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Swedish housing market continues to slide

Flat prices fell by 6 percent in Sweden and house prices by 2 percent in July compared to the previous month, according to fresh figures from Sweden’s real estate statistics website Mäklarstatistik.

Swedish housing market continues to slide

Despite this marking the fourth month in a row that flat prices have fallen in Sweden, Claudia Wörman of the Association of Swedish Real Estate Agents (Mäklarsamfundet) says that it’s too early to be concerned.

“I’d be more worried if there weren’t any buyer interest but I am assured that there is,” said Claudia Wörman, head of analysis at the association to The Local.

While the statistics indicated a downward trend nationwide, in some areas, home prices continue to edge up.

Apartments in central and greater Stockholm, for example, rose by 2 percent in July following two months of declines.

Apartments in central and greater Malmö also rose in July by 3 and 5 percent, respectively, while prices in central Gothenburg rose by 1 percent.

Wörman explained that there has been a definite change in the market, but whether this is a temporary dip or something more long term is too soon to say.

“We are monitoring the situation closely, especially the developments over August and September,” she said.

According to Wörman, there are many reasons behind the falling prices. And the property market is all about psychology, she told The Local.

“Even if we have a relatively stable economy here in Sweden the crises in Greece and in the US will have an effect on us as well, not in the least because it creates a feeling of insecurity,” said Wörman.

Another contributing factor is the 85 percent mortgage ceiling, introduced last year, which has had an affect on the market.

However, Wörman doesn’t think that the downward trend will necessarily continue to dominate the market.

“Unless we have a massive rise in unemployment I find it hard to believe we are going to see a significant slump. This is the nature of the housing market – it fluctuates. We are pretty well off here in Sweden, ” she told The Local.

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PROPERTY

Why buying property in Austria remains unaffordable for most

Buying a home in Austria is a dream for many international residents, but it remains out of reach for the average earner.

Why buying property in Austria remains unaffordable for most

Many people living in Austria dream of one day owning a home, but despite recent drops in property prices and interest rates, this dream is still out of reach for many average earners. 

In Austria, it is recommended to not spend more than 40 percent of a monthly income on debt repayment.

But new analysis by tariff comparison portal durchblicker.at reveals that even a double-income household would need to spend around 60 percent of their income to afford a 90m² new-build apartment in Vienna.

While the government has created initiatives to improve the affordability, with attractive housing packages, fee reductions and eliminations of certain fees, such as the “Grundbucheintragsgebühr” (land register entry fee) and “Pfandrechtseintragungsgebühr” (mortgage registration fee) for properties up to a certain value, their impact has been limited.

Furthermore, the governments initiatives often overlook the specific needs of lower-income households and may benefit those who are already financially stable, leaving the average earner still struggling to afford a home, according to Der Standard.

READ ALSO: ‘Haushaltsversicherung’ – How does Austria’s home insurance work?

High prices, rates and strict lending criteria

One of the biggest barriers to owning a home in Austria is simply the sky-high property prices. Over the years, property prices have increased, making it more difficult for people with an average income to afford a place of their own. Even with recent minor dips in prices, they still remain high.

Another factor making owning a home challenging is the increase in interest rates in recent years. As a result, both existing variable-rate loans and newly obtained fixed-rate loans have become more expensive. Analysts expect the European Central Bank to cut interest rates by around 0.5 percent in the near future, but according to durchblicker’s calculations, this would initially only create a little relief for loan takers, where instead of around 60 percent, 55 percent of monthly household net income would be needed for debt repayment.

Another issue preventing many from realising their dream to buy a home is the difficulty in obtaining a mortgage. Since July 2022, stricter rules have applied in Austria for the granting of property loans. Loan applicants must have a deposit worth at least 20 percent of the value of their property to be granted a loan, according to the financial online platform Finanz.at. This means that even applicants with higher incomes may struggle to get their dream financed. 

Furthermore, many loan takers with variable-rate loans, especially those recently obtained, are facing significant challenges. The variable interest rates have increased significantly since the initiation of these loans, resulting in higher monthly repayments, reported Der Standard.

Few people can afford their own home in Austria, especially in Vienna. Photo by Christian Lendl on Unsplash

Experts suggests fixed rate loans and cooperative housing models

Andreas Ederer, Head of Banking at durchblicker.at, recommends loan takers with variable-rate loans to change to fixed-rate loans. He suggests that fixed-rate loans have become more attractive as they are currently cheaper than variable-rate loans, reported Kurier

Unlike fixed-rate loans, which have a steady interest rate throughout the loan term, variable-rate loans can change over time in response to shifts in market conditions or the economy.

Experts also suggest alternative models for increasing affordability. One idea is to create more opportunities for cooperative ownership with mandatory purchase options. This could offer a more affordable option where costs such as maintenance and taxes are shared. According to Der Standard, cooperatives also often have access to loans with better terms.

READ NEXT: How can I move into affordable cooperative housing in Vienna?

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