They pay even tens of thousands for a few meters. This is a “must-have” when purchasing apartments

A dozen or so years ago, a balcony was a nice addition to the apartment. The small space was mainly used to store a bicycle, dry laundry or place a few flower pots. Today the situation is completely different. In many investments, the lack of a balcony can effectively discourage potential buyers, and developers are increasingly designing larger and more functional outdoor spaces.

Data from the RynekPierwotny.pl website show that in the largest Polish cities a balcony, loggia or terrace is already found in the vast majority of new apartments. In many locations, over 80-90% of people have this supplement. offered premises.

You have to pay for the balcony, although it is not included in the square footage

Buyers often wonder whether the balcony affects the price of the property. The answer is yes, although it is not always visible at first glance.

– In practice, the balcony is not sold as a separate space, but its value is included in the price of the apartment. It is assumed that 1 sq m balcony is valued at approximately 25-50 percent. the price per square meter of the premises, and in the case of a loggia this share may be even higher. In practice, this means that a balcony with an area of ​​5 sq m. in a large city it may “cost” from several to even several dozen thousand zlotys – explains Jarosław Jędrzyński, an expert of the RynekPierwotny.pl portal.

At the same time, many buyers are not aware of one important detail.

– According to the applicable PN-ISO 9836 standard, a balcony is not included in the usable area of ​​the apartment, which means that although it increases the value of the property, it does not increase its official square footage. As a result, the larger the balcony, the higher the price per square meter may be. apartments calculated formally – explains Jarosław Jędrzyński.

As experts from the RynekPierwotny.pl website note, in practice this means that the owner pays for additional space that increases the comfort of use and attractiveness of the property, although it does not formally become part of the living space.

The loggia is gaining popularity

The classic balcony remains the most popular solution, but loggias are becoming more and more popular in new investments. These are spaces partially hidden in the building, which provide greater protection against wind, noise and neighbors’ eyesight.

– This is the result of a clear change in buyer preferences. For many people, access to private outdoor space has become one of the basic criteria for choosing an apartment, and not just an additional advantage – notes Jędrzyński.

The expert points out that loggias work particularly well in dense urban areas.

– Loggias are becoming more and more popular in urban projects because they better meet the need for comfort and privacy, which is what designers pay attention to. The balcony is more open, the loggia is more “peaceful” – says an expert from the RynekPierwotny.pl website.

The pandemic changed everything and the balcony became a second living room

The real breakthrough came during the pandemic. Then even a few square meters of fresh air began to be of great importance for everyday living comfort. Developers quickly noticed this change and began to design larger and more functional balconies.

In new investments:

• the average area of ​​balconies was increased,

• loggias are designed more often,

• greater emphasis was placed on the possibility of arranging space for relaxation.

– Today, a balcony is less and less an “addition”, but more and more often it is one of the conditions of purchase. Research on buyer preferences shows that for more than half of customers, a balcony or loggia is a necessary element today, not an additional advantage – notes Jędrzyński.

The way we use this space has also changed. The balcony is increasingly serving as a mini-garden, workplace or relaxation zone. It is therefore not surprising that apartments without access to private outdoor space are more difficult to sell today.

– Changing the approach to balconies and loggias is not a temporary trend, but the result of a deeper lifestyle change. More time spent at home, remote work, the need for contact with outdoor space – all this means that even a few square meters outside have real value today. The balcony is no longer an addition. It has become one of the most important elements of the apartment – one that not only determines the choice of a specific apartment and increases its market value, but above all the quality of everyday life – summarizes the expert of the RynekPierwotny.pl website.