EXAMPLE PAGE - MAGAZINE - LIVING - Flipbook - Sida 25
people, and get advice from those
who’ve bought property here before.
It’s not uncommon to find rural
properties for as low as 100,000
SEK; they might even have land and
outbuildings but will be in need of a
makeover. 1,000,000 SEK will buy you
something immediately liveable.
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY MATTER.
The best property website is
Hemnet.se, but Blocket.se or Facebook Marketplace are great if you
want to buy directly from the seller.
Use the search function to look for
something called ‘fastighet’, which
is buying your house outright, on
your own land. Put simply: research,
research, research!
C O N S I D E R A M O RTG AG E
In terms of financing your property,
in Sweden you can’t borrow more
than 85% of the property’s value. If
you’re taking out a mortgage, you’ll
be expected to pay a 15% deposit.
Your monthly repayments will also
include the 1.5% stamp duty tax plus
an 825 SEK admin fee, and the pantbrev (mortgage deed) at 0.95%.
You should also obtain a written loan
commitment from your bank prior to
buying.
C O N TAC T T H E E S TAT E AG E N T
The best way to arrange a viewing
with an estate agent? Send them a
text or call them directly. Swedes
are not fast at responding to emails,
so find a property you like, call the
agent, and organise a viewing.
Estate agents are regulated by law.
It’s their obligation to safeguard the
interests of the seller and the buyer,
which is why solicitors are rarely used
in Sweden for property purchases.
Open viewings are common, which
means you should declare your
interest as soon as possible to avoid
disappointment.
MAKE A BID
Bidding on a house is relatively common and the best way to do it is by
sending a text. Yes, really!
R E C E I V E T H E K E Y S TO YO U R
P RO P E RT Y
Before you receive the keys, complete
a final inspection of the property.
The rest of the money is transferred
to the seller at the bank, and you will
sign a contract of sale (köpebrev) that
proves you are the legal owner.
The price can be higher or lower than
the asking price, and a bid is not
legally binding until the purchase
agreement has been signed by both
buyer and seller.
The bank will use this contract
to send in an application for land
registration in your name. Within a
couple of weeks you’ll receive the sale
contract, and verification that you
are now the registered owner.
I N S P E C T T H E P RO P E RT Y
Congratulations!
T H O RO U G H LY
As a buyer, you have a duty to investigate the property before purchasing. In Sweden, it’s very bad form to
leave a residence in an uninhabitable
state, so white goods such as cookers,
fridges, freezers and washing machines are usually included by the seller.
In Norrland, maintenance costs can
be particularly costly during the long
winters. Check the basics thoroughly;
such as water boilers, pipes, and local
sewage disposal. You may also want
to hire an independent building surveyor to avoid any nasty surprises or
expensive labour costs.
It doesn’t hurt to ask around the
neighbourhood, to find out any vital
info.
S I G N C O N T R AC T S A N D PAY
THE DEPOSIT
Once your bid has been accepted, you
then meet with the estate agent and
the seller to sign the contracts. You
must then pay a 15% down payment
on the property. Now you’re really
close to owning a Swedish house. Not
far to go now...
~ 25 ~
3 tips from
someone
who’s done
it before Phil Royal
1. Solicitors are not necessary
for the house-buying process, as
you can buy a house sitting at the
kitchen table with forms printed
off the internet. But it might be
best to pay an estate agent to help
complete the paperwork for you to
avoid any problems.
2. Pre-sale surveys are uncommon,
especially for cash purchases - ask
the estate agent if the house you
are buying needs a survey.
3. Heating costs will be a major
expense. Try to buy a house with
a variety of heating methods, such
as air pump, wood heating, electric
water-filled radiators etc., so you
have a choice if one method breaks
down. Also look out for houses
with geothermal heating - this is
very economical. Shop around for
electricity prices - try elskling.se. It
will make a difference.