Are we aware of what developer condition really is and what we can expect when buying a basic or upgraded apartment?
We don't know what we are buying
Skanska, in cooperation with Otodom Analytics, conducted a survey among potential property buyers. It is worth noting that at the time of the survey, many customers were looking for apartments, aiming to take the 2% credit program.
Respondents were asked about their knowledge of the developer's status
Photo: pch.vector © Freepik
Respondents were asked whether they believe the developer's condition is defined by law. More than half of the respondents (53%) said yes, while slightly fewer (47%) said no. So who is right? The concept of "developer condition" has never been specified in Polish law. Hence the differences in the standard of apartments offered by developers.
As many as 44% of respondents showed that they would prefer to choose a finished apartment. Slightly fewer, 32%, would opt for a basic developer-finished apartment, while 24% of respondents would choose a higher standard.
The majority of respondents would prefer to choose a finished apartment
© Freepik
Basic or elevated?
What do respondents think a basic development standard should include? The most frequently indicated answers were: electrical installations and outlets for lighting ( 65%), heating, ventilation and radiators (65%), plaster on walls and ceilings (63%), plumbing and drains (63%), windows equipped with interior and exterior sills (63%) and entrance doors (62%). The majority of respondents expect that the basic development state includes a finished apartment, ready for further work, often already done "on your own."
On the other hand, according to respondents, an apartment in the higher developer standard should primarily include: smoothed walls ready for painting (48%), high-end window frames with a low heat transfer coefficient (46%), balconies with frost-proof and non-slip flooring (46%) and a smart home automation system (39%). Respondents also paid attention to security issues, indicating responses such as high-end burglar-proof doors (45%) and burglar-proof external blinds (39%). The elevated development standard needs to have environmentally friendly solutions - the installation of photovoltaic panels and recuperation was in favor of as many as one in three respondents.
More than half of the respondents erroneously claim that the developer state is regulated by Polish law
Photo: Karolina Grabowska © Pexels
Where do we get our information from?
Respondents were also asked where they look for information on the standard of an apartment's finish. The vast majority, 68% of them, look for it on the website of a given developer's project. Only 6% go directly to the sales office to get details about the chosen unit or the development itself. Customers often form their ideas on the basis of information about apartments bought by relatives and friends, visualizations of the development and marketing materials.
Only 5% of customers reach for the prospectus, which is an integral part of the contract. This document is compulsorily prepared by the developer and provided free of charge before the contract is concluded at the sales office, as required by law. Lack of familiarity with the prospectus and relying on perceptions can lead to later disappointment with the purchase, e.g. many buyers assume that the ceiling in new apartments is plastered as standard, which is not always the case.
The vast majority of respondents look for information on the website of a given development project
Photo by Dragen Zigic © Freepik
The survey unequivocally showed that respondents had limited knowledge of the primary market, both in basic and elevated standards. This results in customers not being fully aware of what exactly they are buying and having trouble comparing offers. The consequence can be dissatisfaction when they pick up the keys to their new apartment.
One of the most important findings of the survey, is the need to continuously educate buyers about the various standards in the development market. There is also an emerging need for even clearer definition and communication of the development standard.
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Compiled by:KATARZYNA SZOSTAK
