Not every house is the same. What should be paid attention to when buying a house on the primary market?

When buying a house on the primary market, many buyers focus primarily on the price per square metre. In practice, however, this is only one of many factors affecting the actual value of the property. In case of single-family houses, the scope of works completed by the developer or private investor, as well as the standard of the building, are of key importance.

Analysis of offers for single-family houses

In order to present the diversity of offers on the market for new single-family houses, an analysis was carried out using the city of Radom as an example, where both developers and private investors operate, carrying out small projects usually comprising 2-3 houses. The analysis used offers available on the otodom.pl portal in the primary market segment.

The largest share of the analysed offers relates to houses in developer standard – approximately 63% of all listings. This means that most properties are not delivered fully finished and require further arrangement works on the buyer’s side. More than one third of the market, on the other hand, concerns unfinished houses in shell condition, which require even greater financial and organisational outlays. This indicates a clear trend of shifting part of the investment process to the buyer.

CHART 1. FINISHING STANDARD OF HOUSES FOR SALE ON THE PRIMARY MARKET IN RADOM

source: own study based on data from otodohttps://amron.pl/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/260618_wykres1En-300×257.jpgm.pl portal

The analysis of building types shows that the market is dominated by semi-detached and terraced houses. Semi-detached houses account for 53% of offers, while terraced houses account for 37%. Detached houses are a clear minority and represent only approx. 10% of the market. These are most often individual projects carried out by private individuals. Such structure points to the limited availability of building plots and to investors’ efforts to maximise the use of space. As a result, the market is gradually moving away from classic single-family housing towards more compact residential forms.

CHART 2. TYPES OF BUILDINGS FOR SALE ON THE PRIMARY MARKET FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES IN RADOM

source: own study based on data from otodom.pl portal

In terms of the installed systems, conventional solutions are clearly dominant. Gas installation is present in 52.63% of houses for sale, making it the most commonly used source of heating. Heat pumps appear in 26.32% of offers, which indicates the growing, although still moderate, popularity of ecological technologies. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is present in only 5.26% of buildings available for sale. These data show that the market is only gradually adapting modern, energy-efficient technologies, while still relying largely on traditional solutions.

TABLE 1. INSTALLATIONS USED IN SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES OFFERED FOR SALE ON THE PRIMARY MARKET IN RADOM

source: own study based on data from otodom.pl portal

In terms of facades, most buildings are at an advanced stage of construction. All houses in developer standard already have a completed facade. In total, nearly 79% of the analysed properties have a facade completed in full or in part, which confirms that the projects are largely advanced in terms of external finishing.

TABLE 2 EXTERNAL FACADE FINISHING IN HOUSES OFFERED FOR SALE ON THE PRIMARY MARKET IN RADOM BY BUILDING FINISHING STANDARD

source: own study based on data from otodom.pl portal

Only approx. 42% of properties for sale have a fully developed plot. Another 36.84% require further works, while 15.79% are developed only partially. This means that most buyers must take into account additional costs related to finishing the surroundings of the house, such as fencing, driveways or garden arrangement.

CHART 3. PLOT DEVELOPMENT IN OFFERS FOR THE SALE OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES ON THE PRIMARY MARKET IN RADOM

source: own study based on data from otodom.pl portal

What is “developer standard”?

In Poland, the term “developer standard” has no uniform legal definition. This means that each developer may define its scope in a slightly different way. In case of apartments, the differences are often relatively small, but in case of single-family houses the discrepancies can be significant.

The scope of what is included in the purchase price has a direct impact on the total cost of bringing the property to a condition suitable for occupation. Therefore, before making a decision, it is worth carefully analysing the information prospectus, technical specification and the provisions of the development agreement.

 A house in shell condition – how much does the finishing cost?

There are many offers on the market for the sale of houses in shell condition. In such cases, the purchase price often does not include a significant part of the works necessary to make the property habitable.

Bringing a house from shell condition to developer standard may cost an additional approximately from PLN 150 thousand to 300 thousand, depending on the size of the building, the materials used and the standard of workmanship. Turnkey finishing involves even higher costs. For this reason, an apparently lower purchase price does not always mean a more profitable investment.

How to assess the finishing standard of a house?

A reliable assessment of the property’s standard requires an analysis of the technical documentation and photographs of the specific building. The description in the listing alone usually does not provide sufficient information. Therefore, before purchase, it is necessary to view the property in person. It is also worth considering the assistance of a specialist, who is familiar with building standards and can assess the quality of workmanship.

During the analysis, attention should be paid to the quality of window and door joinery, the type of heating and the thickness and quality of thermal insulation. The quality of the facade, plasterwork and floor screeds is also important, as is the preparation of installations for modern solutions such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, photovoltaics or air conditioning. The roofing materials, the functionality of the room layout and the size and development of the plot are also of considerable importance. In semi-detached and terraced housing, common areas should also be assessed, as they affect the comfort of living and future maintenance costs.

The purchase price is not everything

Many buyers compare offers solely through the prism of the price per square metre. However, such an approach may lead to incorrect assumptions. Two houses of similar size may differ significantly in operating costs, comfort of use and expenses incurred after purchase.

When assessing an offer, the plot size, type of heating and access to the sewerage system should be taken into account first, because these factors have a direct impact on the costs of using the property. The quality of the access road, the actual standard of workmanship of the building and the actual scope of works covered by the developer standard are also important.

In practice, it also happens that photos and descriptions in listings do not show all the imperfections of a property. Therefore, before purchase, it is worth personally verifying the condition of utilities, the quality of infrastructure and the technical documentation.

Summary

The analysis of the single-family housing market in Radom indicates several important trends that are also visible in other large cities in Poland. The dominant investment model is based on the sale of buildings in developer standard, which require further finishing by the buyer. The market is also characterised by a high intensity of development – semi-detached and terraced houses prevail, while detached houses account for a small share of the market.

There is also a gradual development of energy-efficient technologies, such as heat pumps and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, although they still remain niche solutions. An important element is also the fact that a significant part of investments does not include full development of the plot, which increases the total cost of purchase.

Buying a house is much more than comparing the price per square metre. The scope of works completed by the developer, the quality of materials and the costs that the buyer will incur after purchase are of key importance. A detailed analysis of the developer standard helps to avoid wrong decisions and to better estimate the actual cost of the investment. Before signing an agreement, it is worth thoroughly checking the technical specification and investment documentation, as well as personally verifying the condition of the property. These are the elements that most strongly determine the profitability of the purchase in the long term.

Agnieszka Zamkowska
Real Estate Market Analyst