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Mortgage for a rural homestead in Poland: buying a house with farmland

Can you buy a Polish siedlisko, a country house with farmland, with a mortgage? Why banks prefer a separate homestead plot, who may buy farmland (0.3 ha and 1 ha thresholds, KOWR) and how to build a house on a homestead.

KredytPolska editorial team
Updated:

In short

A siedlisko, a country house with outbuildings and farmland, can be bought with a mortgage. Banks finance the residential part: the house with its yard and garden on a plot with its own land register (księga wieczysta). The farmland around it is usually bought with cash or with a loan for farmers. For example, BOŚ Bank finances a farmstead property of up to 2 ha under its mortgage rules in force from 17 April 2026. Anyone can buy agricultural property with less than 1 ha of farmland, and from 0.3 ha the National Agricultural Support Centre (KOWR) has one month to decide on its pre-emption right.

What a siedlisko means to a bank

“Siedlisko” is a word from property listings, not a legal term. The bank looks at the land register, the land and buildings register and the local zoning plan (MPZP) or a decision on development conditions (WZ). In these documents a homestead is usually “zabudowa zagrodowa”: a house and farm buildings linked to a farm. Banks have their own rules and some do not finance homesteads at all, so compare several banks.

The simplest way: split the homestead in two

Most banks are open to the purchase when the house and its yard form a separate plot with its own land register. The mortgage then covers what the bank can value: the house with the homestead plot. Fields and meadows are bought separately. If the seller has one plot, a surveyor divides it and the office approves the division; agree this in the preliminary contract.

Who can buy farmland in Poland

Under the Act on shaping the agricultural system, the rules depend on the farmland area. Below 0.3 ha the act does not apply. From 0.3 ha to less than 1 ha anyone can buy, but KOWR has a pre-emption right: the notary first signs a conditional contract and KOWR has one month to decide, so the bank pays out only after the final contract. From 1 ha the buyer must be an individual farmer (qualifications, at least 5 years living in the municipality), a close relative of the seller, or have consent from KOWR. A foreigner from outside the EEA and Switzerland also needs a permit to buy property under separate rules, described in our guide on buying property in Poland. The act does not apply to land zoned in the local plan for non-agricultural use.

Building a house on a homestead

To build, the bank needs a local plan allowing housing or a WZ decision. After the planning reform new WZ decisions are issued mainly in “infill areas” set in the municipality’s general plan, so ask the municipality before paying a deposit. On farmland you often also need a decision from the district office (starosta) excluding the land from agricultural production; it is hardest on the best soils (classes I–III). For a single-family house, no fee is charged up to 0.05 ha.

Down payment

Polish rules (KNF Recommendation S) allow loans of up to 80% of a residential property’s value, but for homesteads banks often ask for more, or for a mortgage on another property such as a flat in the city. Land you already own can count as your down payment when you build.

The full description in Polish, with documents and a step-by-step plan: Kredyt na siedlisko.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a mortgage for a siedlisko in Poland?

Yes, in some banks. It is easiest when the house with its yard and garden is a separate plot with its own land register. The farmland is usually bought separately.

Do I have to be a farmer to buy a homestead with land?

Not if the farmland in the property is less than 1 ha. From 1 ha the buyer must be an individual farmer, a close relative of the seller, or have consent from KOWR.

How long does the KOWR pre-emption right take?

At least one month. For agricultural property of 0.3 ha or more, a conditional contract is signed first and KOWR has one month from receiving it to decide.

Sources

  1. Act of 11 April 2003 on shaping the agricultural system (Polish)
  2. KOWR: pre-emption right in practice (Polish)
  3. BOŚ Bank: mortgage rules from 17 April 2026 (Polish)
This guide describes general rules and typical bank practice as of October 2026. Details

It is not legal or tax advice and not a bank offer. Each bank sets its own criteria, and the lending decision is always made by the bank.

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