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PROPERTY

The Local’s 11 insider tips when apartment hunting in Sweden

Taking your first step onto the property ladder is always a big moment, and especially so when you're navigating the housing market in an unfamiliar country. If you're hoping to buy an apartment in Sweden, here's an in-depth guide to the things you should be thinking about.

The Local's 11 insider tips when apartment hunting in Sweden
An estate agent's leaflet of properties for sale. Photo: Janerik Henriksson/TT

Get to grips with the system

As with any process, when it comes to buying an apartment in Sweden there is a specific set of rules to follow.

Usually in Sweden, it’s a good idea to get a lender’s note from a bank before you start attending viewings, and be prepared for the bidding process to begin soon after the viewing, and to be concluded quite quickly (in most cases, at least).

In the past year the market has been quite slow, with many sellers struggling to get anyone to make an offer on their apartment, so if you’re interested in a property you may have more time than you normally would. That said, the market appears to be picking up pace again.

If you haven’t yet got your head around the way the system works in Sweden, you can start by reading The Local’s guide here.

Look for the best deal on your mortgage

When applying for your lender’s note (lånelöfte), it’s worth shopping around to see which offers you can get from different banks, since the bank you have a current account with may not always offer the best deal. So compare them online before actually applying.

It’s possible to take out several lånelöften. Multiple loan applications means multiple credit reports, although this shouldn’t have a negative effect if your finances are otherwise good. You can however choose to go through a loan broker if you’re worried, which means only one credit report will be made, but does cost extra money. 

You don’t actually have to take out your loan with the same bank that gave you a lånelöfte, if you later find a better deal elsewhere.

Union members are often eligible for lower rates as well, and you can contact your union directly to find out more. Since mortgages are typically high, it may even be worthwhile to join a union if you’re not already a member in order to be eligible for the discounted rates.

READ ALSO: Should you join a union as a foreigner in Sweden?

Do further research

Checking out the apartment isn’t just about how it looks, and as a newbie to Swedish society, it can be a challenge to adjust to the system of the housing association (bostadsrättsförening, or simply BRF). There are benefits to this system – for example, it would be the association’s responsibility to fix any problems affecting the “four walls” of the building such as a broken window or plumbing issue. But it also means there are extra things to be aware of. 

Apartment blocks undergo certain kinds of maintenance every so often, which can be an inconvenience when you’re living there. Check when the building last had a stambyte (replumbing). You should also find out if any renovations are scheduled for the outside of the building (fasad).

And do your research into any planned building works in the general area (you can find this information via your local municipality, or simply ask the estate agent).

Think about things like how construction works might disrupt your life, but also whether the finished project would improve or decrease your quality of life, if you’re thinking of the apartment as a long-term investment.

For example, if a tunnelbana station will be opening near the apartment in five years’ time, that would be convenient if you plan to stay long-term and would likely mean your apartment will stay stable or increase in value, but think carefully about the impact of the construction works on your life in the meantime. Be aware that despite stereotypes of Swedish efficiency, construction projects are not always finished at the projected time (especially long-term ones).

Check the building’s finances

On the financial side, it’s important to look into the BRF’s economic state.

If the BRF has high debts, this leaves it vulnerable to changes to the Swedish economy and interest rate, which could force them to raise your monthly service charge (avgift). High debts are most common with newbuild apartments as well as any which have recently undergone major renovations. You can also check the website Alla BRF which gives information about each BRF and gives them an overall grade; these grades are often shown on property site Hemnet too.

Bear in mind that any planned works in the building will cost the BRF money as well as being a potential inconvenience, so they could lead to an increased avgift in future.

You may also want to ask about how many apartments in the building are hyresrätter (first-hand rentals) and how many are bostadsrätter (privately-owned apartments). The best-case scenario is having some hyresrätter which are soon to be converted into bostadsrätter, which is generally positive for the BRF’s finances.

HOUSING ESSENTIALS:

View the apartment thoroughly

When viewing the apartment, don’t get caught up in the estate agent’s spiel – or the beautiful home-styling that many buyers invest in. If possible, take a tape measure with you to check areas so you can be confident your furniture will fit, and take lots of photos.

Look carefully at how the space is used, and if you already own furniture, think about how it could fit into the area. If the apartment has a particularly quirky layout and has furniture that fits it perfectly, you might consider asking if any of those items could be included in the sale.

Head to the windows. You’ll want to check how easy it is to see into the rooms from outside (if you can see into the neighbours’ kitchen, they can probably see into yours), and to open the windows if possible to check the sound level from outside. Are the windows double- or triple-glazed, and are there any obvious sources of noise nearby, such as preschools, pubs, busy roads, or train stations? Think about how much natural light the apartment gets, and where the sun will be in the apartment at different times of day. 

Make sure to check your mobile signal while in the apartment too, since that’s something that’s likely to affect your day-to-day life but can be easily missed at a viewing.

Think about storage

In the big cities, Swedish apartments are often small and that’s especially true for first-time buyers, so think carefully about where you’d store your clothes, where bulky items such as vacuum cleaners and laundry baskets would go, and whether there’s enough surface area in the kitchen to cook comfortably. 

If storage room in a cellar or attic is included, make sure to have a look at that space too. Think about the size of the space as well as security (is the area shared with any neighbouring buildings, and do you need a special code or fob to enter?) and potential worries like damp or pests. 

Test the appliances

Make sure to check as many appliances as possible (the oven, fan, stove, and so on), and test water pressure in the taps and shower. And ask what’s included in the sale; in Sweden it’s common to leave behind appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, but make sure to get that confirmed. 

Investigate the amenities

When you buy an apartment in Sweden, you get access to shared spaces which almost always include a laundry room (tvättstuga) and often storage for bicycles or pushchairs (cykelrum or barnvagnsrum). Some apartment blocks have extra perks such as a shared events room, sauna, gym, or guest apartments, and if those are part of the appeal you should check them out, looking both at their condition and security. If you have a car, make sure to ask about garages and parking spaces too.

And have a look at the general common areas too: the lobby and stairwell, shared balconies, and the garden or courtyard. Think about how well cared-for they are, and ask about any planned renovations to common areas, since these could push up your monthly fee. Having access to an elevator is important for many people, including those who use wheelchairs or pushchairs, but you’ll need to check the size and ask how recently it was last renovated. 

Look out for red flags

It can be easy to get caught up in a beautiful view or a traditional tiled stove, but try not to. Remember to assess the apartment critically, and look out for the things which would negatively impact your quality of life there.

Some of the things which can be hardest (and most expensive) to deal with are water damage, ventilation issues, and pests, so look carefully for signs of those. That means thinking and asking about the air quality, checking for signs of mould and looking for signs of pests (check around the toilet and sink or bathtub, as well as along floor moldings and in kitchen cupboards).

Are renovations needed?

Going for an apartment which needs some work can be a way to get a good deal, but of course you should factor in the potential costs to your calculations. Re-painting a wall isn’t too difficult or costly, but refitting a kitchen or restructuring the floor plan are significant projects.

If an apartment is the right size but wrong layout for you, you might plan to remove or add walls, and you’d need to know which of the walls are load-bearing and look at where the windows are to work out which options would be possible. You’ll also want to ask about the building association (BRF)’s own rules about restructuring.

Ask questions

Think about the things that might not be obvious from a viewing but would affect your day-to-day life if you moved in. You can approach the estate agent for questions, or speak to someone from the board of the housing association. 

Some of the things you might want to find out include the building’s rules regarding pets and smoking, the temperature indoors in different seasons, and whether the radon level has been measured.

You probably already know that in addition to paying towards your mortgage each month, you’ll also be charged a monthly fee (avgift) by the building association. It’s important to ask exactly what’s included in that fee, since it often covers things like heating and TV, but not always. Is internet included? And how does the heating work? Electric radiators in particular can mean higher costs in the winter, if electricity isn’t covered in the avgift.

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MY SWEDISH CAREER

Meet the choir leader on a mission to bring Swedes and immigrants together

Serbian artist, former X Factor judge, and Eurovision backup singer Kristina Kovač would maybe never have landed her Swedish career had it not been for networking. Now she's trying to bring other people together through the help of two new choirs.

Meet the choir leader on a mission to bring Swedes and immigrants together

Kristina Kovač remembers the exact moment she decided to move her family to Stockholm.

“It was in Götgatan, the small part of Götgatan where it goes uphill towards Slussen, and it was a nice day for a change. Blue skies, wonderful Swedish blue skies, and young people, beautiful people, happy people going around with their kids and everything,” she tells The Local.

“I just looked at them and I remembered what normal life is supposed to look like, because that’s one thing that we forgot in Serbia unfortunately.”

After the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Kristina said there was a noticeable change in the atmosphere of the country, where years of struggles had made their mark on society and the people.

“For me it’s important what’s around me, what kind of a setting, are other people happy, are we all together as a nation going to a good place or not. That’s why I needed to go.”

Kristina’s career as a writer and composer had already brought her to many different countries.

She was immersed in the world of music from an early age. Her father, Kornelije Kovač, was a musician, songwriter, composer and producer. Having attended music school, where she learned how to play the piano, she wrote her first song at the age of 13.

At the age of 16, both Kristina and her sister Alexandra sang the backing vocals for the singer who represented Serbia in the Eurovision contest, which took place in Rome in 1991.

In 1995, Kristina and her sister released their first music album, titled K2, with their second album, Malo Soula, being released the following year in 1996. Kristina then dropped her solo album in 2007, and she was a judge and mentor on X Factor Adria in 2013.

Kristina Kovač as a judge on X Factor Adria, the Balkan version of the British music competition franchise. Photo: Private

Her visit to Stockholm was love at first sight, but because Serbia is not a member of the EU, moving to Sweden was far from a matter of packing her bags and getting on the first flight.

Because her grandfather was from Hungary, however, she was able to apply for a Hungarian passport with only one big condition attached to it: she had to learn to speak Hungarian.

“For two years I was on and off with my professor studying. I went to the interview in the embassy, then waited for nine months to hear whether it was OK or not. I had to learn all the time because you must not forget it until you get your passport, so it was really stressful. For me it was very important because it was my only ticket to Sweden, and I knew I wanted to move my family here.”

Kristina Kovač knew as soon as she visited Stockholm that she wanted to move there with her family. Photo: Private

Once she had cleared the hurdles and moved to Stockholm, new challenges appeared.

For three months, Kristina found herself applying to many different job ads and going around with her CV to businesses all across the city, and still struggled to find a job. But she never gave up hope.

“When you’re happy with something big that you’ve done [moving to Stockholm], I was like ‘OK, I’m here now and I’m going to make this work. I’m not going back’,” she says.

It was a chance encounter that eventually helped her land a career in Sweden.

One day, she saw an article about an Australian girl, Grace, who won a competition run by the Abba Museum in Stockholm to become an international member of the Abba Choir and perform at the 40th anniversary of Abba winning Eurovision, and she reached out to her.

After making that connection and telling her that she was looking for a job in Stockholm, Kristina was advised to visit a co-working space where she could work from. That’s where she met a Brit, Tony, a musician, songwriter and entrepreneur, and it would turn out to be a crucial meeting.

When Kristina, frustrated with her job hunt, posted on Facebook that she was considering looking for cleaning jobs since she was not offered a position in any other sector, she received a message from Tony.

They scheduled to meet for a coffee and after three hours of meeting and chatting about what job would suit her best, he called and offered her a job for an AI startup, doing data labelling and office management.

“This is one of those miraculous things where one small thing leads to another small thing which changes your life,” says Kristina. “So, at [age] 45, I got this wonderful chance because of this wonderful man who just did this for me because he saw the potential in me and he wanted to help.”

However, Kristina’s passion for music was still there and after four years she was tired of the office job, so she decided to set up her own music business – K’s Music Hub – and work for herself.

Kristina has been immersed in the music world from a young age. Photo: Private

She’s now getting ready to launch K’s Music Hub’s first project: establishing two choirs.

The first choir is The Melting Pot Collective Choir, inspired by her experience in creating close connections in a new country. They will sing contemporary pop and rock music, from classics to contemporary hits.

“The concept is to have both immigrants and Swedes. But the whole point is to bring people together,” she says, noting how she’s found some of the Swedish stereotypes not to be true.

“I’ve been hearing complaints from people who moved here like ‘oh, they’re cold, they don’t want to be friends and they’re like this’ and people always complain. I was always defending the Swedes in the sense of, ‘wait a minute, they’re not cold, they’re just shy’,” she says.

She encourages other newcomers not to be afraid of taking the first step to befriend Swedes.

“It’s their culture. They were brought up not to initiate, not to push themselves upon people. So, the initiative has to come from us, the newcomers, but they always respond very positively to any initiative.”

The second choir is called Brotherhood and Childhood – a play on words as the words are very similar in Serbian – and is aimed at bringing together people from the former Yugoslavia.

“I really want people to love each other for being people, for being good, for being kind, for loving music, for being talented, for doing something together, creative,” she says.

Like all other aspects of her company, Kristina will be overseeing both choirs.

“I will be the choir leader and the vocal arranger.” Along with that she will be “doing the rehearsals, teaching people, helping members articulate their voices and working on vocal technique during the choir rehearsals”.

There will be a group audition for The Melting Pot Choir on March 12th and for the Brotherhood and Childhood Choir on March 13. The spring semester will consist of 12 rehearsals with the final performance taking place in June.

Nevertheless, Kristina explains that the criteria are not difficult to meet.

“I had many questions from people who wanted to apply. How good do I need to be? I say, you don’t have to be overly good. You don’t have to be a great singer. You just have to be able to carry a tune in tune. It is quite enough to be able to carry a tune and have the basic choir singing skill – sticking to your line while other people stick to theirs. That should be quite enough for the choir to sound great in no time.”

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