Real Estate Agent Commission in Poland: What Selling Through an Agency Actually Costs
The standard real estate agent commission in Poland is 2-3% of the transaction price. It's payable on the day the notarial deed is signed, no matter whether the sale took a month or half a year. On an apartment worth 400,000 PLN that's 8,000-12,000 PLN, and on top of that there's usually a fee for a photo session or "boosting" the listing. An exclusivity agreement can be a patient document: it can run for six months before anyone even asks about the price.
Short version
An agency's commission is usually 2-3% of the price, payable at the notarial deed. A traditional apartment sale takes several months on average, and 20-30% of such deals fall through at the buyer's mortgage stage. A direct sale carries no commission and no fees at all. The price is 70-90% of market value, the valuation is free and ready within 2 days, and closing happens from 4 days onward.
What makes up the cost of selling through an agency
Commission is just one line on the bill. The full cost of a traditional sale has three parts:
- The broker's commission. 2-3% of the transaction price, usually payable on the day the notarial deed is signed.
- Extra costs. A photo session, home staging, or a paid boost to push the listing up in search results. Rarely included in the base commission, so it's worth asking before you sign the agreement.
- The cost of time and uncertainty. The one people talk about least. The average time to sell a resale apartment in a large city is several months, and around 20-30% of such deals fall through at the buyer's mortgage stage, or over legal defects uncovered after a preliminary agreement has already been signed.
Who pays the commission: the seller or the buyer
In most agency agreements in Poland, the seller pays the commission. It's sometimes split between both parties, but that's always down to a specific clause in the agreement, not an automatic rule. Before you sign anything, check that sentence in the contract itself, not in a verbal conversation with the agent. Real estate brokerage in Poland is governed by the Act on Real Estate Management.
When selling through an agency makes sense, and when it doesn't
If the apartment is in good legal and technical shape and time isn't a pressure point for you, a traditional sale through an agency can end up netting a higher final price than a direct sale, even after the commission is deducted. That's a fair thing to say, and I have no problem saying it outright.
If time matters more than squeezing out the last possible złoty of price, a direct sale wins almost every time. Divorce, moving abroad, paying off an urgent debt, dividing an inheritance between heirs who can't agree. In situations like these, the months spent waiting for a traditional buyer cost more than the gap in price.
What you pay with a direct sale: honest terms
| What you're comparing | Agency | Direct sale |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | 2-3% of price | 0 PLN |
| Time to closing | usually several months | valuation within 2 days, closing from 4 days |
| Risk of the deal falling through | 20-30% at the buyer's mortgage stage | none, we pay from our own funds |
| Valuation | paid, or bundled into the commission | always free |
Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or tax advice for your individual situation. The law can change and every case is different. Before making a decision, consult a qualified lawyer, tax advisor, or notary.
If your apartment is in good legal shape and you're not in a hurry, work out first how much you'd actually keep after commission and months of waiting, before you commit to an agency. If time and certainty of closing matter more, call us, we'll check the land registry and give you a specific figure within two days.
Straight answers
What's the maximum real estate agent commission in Poland?
Who pays the agency's commission, the seller or the buyer?
Can an agent's commission be negotiated?
Can you sell an apartment with no brokerage costs at all?
How long does it take to sell an apartment through an agency?
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