A mountain market next to a town market

In this district, the word apartment can mean two entirely different things. The first is ordinary housing in Trutnov, Vrchlabí, Hostinné or Dvůr Králové nad Labem - towns with jobs, schools and a hospital, where people buy to live. The second is an apartment in Černý Důl, Pec pod Sněžkou or Mladé Buky, which follows a different pricing logic, has different running costs and often a different legal status.

The difference is not cosmetic. With mountain property it matters far more often whether the unit is registered as a flat or as a recreational building, whether the building has management in place for short-term letting, and how costs are shared out of season. Ask about this before you start on the mortgage - banks treat the two categories differently.

Where to look in the district

MunicipalityWhy it matters on this market
TrutnovThe district town, with a hospital, schools and public offices. Ordinary housing and the steadiest supply outside the mountain municipalities.
VrchlabíThe gateway to the Krkonoše and a town with a large industrial employer. Year-round and recreational demand combined.
Dvůr Králové nad LabemA town outside the mountains with a market of its own. Usually cheaper than the mountain municipalities.
Černý Důl, Pec pod Sněžkou, Mladé Buky, Rudník, Kunčice nad LabemMountain municipalities. Apartments and smaller flats dominate, many of them aimed at recreation and letting to guests.
Kuks, Hostinné, PilníkovSmaller towns and villages in the foothills. Listings appear irregularly, but prices tend to be friendlier.

Note: Kuks, with its baroque hospital and Matyáš Braun's sculptures, is a sought-after location, but the market there is tiny - individual flats rather than a steady offer.

What to ask before the viewing

  • Flat or recreational buildingCheck the land registry for how the unit is recorded. It governs the mortgage, the taxes and whether you can register permanent residence there.
  • Out-of-season operationFor mountain buildings, ask how many units are occupied year round and how heating and cleaning of common areas are shared out of season.
  • Short-term lettingIf you are buying to let to guests, find out whether the building's rules allow it and whether management is in place.
  • Winter accessAsk about winter maintenance of the access road and about parking. In mountain municipalities this is the practical difference between a usable and an unusable flat.
  • Real heating costsAsk for an annual bill. Above 600 metres the heating season works out differently than in the lowlands.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the Trutnov page show so many listings from mountain municipalities?

Because the page covers the whole Trutnov District, a large part of which lies in the Krkonoše. The supply of apartments in the mountain municipalities has long been stronger here than the supply of ordinary flats in the district town. The summary above the listing states how many flats are in Trutnov itself.

Will I get a mortgage on a mountain apartment?

It depends on how the unit is recorded in the land registry and on its condition. For buildings recorded as recreational, banks usually require a larger deposit than for flats. Ask before you reserve.

Is buying an apartment in the Krkonoše to let a good idea?

The yield is seasonal and depends heavily on the particular municipality, the distance to the slope and whether the building has management. Compare the sale listings with what is offered to rent in the same municipality before you decide.