several reports of people entering it and never coming back. I live only 10 km East from Melsztyn. It's a great place to go hiking, have a picnic, and to do some mountain biking.

Travel / Poland wildlife and similar wild life where you live. [243]

Here is a short video of some of the village I live in and neighbors plowing my land with a horse. It's beautiful here. Enjoy!

Travel / Poland wildlife and similar wild life where you live. [243]

Yeah, he's a nice horse and works all the time with his owner. This year, I had around 15 kg beans and over 120 kg of potatoes. Next year, I will plant carrots, onions, and potatoes.

The music is typical Polish Góralskie (Highlanders) by the Polish group "Misart".

Travel / Poland wildlife and similar wild life where you live. [243]

I have a newly renovated barn (can be seen in the background in the video on the left) but no livestock, yet. There will be chickens, and perhaps a pony.

My home is a center of agro-tourism and eco-tourism, and yes, I do accept guests. There are many such guest houses all over Poland.

Travel / Poland wildlife and similar wild life where you live. [243]

Carrots are not difficult to grow at all. My neighbor has land adjacent to mine and had literally hundreds of beautiful, tasty, large carrots this year without any cover or spray. All natural. Keep in mind, it also depends on what type of soil you have. In this area the soil is excellent. Our location is in Southeastern Poland, between Tarnów and Nowy Sącz in the Carpathian foothills.