How to buy a flat with a mortgage in Warszawa — step by step
A mortgage for a flat in Warszawa step by step: 10–20% own contribution, a promesa, 21 days for the bank's decision, PCC and notarial costs in 2026.
Buying a flat with a mortgage in Warszawa usually takes 2–4 months and runs in six steps: a bank promesa (pre-approval), choosing the flat, the preliminary agreement, the loan application (the bank has a statutory 21 days for its decision), the loan agreement and the akt notarialny (notarial deed). You need an own contribution of 10–20% of the price — on a flat costing 600,000 zł that is 60,000–120,000 zł. As of August 2026: the NBP reference rate is 3.75% (since March 2026), WIBOR 6M is around 3.85–3.9%, and interest on new loans starts at about 5.5–6%. Average transaction prices in the capital are, according to NBP, about 16,400–16,800 zł/m² (Q2 2026), and the instalment on a 480,000 zł loan over 30 years at 5.9% is about 2,850 zł a month. Add the purchase-related costs to the price of the flat: 2% PCC on the secondary market (a first flat has been exempt since 31 August 2023), the notary’s fee and court charges — together usually 2–4% of the price. Below is the whole path step by step — with amounts, deadlines and legal basis.
How much does a flat in Warszawa cost and how much cash do you need to start?
The spread of prices between districts is wide. In Białołęka, Rembertów or Wawer average rates hover around 14,000 zł/m² (as of August 2026), while in Śródmieście a metre can cost over 20,000 and even 30,000 zł. A 30 m² studio in Białołęka realistically means about 420,000–450,000 zł; a 50 m² two-room flat closer to the centre — 850,000 zł and up.
Under KNF Recommendation S the standard own contribution is 20% of the property value (LTV up to 80%). Most banks will also accept 10% if you secure the missing part with low own contribution insurance — the bank will add its cost to the margin or as a premium. On a flat costing 600,000 zł that means a 120,000 zł contribution in the standard variant or 60,000 zł in the insured variant. Important: the contribution cannot come from another loan — analysts verify this.
The “Bezpieczny Kredyt 2%” programme closed for applications at the turn of 2023 and 2024, and the announced successor ultimately never came into force — in 2026 no universal subsidy programme is running; we write about this in more detail in the piece on what happened to the “Mieszkanie na start” programme. Some banks, however, still offer the family housing loan with a BGK guarantee, which can replace part of the required own contribution (up to 100,000 zł).
How does the bank calculate creditworthiness and what does it really check?
The bank looks at three things: income and its stability, your BIK credit history and current liabilities. An open-ended employment contract counts most simply; with self-employment and civil-law contracts banks usually expect 12–24 months of history. Credit cards and account overdraft limits reduce your capacity even if you do not use them — it is worth closing them before applying.
Do the maths properly: at interest of about 5.9% (WIBOR 6M around 3.85% plus a margin of about 2 pp, as of August 2026) the instalment on a 480,000 zł loan over 30 years is about 2,850 zł a month. Banks additionally build in a buffer for rate rises, so your capacity will be lower than the instalment alone would suggest. Some banks already offer loans based on the new POLSTR index (about 3.6% in August 2026), which is gradually replacing WIBOR in new agreements.
What is a promesa and why start with it rather than with viewings?
Before you book the first viewing, ask the bank for a preliminary decision — a promesa. It is a non-binding assessment of the amount you can realistically count on, usually valid for 30–90 days. Thanks to it you do not waste time on flats outside your budget, and the seller treats your offer more seriously. It is worth comparing 2–3 banks straight away: a margin difference of 0.3 pp on a 480,000 zł loan over 30 years is about 90 zł on the instalment and about 33,000 zł over the whole repayment period.
Zadatek or zaliczka — which to choose in the preliminary agreement?
Once you have chosen the flat, you sign a preliminary agreement. The key distinction follows from art. 394 of the Civil Code: the zadatek is forfeited if it is you who breaks the agreement, and if the seller withdraws — they return it twofold; the zaliczka is simply refundable. Customarily 5–10% of the price is paid.
When buying with a mortgage, make sure there is a clause stating that the zadatek comes back to you if the banks ultimately refuse financing — that is a standard, fair provision. A preliminary agreement in the form of an akt notarialny gives a stronger position (a claim to conclude the final agreement), while ordinary written form gives only a claim for damages.
How long do you wait for the credit decision and which documents should you prepare?
With the preliminary agreement you file the actual applications. Under the Act of 23 March 2017 on mortgage credit the bank has 21 days to issue its decision from the moment a complete application is filed — in practice, counting the gathering of documents and the valuation, set aside 4–8 weeks. The standard set of documents is:
- an income certificate or tax returns and bank statements (for self-employment — the revenue and expense ledger plus ZUS and tax office certificates),
- the preliminary agreement,
- property documents: the księga wieczysta (land and mortgage register) number (we explain how to read a księga wieczysta), the basis of acquisition, and on the primary market the developer agreement with the prospectus,
- the valuation report (a surveyor’s appraisal, usually a few hundred zloty; some banks order it through their own channel).
After a positive decision you receive a draft loan agreement. From signing it you have a statutory 14 days to withdraw.
How much are the taxes and purchase-related costs?
The largest item is PCC — 2% of the price when buying on the secondary market: on a flat costing 600,000 zł the PCC comes to 12,000 zł. Since 31 August 2023, however, an exemption applies to buyers of a first flat (if you did not previously hold ownership of a residential unit, except a share of up to 50% acquired by inheritance) — so many buyers will pay 0 zł. On the primary market PCC does not apply, because the developer’s price includes VAT — one of the reasons it is worth comparing a secondary-market offer with new build flats in Warszawa.
Indicative costs on a 600,000 zł flat from the secondary market (as of 2026):
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| PCC 2% (if no exemption applies) | 12,000 zł |
| Notary’s fee (max. 1010 zł + 0.4% of the excess over 60,000 zł, plus VAT) | up to about 3,900 zł |
| Entry of ownership and entry of the mortgage in the księga wieczysta | 200 zł + 200 zł |
| PCC on establishing the mortgage | 19 zł |
| Valuation report | 400–1000 zł |
On top of that comes any bank commission (0–2% of the loan amount) and the insurance required by the particular offer. We break down the full list of charges at the notary in a separate guide to the notarial costs of buying a flat.
What does the finish look like — the notarial deed, disbursement and mortgage entry?
The finish is the akt notarialny transferring ownership. The notary files the application for entry of the mortgage in favour of the bank; until the entry is made you pay so-called bridging insurance (an increased margin) — after the 2022 amendment to the mortgage credit act the bank has to refund it to you or credit it against the loan once the entry is made.
The bank disburses the funds by transfer to the seller — on the secondary market usually in one go, with a developer in tranches following construction progress. You collect the keys and sign the handover protocol.
How long does the whole process take? A realistic step-by-step schedule
- Week 1–2: checking your capacity and getting a promesa from 2–3 banks.
- Week 2–8: searching for a flat and negotiating the price.
- The preliminary agreement with a zadatek and a mortgage clause.
- The week after the agreement: the full set of documents and applications to the banks.
- The next 3–6 weeks: valuation, analysis, final decision.
- The loan agreement, and after it the akt notarialny.
- Disbursement of funds and collection of the keys — usually 2–4 months in total.
If you are buying for the first time, the most useful thing is support from someone who knows this path by heart. At allproperty we guide buyers through the whole process — from selecting a flat in our catalogue to the notarial deed; on the primary market we charge the buyer no commission, on the secondary market it is 2%. Write to us and we will work out the budget and put together a purchase plan for your situation — with no obligation. A doubt about a provision in the preliminary agreement or a question about the set of documents cropped up in the evening or at the weekend, just before the application deadline? Do not wait until Monday — we work 24/7, call +48 666 866 468 or +48 692 649 839 at any hour.
Часті питання
What is the minimum own contribution for a mortgage in 2026?
Under KNF Recommendation S the standard own contribution is 20% of the property value, but most banks accept 10% with low-contribution insurance. For a flat costing 600,000 zł that means 120,000 zł or 60,000 zł respectively. The contribution cannot come from another loan — banks verify this.
How long does buying a flat with a mortgage in Warszawa take?
The whole process usually takes 2–4 months: 1–2 weeks for the promesa, a few weeks to choose the flat and sign the preliminary agreement, then 4–8 weeks for the loan. Under the Act of 23 March 2017 on mortgage credit, the bank has 21 days to issue a decision from the moment a complete application is filed.
How much does a square metre of a flat in Warszawa cost in 2026?
According to NBP data for Q2 2026, the average transaction price on the primary market in Warszawa is about 16,800 zł/m², while asking rates reach 18,500 zł/m². The cheapest areas are Białołęka, Rembertów and Wawer (about 14,000 zł/m²), the most expensive is Śródmieście — over 20,000 zł/m².
When buying a first flat, do you have to pay the 2% PCC tax?
No. Since 31 August 2023 buyers of a first flat on the secondary market are exempt from PCC (transaction tax) if they did not previously hold ownership of a residential unit (other than a share of up to 50% inherited). Everyone else pays 2% of the price — 12,000 zł on a flat costing 600,000 zł. On the primary market PCC does not apply.
What is the difference between a zadatek and a zaliczka in a preliminary agreement?
Under art. 394 of the Civil Code a zadatek (forfeitable deposit) is lost if the buyer walks away, and the seller returns it twofold if the seller withdraws; a zaliczka (advance payment) is simply refundable. Customarily 5–10% of the price is paid. When buying with a mortgage, it is worth adding a clause returning the zadatek if the banks refuse financing.