Poles feel housing 'affordability crisis' despite some price stabilization

Poles are approaching the real estate market with caution, with a significant majority feeling that current housing prices are prohibitively high. A survey conducted by Nieruchomosci-online.pl in the second quarter revealed that only 24% of respondents believe it is a good time to purchase property, a slight decrease from 26% a year ago. Conversely, 42% now feel it is not a good time to buy, up from 36% in the previous year.

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Although in some locations prices have stabilized in recent quarters, and in some segments may have even slightly fallen, buyers do not necessarily feel this as a real improvement. For many people, prices still remain one of the biggest barriers – both real and psychological.

Rafał Bieńkowski, an expert at Nieruchomosci-online.pl, attributes this caution to persistently high property prices. In the second quarter, 84% of those surveyed described prices as high or very high, an increase of 4 percentage points compared to the second quarter of 2025. Anna Zachara-Widła, a consumer behavior researcher for the portal, noted that even where prices have stabilized or slightly decreased, buyers are not yet feeling a real improvement. She emphasized that the perception of high housing costs remains a strong psychological barrier.

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Even if properties are no longer appreciating as dynamically as in 2021-2024, the feeling of housing unaffordability is still very strong.

In contrast to potential buyers, those looking to sell properties express more optimism. The same survey found that 39% of respondents believe it is a good time to sell, a 5 percentage point increase compared to the second quarter of 2025. Bieńkowski suggests that the high prices, which deter buyers, can be an attractive factor for property owners considering a sale.

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High property prices, which remain one of the main barriers for buyers, can be an argument for owners considering selling a house or plot.

Despite the more positive outlook for sellers, the market remains complex. While 39% see it as a good time to sell, only 26% hold a negative view, and 35% remain undecided. This indicates that while selling is perceived more favorably than a year ago, the market is not entirely straightforward for everyone. Furthermore, securing a mortgage remains a significant hurdle, with 61% of respondents believing few people they know can afford to buy a home, and 45% finding it very difficult to obtain a mortgage, though these figures have slightly decreased from the previous year.

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This shows that although selling is assessed better today than a year ago, the market is still not obvious and clear for everyone.