A summer house in Sweden?

Are you dreaming of owning a holiday home in Sweden? Do you want to pick berries and mushrooms in immense forests, bathe in beautiful lakes or in the salty water of the ocean? Would you like to spend your summer in an idyllic provincial town or alone in a small holiday cottage in the middle of nowhere? No matter what kind of holiday home you are dreaming of, our 1200 local real estate agents across the country will find you the right one. We hold the widest range of holiday homes in Sweden.

Buy and own a house in Sweden

Buy your holiday home with Svensk Fastighetsförmedling and you have a qualified real estate agent that always focus on the needs of our clients. We will assist you step by step in finding the right home for you. Svensk Fastighetsförmedling gives you an indication on how the market operates and will acquaintance you with the laws and regulations which buyer and seller must observe in Sweden.

Challenge us when looking for a home

Are you curious about what is up for sale in a particular area in Sweden, or do you simply want us to actively start looking for you? As we operate from more than 230 agencies all over Sweden we have a nationwide network. Make the network do the work for you and a new home may be closer than you think. The day we find your home you will promptly receive answers to all your questions before signing the contract. Svensk Fastighetsförmedling is your partner in housing matters who has longer experience than most other real estate agents in the business.

Who is allowed to own or buy property in Sweden?

There are no restrictions for foreign citizens owning property in Sweden. Neither are there any restrictions on the right to register and reside permanently in a second home for leisure purposes.

The Agent's role in Sweden

A real estate agent's role is to be a neutral and impartial link between the buyer and the vendor. It is not the agent's role to make loan undertakings, obtain insurance, order telephone connections e t c. This is the sole responsibility of the buyer.

Finance/Taxes

Buying a house also refer to taxes and fees. Below this is explained briefly for easy guidance.

Local property charge

The local property charge for individual houses is 0.75 per cent of the taxable value, up to a maximum of 6,825 SEK per annum (2012). For multi-occupancy properties (more than two apartments), the charge is 0.4 per cent up to a maximum of 1365 SEK per apartment, per year (2012). For newly built properties, you pay no property charge for the first five years, and, after that, half the charge for a further five years.

Title Deeds

Formal proof of who owns a property. This is issued by the Swedish Land Registry after the purchase has been completed. Often, the buyer's bank helps in obtaining title deeds. The cost of the title deed is a stamp duty of 1.5% of the purchase price for individual buyers plus an administration charge of 825 SEK. The bank also usually levies a charge if they are to obtain the deed.

Loan undertaking

This is a written document from a bank or mortgage institution which is proof of your ability to pay. The loan undertaking is important in order for the agent to know that you can make good on your bid, financially, during an auction. A loan undertaking can be easily obtained on the internet or via telephone from the bank. A loan undertaking is not binding, either for you or the bank, and it is usually free of charge, so, in some ways, it does not matter too much from where you choose to obtain your loan undertaking.

Mortgage Deed

In order to lend money for buying property, the bank requires security for the loan. Usually, a certain proportion of the house is mortgaged to the bank and, as proof of this arrangement, the lender receives a mortgage deed. For this, a charge of 2% of the mortgage amount plus an administration charge of 375 SEK per mortgage deed is charged. When you buy a house, there are often mortgages already taken out that the buyer can use.

Taxable value

Corresponds to 75% of the estimated market value. The taxable value is decided when a property is taxed, and is intended to form the basis for the calculation of tax etc. Property taxation is usually carried out every 3 years.

Annual charge (co-operative housing society)

The charge the member pays to the society for its use. This should cover the society's costs for capital, operating costs and maintenance for the co-operative housing society, divided between the occupants. The basis of the distribution is set out in the financial plan.

Transfer charge (co-operative housing society)

If a co-operative housing property is transferred, the co-operative housing society usually charges a transfer fee of about 1000 SEK.

Good to know

Buying a property can be both exciting and scary – while there may be one of your life's most important investments. Here are some good-to-knows, so you know what to expect.

Signing contracts

After the offer is made, all parties meet as quickly as possible to sign contracts. Only when both you and the vendor have signed the contract is everything definite, and the transaction binding. Survey Inspection of the property with the object of discovering and investigating any defects or flaws. It is the buyers responsibility to find out the condition of the dwelling, see more under Duty to Inspect.

Auction

When several people are interested in buying the same property, there is often an auction.

The auction usually takes place by means of the agent receiving bids via telephone or the website from the different prospective buyers. The agent then gives all interested parties information e.g. via SMS or the website about the highest bid so that everyone can follow the auction and make new bids. A bid is not binding.

Fixed asset

Apart from the land and the property, something which is "permanently fitted for constant use", e.g. oven, washing machine, fixed light fittings, fences, plants in the garden and playhouse, a fixed asset. Fixed assets are included in the purchase unless the vendor and the buyer have agreed otherwise.

Deposit

Partial payment for the property. Usually, the buyer pays the deposit to the vendor when signing the contract. This is usually around 10 per cent of the purchase price.

Purchase Price

The total purchase price to be paid on purchase.

Easement

This gives the owner of a property the right, in certain circumstances, for an indefinite period and for a specific purpose, use or make a claim on somebody else's property. This is often connected with something like the right to use a road or plumbing which is buried underneath someone else's property. An easement can both be a liability and an asset.

Duty to inspect It is the buyer's responsibility to investigate the condition of the property. This is done by thoroughly inspecting the property. If a comprehensive survey has been carried out by a professional, the buyer must ensure that he has understood everything that the survey has disclosed. Otherwise, the buyer should rely on his own surveyor. For defects or damage which the buyer has had the opportunity to discover, the vendor cannot normally be made responsible.

Date of completion

The day on which you receive the keys to your new home is called the day of completion. The buyer and seller then meet at the agent's premises or the bank for the last formalities. Before the completion meeting, the agent sends a written invitation to you, and you should be in possession of the balance payable. This is a summary of the capital, interest, loans and the total sum you have still to pay. In the case of property, the buyer and vendor sign what is called a deed of purchase. In the deed of purchase, the vendor signs that they have received their full payment. You can use the deed of purchase to obtain the deeds. You also receive the keys to the property and any plans, drawings and instructions for machinery and other equipment.

Home insurance

Home insurance is a very important insurance if you own a property. Home insurance actually consists of several different insurance policies which can either pay for repairs to damage to your private property, or pay compensation if you are injured or liable for injury to somebody else. It is the individual owner's responsibility to obtain insurance. Contact an insurance company for more information.

If you live in a co-operative housing property, apart from your home insurance, you should have a cooperative housing supplement which covers against damage which you as the occupant of a co-operative housing society may cause to fixed appliances (which belong to the apartment and are therefore owned by the association) – e.g. doors and windows, plumbing, bathrooms and kitchens – or the building in general.

About us

Welcome to Svensk Fastighetsförmedling!
At Svensk Fastighetsförmedling we assist you when buying or selling your home. We are one of the leading real estate agents in Sweden and owned by Swedbank Franchise AB. Svensk Fastighetsförmedling currently has over 1 200 employees in over more than 230 agencies around Sweden.

Since we are nationwide, we know our areas in detail. We know where the best bathing spots are located and how to find the best ski trail. We simply know Sweden!

Do not hesitate to contact us – we are here to personally answer your questions and give you tips and advice when purchasing your new holiday home.

www.hemnet.se – Hemnet is Sweden's most popular site for home searches.
www.visitsweden.se– Sweden's official travel and tourist information web site.
www.fmi.se - The Swedish Board of Supervision of Estate Agents