Renting

The chances of finding apartments for rent vary greatly from region to region. In general, availability is significantly lower in urban areas, especially in large cities, while prices there are significantly above the Swedish average. 

To find an apartment for rent you can look for adverts in the local/regional newspaper or, where they exist, contact municipal housing agencies. Alternatively, you can contact private housing companies. You can find these in the phone book under ‘Bostadsföretag’. The average rent (January 2008) for two rooms and a kitchen varies between SEK 4 600 and 5 600/month. 

Buying 
If you want to buy your own home, you should look for suitable properties in the local/regional newspapers or contact an estate agent. You can also contact private housing companies. HSB (a housing cooperative) and Riksbyggen (the Cooperative Housing Association) are two of the leading nationwide housing companies which you will find in the phone book. You will also find lists of apartments and houses for sale on the Internet. 
The national average for a small house (2008) is SEK 1 575 000. 

Bostadsrätt (tenant ownership rights) 
This form of housing is a cross between renting and owning your home. A tenant-owners’ housing association is a cooperative association whose members jointly own and manage houses, land and communal areas. When you buy a tenant-owners’ housing association apartment, once approved you become a member of the tenant-owners’ housing association. You pay a capital contribution to the seller and a monthly fee to the association to cover communal operating and maintenance costs. 
The national average for tenant ownership rights (2008) is SEK 1 080 000. 

There are very large variations in price between large cities and rural areas for small houses and tenant ownership rights.

Text last edited on: 11/2009