Wellcome Home

“I want to see the apartment before I book it” - how true is this quote to you? When we market an apartment, it is usually not ready to be shown to a potential tenant. You can book it already, but you can't see it in person. Why? The situations are most often of two types: - the previous tenant has just moved out, and we need time to clean, technically check, refresh, and furnish it (then, there's at least a photo shoot a tenant can rely on), or -there's still a renovation going on, and the furnishing is not yet 100% completed (then, well... only a floor plan and preview are available). Before we let anyone into the apartment, we want to be sure that it is impeccable and just as the tenant will find it on move-in day. Unfortunately, at this stage, many potential tenants will let go and look for something else. We understand and respect that. And… we are more than happy every time someone books our apartment sight unseen, even without photos. It was no different with our latest apartment, which has just been completed. The first tenant, who will move in here at the beginning of September, already booked it many weeks ago (without photos, completely remote) 🥹. Do you know what this means to us? That he has placed great trust in us. Every day we fight to make sure that each of our apartments maintains a faultless standard (BTW, with each new project we try to raise this standard, so we believe that it only gets better over time). Today, we’re ready to show you the photoshoot. Next week, we’re ready to welcome a new tenant home. Keep your fingers crossed for yet another “wow” impression. So far, it worked 😉 Here’s the full tour: https://lnkd.in/eZPdCsBS

Is it possible to invest in Poland while living in another country?  Yes, it is. Is it easy?  Formally yes, but as always, such an investment requires a reliable partner. Our CEO, Magdalena, explains what the whole procedure looks like. 

The developer’s standard in Poland. Before & after. Every country and every real estate market has its own rules. This applies to both formalities and purely technical matters. Buyers and renters in each market are accustomed to different standards of rental or purchase properties. But what is this standard? When buying a property from the primary market (new, directly from the developer), you will often encounter a developer's standard. In this case, the new owner can decide how to finish the given property. From our experience working with investors, we know that the Polish developer's standard surprises buyers from other countries. Why? Because it seems very basic. What to expect from a “developer’s standard” in Poland? - the walls are plastered, but they need smoothing and painting - there’s no flooring/paneling, but it’s ready to be installed - there’s a front door (anti-theft), windows, and window sills - there’s a plumbing system, ventilation, electrical wiring, and central heating (mostly radiators, sometimes underfloor heating systems). Is there any room for change? Usually, you can change the layout or revise the mechanical systems, but it’s better to agree on that during the construction process. That’s why purchasing the property during the construction may be an advantage compared to already delivered units. 🕓 How much do you need to complete the renovation? If the design is ready, and you don’t plan to move the already installed systems, you can start setting the tiles and panels, installing interior doors, restoring the bathroom, and painting. Then lighting, kitchen cabinets, appliances, and the finishing touches. A 1-bedroom apartment can be finished within several months (we assume basic solutions and no delivery delays, so it’s crucial to manage the entire process and order the furniture, materials, and equipment in advance). On the photos: our recently delivered apartment at Global Office Apartments before (in the typical Polish developer's standard) and after, ready for rent. The entire investment and finishing process here took 5 months (including the logistic delays 🙈). Do you think it’s a lot? What are your experiences?

Why should you pay a company to manage your investments when you can do everything yourself? This is a question that investors probably ask themselves when considering buying a rental investment property. After all, why should you pay a commission to someone when you can find an interesting property, handle the paperwork, hire an architect and a renovation team, and then look for a tenant? Without commissions and intermediaries. Yes, you can. But you often don't think about things like: - not all investment opportunities are available "on the open market." The best offers are exchanged between intermediaries and may never see the light of day; - a hot deal doesn’t usually mean an investment opportunity – experience from someone in the industry is needed here; - formalities are not just a visit to the notary. It's a lot of documents, contract verifications, taxes, compliance, translations, and other things you might not even be aware of; - not every architect can handle a typical investment project. Here you have to balance the budget, quality, investor's expectations, potential user needs, and even contractors; - anything can happen during a renovation, so someone has to be always on-site to make quick decisions; - delivery of materials, furniture, or equipment is a complicated logistical puzzle. From our experience – they usually tend to get delayed; - the inspection of works and potential complaints requires knowledge and familiarity with the industry. Even if something looks properly done, it may not always be so; - preparing an apartment for rent, finding a tenant, showing the apartment, and managing the rental is yet another completely different story… Why are we writing this? Many investors at the very beginning of their journey are completely unaware of how much involvement the investment will require. These observations are also confirmed by our investors, who admit they were completely unaware of how much work and time it would cost. Yes, you can do it on your own. If you feel you have the time (plenty of time), go ahead! If learning from your own mistakes excites you, go ahead! If you think you know the sector, go ahead! If you prefer to dedicate your time to other matters and leave the coordination of the investment to specialists, we are at your disposal. 🫡

Are you familiar with an alcove studio concept? It’s popular mostly in big US cities like New York, where every meter (or rather inch 🧐) of space counts. An alcove studio apartment is a studio that has an additional sleeping area (or “alcove”) in the nook that opens into the living room. It will typically be just big enough to fit a queen-sized bed and perhaps a nightstand or two. And with a reasonable size of a studio apartment, this seems a brilliant idea we decided to introduce too! It’s a perfect compromise between a studio and a 1-bedroom apartment: it provides the comfort of a double bed, but at a competitive price (for both investor and tenant). Our first alcove studio will be ready in September, but it has been already booked! It’s not just us who appreciate that solution. 🤩

Is finishing a new apartment easier than restoring the old one? Let’s see🧐 In June, we’ve concluded 3 completely new apartments for our investors. All three have been immediately rented out and already host their happy tenants. (Thank You! 💛) And while it’s been a very exciting moment to see these spaces shine, the entire finishing process was not just about painting walls and placing new, fancy furniture inside. We already have quite an experience in renovating existing, sometimes even historic spaces (just to mention an over 100-year-old building at Batorego 2 with 16 individual apartments). Entering a modern, top-notch building seemed not to be any bigger challenge. But was it really like that? Let’s see… 🗓️ We had to wait for the apartments to be delivered longer than expected, which resulted in a longer process. In the case of an existing building, you can start the renovation straight away, which is a big advantage. And when you work on a tight investor’s schedule, every week counts! 🏗️ When you enter a brand-new space, you expect the developer’s standard. This basically means you can start putting tiles and floors, but it wasn’t always the case. Some crucial parts required bigger revisions on the developer side. ⚒️ Also, when starting the renovation, you have to assume that the entire building is still a construction site, and it’ll be like that for some time. The elevators may be very busy, common spaces dusty, and entry areas packed with finishing stuff. It’s not just you who concludes the renovation. Was this process worth it? For sure 🤩 The reaction of our investors after entering their apartments was just priceless. And, as in every project, it’s just about being transparent and informing about all issues on a regular basis. It’s all about cooperation, and this was amazing! Thank you for your trust and patience. We hope we deserve it! Another two apartments are on their way to be finished, and some other new investments are on the horizon. Woo-hoo!

Celebrating the 6th anniversary of Wellcome Home brand ☺️ It’s been officially 6 years since the very first Wellcome Home apartments were rented out. We decided to celebrate it all together, having fun in our city of Katowice. Fun fact: some people in this photo have been with the team longer than these 6 years. It’s a big thing to create something from scratch and see the brand grow. Thank you for being part of this team. 💛 It’s a privilege to like each other and enjoy the time spent together.

Should you buy a new or existing apartment? Are the procedures the same? These are the questions our CEO Magdalena receives from investors. Know her comments on this topic and get ready to invest 🚀 #polishrealestate #investinpoland

The moment right before the final game. For players, it’s a time of maximum concentration, but also pride to represent the country, a need to collaborate and play together, and high hopes and expectations. Isn’t it the same when you relocate to a new country to start a new chapter? When you try to settle and find a better life for yourself and your family? The Katowice International World Cup is a football tournament, but it’s not about football at all. It’s about the need for community. About integration. About partnership. It’s about a city that for 2 days in a year becomes global and colorful. It’s about the ones who choose Katowice and Poland to be their place. It’s about us - people and companies from here that every day make our best to make it happen. Thank you, Katowice Internationals Foundation - garagErasmus4Silesia for inviting us to take part. Thank you, Katowice City - live, work & invest that you care. Thank You, Marco Cillepi 🇺🇦, for your enthusiasm. Dear Foreigners, we’re here to support you and be your home 💛 Wellcome Home Team

How to choose the right lighting for any space? 🧐💡 Any architect and interior designer knows it’s a complex and challenging question. When designing Welcome Home apartments, our architects know it too. That’s why they never stop learning. This week, Natalia and Paulina visited the headquarters of AQForm - a Polish brand of modern contemporary lighting solutions. And we’re amazed at how inspiring the visit was! The girls learned about how the lighting is designed, produced, and certified, but also, how it impacts our everyday life and how to choose a proper solution based on the role in the interior. It will surely help us design even better-lighted apartments! What else can we stay? We truly admire how AQForm cares about quality, standards, design, and innovation. And we’re proud to have such a successful Polish brand onboard. Thank you for hosting us. Maxfliz thank you for the invitation.