How does selling a flat work when you are abroad?

The burdens of bureaucracy affect every Pole, but even more so those who are abroad. Complicated matters become all the more difficult. The same is true when selling a flat. Is it possible to sell a property without crossing the Polish border even once? The answer is below.

First, finding a good estate agency

When you are in a foreign country and have much less control over how matters proceed in Poland, you should entrust your flat to the care of a reputable estate agency in Katowice. This ensures that all the procedures are followed. First, the client states the amount for which they want to sell the flat. The agency then prepares a market analysis of property prices, on the basis of which the final price of the flat will be set. The next step is for the owner to supply a scan of the deed of acquisition in order to establish the legal status of the property.

Does the client have to come to a notary in Poland?

The fundamental matter when abroad is appointing a proxy (pełnomocnik) who will be entitled to perform legal acts on behalf of the flat's owner within a specified scope, including selling the property for a given amount, deregistering the owner's residence, and dealing with other matters at offices or, for example, at the housing cooperative. Such a proxy can be, for example, the owner of an estate agency. The power of attorney is drawn up by a notary abroad. It must then be legalised by obtaining an apostille from the authorities designated by the country of residence. The last stage is its translation into Polish by a sworn translator.

Then it is plain sailing… for the client

Once the formalities described above, which are mainly taken on by the estate agency, have been completed, from the client's point of view it is the home stretch. Now it is up to the agency's staff to sell the flat as quickly and as advantageously as possible. It is best if it is empty, because tenants often do not want to cooperate with the agency. This is not surprising, as there is in fact a conflict of interest.

Creating an appearance that fetches the highest price

Estate agencies offer what is known as home staging, that is, arranging a flat in such a way that it attracts a targeted group of buyers willing to pay as much as possible for it. Styling such a flat is also useful for websites and advertising brochures, since photographs taken by a professional give the property a new look. Such image-based sales marketing makes it possible to raise the price and speed up the transaction. It is an ideal solution for people who are not in the country.

A professional agency, such as an estate agency in Katowice, will see every matter through to the end, including for a client abroad. So if you think you have no control over the sale while abroad, you are wrong! The whole process really can be completed without your physical presence in Poland, tiring journeys, or involving your family or friends.