Very cheap apartments for sale in Lodz - am I missing something?

Hi, I was originally looking to rent an apartment in Poland, but came across a couple of very cheap (10000-15000PLN) apartments for sale on otodom.pl and olx.pl, mainly in Lodz. Most of them are apartments you might want to renovate to live comfortably in, but still seems way too cheap to me.

I'm aware that I might have to pay agency percentages and notary fees, but I assume that shouldn't be too much. Obviously also czynsz and property tax. Is there anything else I might be missing in these listings for them to be so cheap? Most of them also say "Umowa najmu na czas nieoznaczony z meldunkiem na stałe" or some other wording of this. What exactly does this mean?

Sounds like a scam to me and thats if it was us dollars not zloty should be around 300 k us dollars to buy anything.

i meant 75k us dollars around 300k zlotys.

There might be someone living in those flats that you are unable to get rid off until they die. Sometimes happens in old buildings. So you get the title but it might be many years before you can use the place.

You mean 10.000 - ten thousand? That`s the price of one square meter close to the centre in large cities. We bought a flat this year and such prices for a whole flat don`t exist. Impossible.

How about 100.000?

Oh yea, I heard about this somewhere else too. Was thinking about getting a real estate agent to find out about stuff like this, but I would probably be wasting my money as those prices don't seem realistic in any other way and I'd need to be able to live there very soon.


Yep, was defintely ten thousand. Even re-stated in the listing description, so not a typo.

The easiest way to verify it is to provide a link. It shouldn`t be a problem for you. Show us the site which advertises such prices - I am very curious, indeed.

Here are a few examples:
otodom.pl/pl/oferta/kawalerka-w-centrum-11000zl-ID49but.html
otodom.pl/pl/oferta/pokoj-z-kuchnia-z-balkonem-10000-zl-ID49buo.html
otodom.pl/pl/oferta/1-pokoj-z-aneksem-kuchennym-ul-lagiewnicka-ID496Av.html
otodom.pl/pl/oferta/1-pok-ok-rynku-baluckiego-prywatna-kamienica-ID48JDW.html

Also just noticed one of those mentions a deposit, which I think would be strange if it is actually the sale of an apartment?

It is not the sale, but still renting. You don`t own that property which is in a private tenement house. You usually pay 10.000 to the previous tenant who "invested" some money in it and expects a refund/compensation from a candidate for a new tenant, namely you. It is a bit twisted, indeed. :)

@pawian
I see. So what happens after you pay that money? Will you also negotiate an actual monthly rent with the owner when paying the previous tenant, and effectively just pay 10.000 for the "privilege" of renting that flat?

You can negotiate the rent which is provided in the add. You also need to negotiate the terms of terminating the contract - suppose you invest a lot into renovation and two years later the owner decides to dissolve the contract.

Generally, it is a tricky business.


That is one option. Another is that you pay directly to the owner for the privilege of being registered officially at the address.


You are allowed to rent the property. The contract might ensure you pay the same rent for 3 years. etc.

" It is a bit twisted, indeed. :"

kind of like poland right?

The last explanation: you are expected to do the renovation, that is why the rent is generally lower than for other flats of a similar size. However, you can`t demand the refund of the renovation costs if you decide to leave the flat.

Check sites with this wording: mieszkanie za odstępne.

E.g,.
regiodom.pl/portal/zakup-nieruchomosci/zakup-nieruchomosci-i-dokumenty/odstepne-za-mieszkanie-co-takiego-jak-wyglada-pr


I see you suffer from some past mental injuries. Has Poland wronged you so much? hahahaha

that is just a ridiculous notion. only a moron would fall for this scam.

@pawian
Ok, I understand the situation better now. Thanks a lot for the help! :) Guess I'm just sticking to renting for now then haha

how is that not a scam? who would do that agreement sane?


makes little sense to me. so you pay 10k zloty to move in but also besides this cost sre expected to spend another 10 doing the rennovation or does the owner getting this deposit pay for it?

You`re welcome. It was my pleasure too coz I have learnt sth new. I am so old and have lived in this country for so long but there are still things which I had no idea of. It is really fascinating to discover new trends and styles.