An apartment is worth as much as someone is actually willing to pay for it – but guessing this amount from neighbors' listings is the most expensive mistake sellers can make. Offer prices from portals are systematically higher than transaction prices, and an overvalued listing 'hangs', loses credibility, and ultimately sells below a reasonable starting price. The good news: in Poland, data on true prices from notarial deeds is available – partially for free and from official sources. This guide organizes valuation methods from free to official, with instructions on how to use them – even when valuing an apartment inherited from parents while living thousands of kilometers away from Poland.
In summary: (1) treat listings from portals only as ceilings; (2) true transaction prices can be found in the real estate price register (RCN) maintained by the starost – the provision of RCN data sets is free – and in quarterly NBP reports on apartment prices (offer and transaction prices, in several cities); (3) the official document is solely the appraisal report from a licensed appraiser (the profession is still regulated!), valid for 12 months; (4) starting April 2, 2027, the government Portal DOM will launch with data on transaction prices.
Five Sources of Knowledge about Value – From Free to Official
Listing Portals: Starting Point, Not a Verdict
Filtering similar listings (neighborhood, area ±15%, standard, floor) takes half an hour and shows the ceiling of the market. Remember: these are wish prices – listings that haven't found a buyer 'distort' statistics upwards. You can check the scale of the difference between offers and transactions in your city in the NBP report (below), instead of believing in universal percentages from blogs.
NBP Reports: Free, Official, Quarterly
The National Bank of Poland publishes quarterly 'Information on Apartment Prices and the Real Estate Market Situation' – with offer and transaction prices, for both primary and secondary markets, in several major cities. This is the best free benchmark for someone valuing from afar: average prices per m² in your city plus trends (increase/decrease) on one chart.
Real Estate Price Register (RCN): True Amounts from Notarial Deeds
The starost (in cities – the president) maintains a real estate price register fed with data from notarial deeds within 30 days of the transaction (Geodetic and Cartographic Law, art. 4 sec. 1a point 7 and art. 23 sec. 7). You will find actual prices of specific premises: date, area, price. Since 2020, the provision of RCN data sets is free (art. 40a sec. 2 point 1 lit. k) – applications are submitted at the starost's office/city hall (some counties provide data through their geoportals). The name 'RCiWN' found in older guides refers to the predecessor of today's RCN. Downside: data arrives with a delay and without a description of the finishing standard.
Online Calculators: A Barometer with a Large Margin
Automated valuations from portals are statistical estimates – they do not see the view from the window, the standard, or the noise from the street. Use them for orientation; do not set the offer price or value for family settlements based on them.
Appraisal Report: The Only Official Document
Prepared solely by a property appraiser – unlike intermediaries, this profession remains regulated: qualifications are granted by the minister, and you can verify each appraiser in the Central Register of Property Appraisers online. The report 'can be used for the purpose for which it was prepared for 12 months' (art. 156 sec. 3 ugn; after that, it is possible to confirm its validity for another 12). Market cost: approximately 500–900 PLN for an apartment, 1000–1500 PLN for a house. Note: determining property value without qualifications is subject to a fine of up to 50,000 PLN (art. 198 ugn) – therefore, an 'appraisal' from an intermediary or portal is formally an opinion on price, not a valuation.
When Comparison is Enough, and When You Need a Report
| Situation | What is Enough |
|---|---|
| Setting the offer price for sale | NBP + RCN + comparison of offers (possibly an opinion from an intermediary – remember the conflict of interest when fighting for exclusivity) |
| Buyer's mortgage | Report – the bank will commission or accept a designated appraiser |
| Division of assets, inheritance division, court cases | Report (in disputes, the court appoints an expert) |
| Settlements with the tax office (donation, inheritance, sale) | You declare the market value; the report is useful 'defensively' – the authority may call for a correction, and with a difference of over 33% compared to the expert's opinion, you will pay the costs of their opinion |
| Family settlements (payments between siblings) | Report strongly recommended – neutralizes disputes better than any comparisons |
What Really Shifts the Price (and by How Much – Check Locally)
- Location – the largest single variable; price ranges between neighborhoods in the same city can be double. Compare only within the neighborhood/estate.
- Area and layout – price per m² decreases with the size of the premises; functionality (separate kitchen/bedroom) sells better than square meters on paper.
- Floor, elevator, exposure – evaluate ground floor and top floor without an elevator more cautiously; southern/western exposure and a view of greenery are a real premium.
- Technical condition – a fresh general renovation gives a premium, but the market does not return renovation costs 1:1; buyers value the effect, not the invoices.
- Type of building and year – large slab buildings are usually cheaper than new constructions; a renovated tenement house in the center can outperform both.
- Maintenance costs – high fees to the community/cooperative are a negotiating argument for buyers; have your accounts ready.
- Parking space/storage – evaluate and showcase separately; in large cities, this is a noticeable part of the value.
Three Mistakes That Cost the Most
- Valuing based on neighbors' offer prices – the neighbor hasn't sold yet; their price is a hypothesis. Compare with transactions (RCN/NBP).
- 'I'll start high, I can always lower it' – the most valuable buyers react to the listing in the first days; a listing hanging for weeks with a history of price reductions raises the question 'what's wrong with it?'. A reasonable negotiation buffer is a few percent, not several.
- Adding renovation costs 1:1 and sentiment – the market does not pay for memories or invoices; it pays for condition, location, and square meters.
Valuing from Abroad? A Practical Scenario
Step by step without coming: (1) download the latest quarterly NBP report and determine the average transaction price for the city and trend; (2) ask someone on-site (or a manager/agent) to submit a request to RCN for transaction prices from your area from the last 12–24 months; (3) compare with current listings from the same neighborhood; (4) when selling, in inheritance division, or in family disputes, order a report – choose an appraiser from the Central Register, arrange through an agent, and send documents via scan. Starting April 2027, a new tool will be available: the government Portal DOM (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1669) will publish data on transaction prices of apartments – we will update this guide when it launches. The entire process of selling from a distance: our guide; choosing an intermediary without pitfalls: guide on intermediaries.
Sources
| Source | Type | Status/Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| NBP: quarterly reports on apartment prices (offer and transaction) | Central bank | Verified 07.2026 |
| Real Estate Management Act (t.j. Dz.U. 2026 poz. 399) – art. 156, 174, 191, 193, 198 | Law (act) | Verified 07.2026 (full text) |
| Central Register of Property Appraisers (search engine) | Government (register) | Verified 07.2026 |
| gov.pl: about the Central Register of Appraisers | Government | Verified 07.2026 |
| Geodetic and Cartographic Law (t.j.) – RCN: art. 4 sec. 1a point 7, art. 23, art. 40a (free provision) | Law (act) | Verified 07.2026 |
| Price Transparency Act – Portal DOM from April 2, 2027 (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1669) | Law (act) | Verified 07.2026 |
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