Buying a holiday home in Sweden, which lover of nature, peace and space does not dream of this? Never before did so many Dutch people visit Sweden for holidays and city trips. And we seem to feel at home here, because a growing number of Dutch people want to buy a second home or chalet. Whoever wants to buy a second home in Sweden would do well to inform himself well, this country file can be a good start.

Important to know when buying a property in Sweden

Sweden is the fifth largest country in the European Union in terms of total land area but is very sparsely populated; only +/- 10.5 million people live in Sweden. Sweden’s financial centre is in the capital Stockholm, also the financial centre of northern Europe.

Sweden has a high degree of urbanisation; 80 per cent of its inhabitants live in urbanised regions. Buying Swedish property (e.g. as an investment) is generally considered easy and transparent, and there are no restrictions for foreigners wishing to invest in a second home in Sweden.

House prices in Sweden

House prices in Sweden are relatively low, especially in rural areas. The fact that Sweden is politically stable, a well-organised country and easily and quickly accessible from the Netherlands make buying a holiday home in Sweden even more attractive.

Buying a second home in Sweden is a long process that usually takes several years. You start with an (online) orientation, one or more visits to the Second Home Fair to gain knowledge and inspiration and get in touch with an estate agent offering homes in Sweden.

Of course, you will already have studied which region you want to buy in, the budget you have to spend and whether you want to live there yourself or also offer it for rent. In addition, it is also useful to think about the following (practical) issues well before buying a holiday home in Sweden:

• Is English spoken well in the region of my choice?
• What is the weather like during the seasons?
• Is the country also interesting to travel to in the off-season?
• Are there certain health risks in the country or region?
• Can you reach your second home well by car?
• Do you need to fly? Then check whether there are regular connections.
• What about local public transport?
• What about the (legal) regulations regarding the purchase of a second home in the area?

Keep in mind…

If your heart is completely full of a cottage in the Swedish countryside and you are considering buying, there are still a few things good to realise:

A cottage with a lot of land (garden) also requires a lot of maintenance; are you willing to do that yourself in your spare time? If not, take into account the extra maintenance costs; Especially the authentic Swedish wooden houses are very maintenance-sensitive, are you a handyman and do you have the time then this makes it extra nice. If you are not handy then this can mean extra costs;

If your house is remote, take into account extra travel time and travel costs. From the Netherlands ‘a weekend trip to Sweden’ is often not an option because of this travel time, apart from visiting the big cities. Make sure your house is easily accessible even in winter when there is a thick layer of snow!

Things we take for granted such as central heating are certainly not in the Swedish countryside! Find out about the house’s facilities and how they function in a harsh winter.

Good to know

When buying a second home in Sweden, there are still some one-off costs you need to take into account. Especially in the case of older houses, a technical inspection is recommended, costs vary but usually come to around a thousand euros. As a buyer, you also pay transfer tax (1.5% of the purchase price) and, after the transfer, the costs of transferring ownership.

If you buy a cottage in the countryside, as a foreign buyer you may have to ask permission from the municipality to buy the property. This is a so-called ‘förvärvstillstånd’ and the cost can be around 400 euros.