Modernised tenement staircase in Wrocław. (foto. WGN archive)The secondary market offers a considerable number of flats in pre-war tenements as well as those constructed after the war, more or less until the 50s when the tradition of good construction craftsmanship was still cherished, which were superseded by great achievements of socialism – blocks of flats and paneláks. These flats are usually in good condition, after refurbishing, thus with new installations and equipped with modern heating systems. And if the tenement is administered by an active tenants' association, the whole building and its surroundings are modernised – a staircase, a facade, a roof are renovated, while the backyard kept well-maintained and green; there are also some special parking lots for residents. Moreover, its big advantage is good location in the city centre with all the commercial and service facilities, close to schools, bus and tram stops as well as universities.
An unquestionable strength of flats in tenements is a bigger, humanitarian living space: spacious rooms; an extensive kitchen competing with a living room, where it is possible not only to have meals, but also lead a social life; a bathroom which happens to be a bathing parlour; not mentioning such luxuries as a storeroom (if you have not ever had one, you do not know what you miss!), cloakrooms, terraces, a balcony or even two (although there are flats with not a single one) as well as a part of an attic as a drying room. Add to this over 3-metre height where “your mind is set free”.
Carved stove - tenement in Gdańsk (foto. WGN archive)Fans of old tenements, mostly from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, also appreciate the charm of unique interiors: plaster stuccos, facettes, door and frames, inlay floors or carved stoves being real masterpieces of craftsmanship.
However, according to fans of contemporary flats, it is a disadvantage to heat large spaces and moreover, the heat is lost through outer walls which are almost impossible to insulate due to a decorative facade. Nevertheless, there is a thermal efficiency improvement method – the Ytong Multipor system – which allows for safe insulation of premises from the inside, avoiding humidity in the wall, which could result in frost penetration during winter and formation of mould. There are also no problems with inconvenient firing the stoves as many flats are equipped with individual floor heating supplied with gas or cheaper fuel such as eco-pea coal. It happens that tenements are connected to the district or municipal heat distribution network. Finally, it is possible to install electrical inserts in stoves.
At present, flats in tenements are available at a lower price per square metre than in new buildings. Of course, this does not apply to apartments in representative buildings, usually from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, being municipal manors, where prices may be high.
Find cheap flats for sale in Poland:
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In WGN offer there are quite many offers of flats in tenements for sale at attractive prices. In Warsaw, in the Wola district, you can find a 2-bedroom spacious flat, in good condition, in a pre-war modernist tenement, with full municipal infrastructure, for 6,733 PLN/m2.
There is a very attractive offer in Wrocław, in the city centre, for 4,706 PLN/m2 – it is a 2-bedroom, well-kept flat with a large balcony overlooking a green backyard, with separate parking lots, in an eclectic refurbished tenement, with a stylish staircase.
Green backyard, Gdańsk (foto. WGN archive)In Gdańsk a bed-sit located on the 1st floor of a historical tenement from 1920, with original wooden windows and central heating costs 2,556 PLN/m2. You will have to pay a bit more, i.e. 5,000 PLN/m2, for a 3-bedroom flat in an Art Nouveau tenement that has recently been refurbished, also in the centre of Gdańsk; in exchange, you will get spacious rooms with beautiful stuccos and secessionist stoves, a large kitchen and a bathing parlour with two windows; and central heating.
A large selection of similar flats is on offer in Poznań for the price from ca. 3,600 – 4,300 PLN/m2. However, in the centre of Katowice, a flat of a similar standard costs even 2,950 PLN/m2.
The most expensive offer is in Kraków known for high prices, especially in the centre. WGN offers a well-kept 3-bedroom flat with central heating for 7,054 PLN/m2.
You may find a lot more similar ones. They seem attractive especially now when high mortgages have become less accessible.
