Posted on 04/15/2005 1:57:26 PM PDT by Grzegorz 246
Wealthy Poles are invading the border regions of Germany and snapping up properties at rock bottom prices in what estate agents call a dramatic reversal of historical roles.
The widespread expectation that after Poland joined the European Union that its cheap homes would be bought by Germans has been turned on its head as the Poles search for lebensraum in the west.
For centuries Germans have headed east - as knights, traders or, most notoriously, as builders of a Third Reich. Now the Poles are going in the other direction, not just as migrant labourers but as house buyers.
They are attracted by average prices of around €17,500 ($29,300) for a family home in good repair. A run-down cottage can be bought for as little as €300 and a "chic manor house with indoor pool" can be had for around €320,000.
The trend says as much about the desperate economic state of east Germany and the exodus of locals as it does about the Poles' entrepreneurial zeal and desire to catch up with their richer neighbours after decades of communism.Michal Wojtysiak recently became the owner of a quaint, century-old building in Penkun.
The 42-year-old Polish catering manager bought the village butchers, family house and florists all for a ridiculous €5400. A few streets away a retired doctor, Andrzej-Jerzy Wroblewski, 62, proudly strolled the grounds of the derelict Apostolic church, now his for €1400, as is the old bakery nearby, a steal, even by Polish standards at €1070.
Both are from Szczecin, a shipbuilding boom town whose citizens can no longer afford to live there. More and more are buying property in eastern Germany and commuting to their homeland over what was once a tightly-controlled border. "I would pay at least four times this if I was fortunate enough to find anything similar on the outskirts of Szczecin," said Mr Wojtysiak.
Penkun is not a rundown dump but a picturesque village flanked by two lakes and a peach-coloured castle.
On the surface it does not look economically depressed. But the money spent on its revival has failed to deter two-thirds of Penkuners from moving elsewhere and leaving a third of local houses empty.
"The properties on offer are nothing less than giveaways, even if they need a little investment," said Magdalena Pysz, a Polish estate agent.
"Poles love the Prussian order, the cleanliness, the lack of corruption and the neat, cobbled streets."
Polska Uber Alles.
Ironic: in the wake of the Thousand Year Reich and the workers' paradise, Poles buy up Schadenfreude Strasse.
Spktyr,
Don't mention the War!
http://www.fawltysite.net/episode06.htm
I was watching a documentary on life in the rurals of Russia...at least 500 miles east of Moscow. And a guy could walk into a village and buy property for less than $300 (at least 20 acres)...and you could build your dream wood house for less than $5,000. They interviewed a local guy who said he was lucky to make $2k a year in salary...but it was more than enough to live off of. Someone will eventually get smart and realize there is a vast open space east of Moscow...big enough for 100 million people to move into and take advantage of the situation.
I'm sure that Siberia is even cheaper, but living a thousand miles away from any town is not a good idea.
"Someone will eventually get smart and realize there is a vast open space east of Moscow...big enough for 100 million people to move..."
Chinese ?
longjack
Actually it is interesting that Catholic Poles are moving into the traditionally Protestant part of Germany. Bismark made sure to include enough Germanic Catholic regions to make his Germany large, but NOT enough to counterbalance the power center he created: the Prussian East.
20th Century German history would have been otherwise, had the formation of a true Germanic nation been otherwise . . .
As you say, the real battle is not between Christians, but Christians to keep Europe from Islamicization.
IOW, this is overall good.
The Poles I met did NOT have a huge distaste for Germans and Germany -- it was Russia they hated . . .
Where can I get one. any contacts ?
Mogoke
I think they just like living in the Pope's home country. ;)
It will be the best thing that can happen to Germany if Poles are buying the deserted real estate in the east. Since eastern Germany was left by its working populace years ago, there are only old or unwilling people left. Many houses and flats are empty. It is okay with me if there comes live and money into the east. Poles are catholic, civilized, educated and they arrange themselves. Just come in and invade Leipzig, Dresden, Frankfurt/Oder, Görlitz or whatever but do not forget to pay your taxes...
;-)
BTW - those prices are only realistic in the far east of Germany. In the western part you have to pay for a good family home around 200 - 250.000,- Euros on the countryside and up to 1.000.000,- Euros in bigger towns due to expensive ground. That are no (!) manor houses with pools.
P.S. As an architekt I know what I am talking about.
Wait and see...
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