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Seven reasons why Swedes make the best housemates in the world

There's no one better to live with than a Swede, according to Oliver Gee, who's lived among Swedes for eight years.

Published: 26 December 2017 07:59 CET
Seven reasons why Swedes make the best housemates in the world
Everyone deserves a Swede in the house. Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

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If you're thinking about moving in with a Swede – whether it's your partner, friend, or mother-in-law – I can tell you that you're in for a treat.

You see, there's no better housemate than a Swede. Here's why.

1. They respect your personal space

Swedes have a deep-seated fear of getting too close to people physically. The late, great Swedish etiquette expert Magdalena Ribbing once told me it had something to do with the fact that Sweden is so big and empty and that “people hadn't been talking to each other for a long time”.

If you've ever seen Swedes lining up for a bus you'd know that the importance of personal space lives on. In terms of housemates, you can bet your bottom krona that your Swede will give you plenty of space – because they want their own! 

2. They understand cosiness – heck, they invented it!

No-one does cosiness like the Swedes, not even the Danes. Yes, you'll no doubt have heard about the Danish lifestyle of hygge, which is basically just a Danish version of mysighet, but which has apparently gone viral over the past few years. If you want comfort and cosiness, the Swedes will nail it every time, and they won't brag about it like the Danes do. Step inside a Swedish home, especially in the winter, and you'll be floored by how comfortable it seems. Candles and mood lighting, fresh flowers and cosy blankets, the Swedes know what they're doing.


Don't even try to out-mysa a Swede. You'll never succeed. Photo: Malin Hoelstad/SvD/TT

3. They (probably) know how to bake lussebullar

There's no better Swedish treat than the lussebulle, a saffron bun that's hugely popular at Christmas time. And as luck would have it, all Swedes apparently inherit the recipe at birth, and magically pop them out every time the New Year approaches. I came home the other day to warm lussebullar on the kitchen table and I just about passed out with happiness. If saffron isn't your thing, don't fret, Swedes have loads of baked goods up their sleeves, so you can probably expect sweet treats throughout the year. Don't ask questions, just keep encouraging them to make more.

READ ALSO: How to survive living with Swedes (five handy hacks)


Lussekatter, passed down from generation to generation of Swede. Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

4. There's no one better to take on an Ikea trip

This one might sound like a joke but I'm deadly serious. Once I took my Swedish fiancée to Ikea and she looked at a chest of drawers and said “Oh wow, they make this in blue now”. I couldn't believe it. She actually knew the catalogue so well that she noticed a colour change. And the Swedes, as a rule, actually enjoy going to Ikea (something to do with the meatballs, as I understand). This means that when it's time to furnish your home, you'll have an expert on hand to help. And as a bonus, the Swedes can actually pronounce the names of the furniture.

They even enjoy it. Photo: Tomas Oneborg/SvD/TT

5. They worship coffee

If you like coffee, then you'll like the Swedes, because coffee is their lifeblood. Surveys often point out that the Swedes are among the thirstiest coffee drinkers on the planet, and you can bet that your household will never run dry. Having a Swede in your house is like sharing your office with a British tea-drinker – you can guarantee there'll be hot drinks flowing faster than you can say påtår (refill). Warning: Swedish coffee is particularly strong, so don't try and keep up with your housemate.


A common sight in a Swedish home. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

6. You'll be saving the planet

The easiest way to horrify a Swede is to throw recyclables in with the regular garbage. Swedes are so good at recycling, in fact, that they've been running out of rubbish in recent years and have had to import it from abroad. If you move in with a Swede you'll have no choice but to follow their revolutionary lead and separate your rubbish. You'll be doing your bit for the planet on the way.


Don't put plastic with paper, whatever you do. Photo: Erik Simander/TT

7. It will be an equal household

And lastly, here's one specifically for those living with a partner of the opposite sex. You guys can rest assured that there's gonna be a strong dose of equality in your household, so you can leave your pre-conceived gender ideas at the front door (along with your shoes, thank you very much). Expect cooperation at every step, when it comes to work, housework, and parental leave – this country does gender equality on steroids and it's no difference in the house! The rest of the world is still catching up on this one, so next time you're washing the dishes, you can consider yourself a trailblazer.


Expect to be an equal partner in a Swedish household. Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

Oliver Gee has worked for The Local Sweden and The Local France. He is currently a freelance journalist in Paris and the host of The Earful Tower podcast. Follow him on Twitter here.

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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.

Published: 7 May 2024 12:30 CEST
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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