The real estate market is changing not only in terms of prices and credit availability. Above all, buyer expectations<\/strong> are changing. What clients were looking for just 2-3 years ago is often no longer attractive today. In 2026, we see clear trends that are worth knowing \u2013 both as a buyer and a seller.<\/p>\n For years, the Scandinavian style dominated: white walls, simple forms, minimal decorations. In 2026, this trend is clearly weakening. Buyers are looking for warmth, coziness, and character<\/strong>. Sterile, cold interiors are giving way to spaces where you simply feel good.<\/p>\n What does this mean in practice? Natural wood on floors and walls (slats, paneling), furniture with rounded shapes, soft boucl\u00e9-type fabrics, fluffy rugs and pillows. Colors inspired by nature \u2013 beiges, greens, terracotta, dusty pink \u2013 are replacing the previously dominant white and gray.<\/p>\n For sellers, this is important information: an apartment decorated in a cold, minimalist style may require refreshing or a different presentation to attract today’s buyers.<\/p>\n The pandemic changed our approach to living space. Having your own piece of outdoor space \u2013 a balcony, terrace, loggia, or garden \u2013 has become an absolute priority<\/strong> for many buyers. Apartments without balconies sell more slowly and often require price reductions.<\/p>\n In Krak\u00f3w, this trend is particularly visible in the case of 2-3 room apartments for young families. A balcony is a place for morning coffee, evening relaxation, and for children \u2013 a substitute for a garden in the city. If your apartment has a balcony \u2013 be sure to highlight it in your listing and take care of its attractive presentation.<\/p>\n Just a few years ago, intelligent lighting or controlling heating from a smartphone was a luxury. In 2026, it’s an expected standard<\/strong>, especially among younger buyers (25-40 years old).<\/p>\n The most popular smart home solutions include:<\/p>\n Intelligent lighting<\/strong> \u2013 the ability to adjust light intensity and color, voice control or via an app, automatic scenarios (e.g., “movie night,” “work,” “relax”).<\/p>\n Remote heating control<\/strong> \u2013 a thermostat that can be controlled from your phone. Energy and bill savings.<\/p>\n Automatic blinds and shutters<\/strong> \u2013 programmed for sunrise and sunset times or manually controlled from an app.<\/p>\n Intelligent locks and video intercoms<\/strong> \u2013 opening doors with your phone, seeing who’s calling even when you’re away from home.<\/p>\n For sellers: if you have smart home solutions installed, be sure to include this in your listing. It’s a real selling point.<\/p>\n Another clear trend is moving away from catalog perfection<\/strong>. Buyers no longer want apartments furnished “from IKEA from A to Z.” They value eclecticism, individual character, and furniture with history.<\/p>\n Grandma’s dresser, an armchair from a flea market, a reclaimed table, a lamp from the 70s \u2013 all of this is making a comeback. Interiors should tell the story of their inhabitants, not look like a furniture catalog.<\/p>\n This is good news for owners of older apartments: original interior elements (e.g., herringbone parquet, old doors, tiled stoves) can be an asset, not a flaw. It’s worth showcasing them, not hiding them.<\/p>\n Remote work is here to stay. Even if we don’t work fully remotely, the hybrid work model (2-3 days at home) has become the norm in many industries. Therefore, workspace in the apartment<\/strong> is no longer an option \u2013 it’s a necessity.<\/p>\n Buyers are looking for apartments with an extra room that can serve as an office, or at least with space for a dedicated work corner. Open living rooms combined with kitchens are great, but there must also be a place for quiet work away from household noise.<\/p>\n For sellers: if you have a 3-room apartment or larger, show potential buyers how one of the rooms can function as an office. This could be a deciding factor.<\/p>\n High energy prices have changed buyers’ approach to apartment maintenance costs. Questions about heating bills, building insulation, and energy class<\/strong> are being asked more and more frequently \u2013 even during the first viewing.<\/p>\n Apartments in well-insulated buildings, with modern windows and efficient heating, sell faster. If you know the maintenance costs of your apartment and they are favorable \u2013 boast about it in your listing.<\/p>\n For sellers:<\/strong> Knowing current trends allows you to better prepare your apartment for sale. Sometimes small changes \u2013 warmer accessories, a tidy balcony, showcasing original elements \u2013 can significantly increase the attractiveness of your listing.<\/p>\n For buyers:<\/strong> It’s worth knowing what you’re looking for before you start viewing apartments. A list of priorities (balcony? smart home? office space?) will help you find the ideal place faster and not waste time on unsuccessful viewings.<\/p>\n At Eternel, we help both sellers and buyers. We know the local market, trends, and client expectations. If you’re planning to sell or buy property in Krak\u00f3w \u2013 contact us. The first consultation is always free.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How do people want to live in 2026? Trends changing the real estate market The real estate market is changing not only in terms of prices and credit availability. Above all, buyer expectations are changing. What clients were looking for just 2-3 years ago is often no longer attractive today. In 2026, we see clear […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":272,"featured_media":6534,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"class_list":["post-6533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/272"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6533"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6537,"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6533\/revisions\/6537"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eternel.agency\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The end of the minimalism era \u2013 warmth returns to interiors<\/h3>\n
A balcony is no longer a bonus \u2013 it’s a must-have<\/h3>\n
Smart home \u2013 an intelligent home is now the standard<\/h3>\n
Vintage and second-hand \u2013 furniture with soul is back<\/h3>\n
Home office \u2013 workspace at home is a necessity<\/h3>\n
Energy efficiency and low bills<\/h3>\n
What does this mean for sellers and buyers?<\/h3>\n