Apartments with a View The Baltic Wins as an Investment

In Poland’s real estate market, there are few locations that have maintained such stable—yet at the same time dynamic—value for years as apartments situated on the Baltic Sea. From the island of Wolin all the way to the Vistula Spit and Krynica Morska, the coastal belt remains one of the most sought-after investment areas in Poland.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
The premium real estate market in coastal locations is now attracting an increasingly diverse group of buyers. Their aesthetic preferences differ, but they are united by growing investment awareness. This is what real estate experts say, as well as developers who build along the Baltic coast.

In an interview with Home&Market, Oscar Kazanelson, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at ROBYG and Vantage, points out that the very way people think about buying apartments is changing: “In Poland, we can increasingly see some customers shifting from ‘I buy to live’ to ‘I buy to invest or rent.’ On the other hand, the share of institutional rental (PRS) is growing, which gives companies an opportunity to build long-term portfolios and stable revenues.”

Companies servicing projects in the coastal belt confirm this trend. Michał Wąsik, CEO of Assethome, in a statement for Business Insider Polska, notes that premium clients focus primarily on locations with the highest rental potential and the greatest potential for value appreciation. The strongest interest is in projects developed in the first and second line of buildings from the sea, especially in resorts such as Kołobrzeg, Międzyzdroje, and Świnoujście.

Marlena Kosiura of Inwestycjewkurortach.pl, in an interview for the Parkiet portal, observes that as society becomes wealthier, more Poles decide to buy vacation apartments for their own use, often combining that with occasional rentals. As a result, a growing group of clients treat coastal apartments as a second home–a place for rest, remote work, or capital preservation. She notes, however, that for this model to work, you need to combine apartment quality with proximity to tourist attractions. Without these two factors, it will be an ordinary apartment that can be rented out, yes–but without major profits. In a conversation with Parkiet.pl, Marlena Kosiura emphasizes that a well-chosen location can yield about 5–6% in cash terms–PLN 30,000 to PLN 70,000 annually. However, it can be much more–or… less. Everything depends on the location and the quality of the property’s finish.

Experts also stress the importance of the so-called returning client–an experienced investor who, after a few years, returns to the market and chooses a higher standard or a better address. Paweł Podbielski of White Wood Nieruchomości, in a conversation with Rzeczpospolita, points to an increase in transactions based on “upgrades”–replacing current units with apartments in more prestigious locations, often closer to the beach and with a full range of services.

The attractiveness of the premium segment is also influenced by the limited supply of the best land. As Maciej Kikta notes in commentary for Business Insider Polska, properties with sea views or located right next to the beach, because of their exceptional setting, attract not only domestic but also foreign investors. It is precisely the uniqueness of the location and resilience to market swings that make premium coastal properties today viewed as one of the safer segments of the market.

A Unique Coastline
The coastline of almost any sea is a limited resource. In the case of the Baltic, a significant portion is additionally covered by protection zones, areas of national and landscape parks, and Natura 2000 sites. In practice, this means new development is rare, plots located close to the beach are scarce, and what’s more, protected park areas or similar zones are often located next to properties–an additional advantage. As a result, apartments located several dozen or several hundred meters from the sea gain value faster than properties farther inland. The view, the scent of the sea, and the ability to reach the beach within minutes create a lasting competitive advantage.

West Pomerania
Świnoujście leads here–a city with wide beaches and a developed spa district. Apartments located near the promenade and spa parks combine the function of a private second home with high potential for year-round rental.

While Świnoujście is a dynamically developing city, Międzyzdroje combine characteristics … Here, locations near the promenade and the cliff sections of the coast are particularly valued. Some are drawn by the rich entertainment offering, others by the calm of the city’s outskirts. Międzyzdroje is an ideal location both for people looking for something for themselves and for investors seeking stable rental income and long-term growth in property value.

The Hel Peninsula – Luxury and Prestige
Resorts of the central Baltic coast–Kołobrzeg, Mielno, and Ustronie Morskie–have an established position. These are not only towns with a long tradition but also a strong base of spa, wellness, and health offerings. Locations near the beaches are always in demand.

A special case on the map of the Baltic coast is the Hel Peninsula. Here, the sea meets Puck Bay, and the amount of investment land is extremely limited. Hel, Jurata, and Jastarnia are among the most expensive apartment locations in the country. Here, the number of available sites is more limited than anywhere else along the entire coast, and local authorities and residents make sure it stays that way. This is the most closed-off area of Poland’s coast–and therefore the most expensive. Apartments located near beaches, ports, and promenades achieve the highest prices per square meter, and their value rises faster than the national average. Despite that, they are worth every złoty spent on them, and their value systematically increases.

The Tri-City and the Vistula Spit
Gdańsk, Sopot, and Gdynia–founded exactly 100 years ago–are the crown of Poland’s coast, synonymous with prestige and year-round demand. Apartments near the beach, even if they are not formally in the first line of buildings, remain among the most stable residential investments in Poland.

It is also worth mentioning Krynica Morska, located on the Vistula Spit. Limited space, an exceptional location between the sea and the lagoon, and strong seasonality mean that apartments close to the beach are viewed as a unique investment with high potential for value growth.

Why Prices Rise the Fastest
In summary: the greatest price increases are recorded by projects that meet three conditions at the same time:

1. a very good location relative to the sea,
   
2. a high architectural standard,
   
3. limited competition from new projects.
   

Despite limited supply, there is no shortage of projects that meet all these conditions, and new developments currently offered on the Baltic shoreline–both in design and finish quality–are in no way inferior to those in Florida or Spain. What’s more, they are sometimes more modern and more luxurious, so it is not unusual for them to be more expensive than locations in Cyprus or Spain. This is also because locations on Poland’s coast do not guarantee Mediterranean weather year-round, but they have other advantages. Above all–safety. Poland is generally a safe country, and in Polish resorts the biggest “threat” today is often nighttime quiet being disturbed by overly exuberant tourists. This does not apply, however, to gated locations where modern “view” apartments are situated. Second, Polish resorts are not “overloaded” with tourists the way the Mediterranean coast often is. Third–an advantage, especially for foreign tourists renting apartments for a vacation, is the climate. Cold winter months on the Baltic have begun attracting tourists from countries where winter as we understand it does not exist–for example, from the Middle East–who are increasingly visiting not only the mountains in southern Poland but also the coast.