The Newbie Guide to Sweden

We explain Sweden

Housing

Temporary housing solutions

It is no secret that we are a lot of people living on this earth. And it is also no secret that a lot of these people tend to want to live in the same places. Big cities all over the world, therefore, experience the same problem – a shortage of reasonable housing solutions.

But that is not all. In the last couple of years, Swedish companies look outside of Sweden to find and employ talented staff with specific skills. As a recruited talent, you often get relocation help but one thing that tends to be tricky is finding a place to stay.

We have written about how to try and find long term accommodation in Sweden and also what to do in a housing emergency but here we want to talk about a temporary housing solution – basically, a place to stay for 1 – 4 months.

What is temporary housing?

Temporary housing is simply put a place to stay for for longer that you’d normally stay in a hotel but shorter than a rental contract. Your best option here is what is mostly called a long stay. This is bigger hotel rooms or smaller hotel apartments that you can rent for a minimum of 30 days and that won’t entirely empty your wallet like if you stayed the same amount of days in a regular hotel.

Now, these long stay options are usually not for everyone and tend to fit best for people who are in Sweden temporarily for work or if you are a newbie who has been recruited by a Swedish company.

How do I find temporary housing?

There are temporary housing solutions in many Swedish cities. Do you know where you will be staying in Sweden? If you do, just google “temporary housing, long stay, aparthotel” or långtidsboende + the name of the city where you will be living.

A complete guide to buying an apartment in Stockholm (Part 1)

By

Written by Teenie Fung

Looking to buying an apartment in Stockholm? Are you browsing on Blocket for rental apartments in Stockholm? Then I highly recommend you to read this article.

In less than 10 months from arriving in Sweden I bought my first apartment in Stockholm at a great bargain. Here are some tips and secrets on how you can also get out of the frantic rental market.

How competitive is the rental market in Stockholm?

  • You are competing with an additional 10,000+ migrants who relocate to Stockholm each year (SCB gov stats, 2017).
  • On 1 single Blocket rental ad, 100+ people are messaging about renting the same flat within a few days of an ad being published.
  • It can take at least 2 months to find a rental apartment in Stockholm. Dealing with scams while using Blocket ads is highly likely.
  • One can easily spend close to/over 40% of your income on rent. It is not uncommon to have to move every 3-6 months to avoid being homeless. It is almost impossible to find a long-term rental contract for more than a year as a foreigner.

Sounds familiar to your current situation? 60-80% of your time is probably spent on merely looking for a place to sleep. The rest of your time and money goes on adapting to the local culture, new work challenges and social life.

However, instead of facing high-costs & a pressure-cooking life-style, it is in fact financially POSSIBLE to buy an apartment in Stockholm. This guide will be split into four parts, providing some insights into how you can settle in like a pro.

Is renting more expensive than buying an apartment?

A 23sqm apartment I rented in Gärdet (Stockholm) for 12,000 SEK/ month in 2017.

The ugly truth is that you, as a foreigner, probably have no idea how much you are currently being overcharged by your landlord.

As an example, let’s say that you are looking for a studio/ 1 bedroom (‘1-2 rum’ in Swedish terms) apartment in Stockholm. Let’s do the math on how much you could have saved each month by buying an apartment:

In reality, it only costs your landlord (the person who lends you the flat) a total of 3,000 kr/ month, including all utility bills and ‘avgift’ (a fee paid to the housing association in English), for a 23sqm apartment. According to the market value on Blocket, you will likely have to pay a monthly rent of around 12,000 kr given the high market demand.

This essentially means that you are paying 4x ( 9000 kr/ month) of what you would have saved if you own the apartment.

Calculation explaining below:

12,000 (Your monthly rent)
-3000 (Your landlord’s total cost)
=9000 kr/month (Amount of money you could have saved by owning the property)

Each year, you are looking at an annual expense of 108,000 kr (=9000*12), extra just in rent alone.

In 3 years, you would lose about 324,000 kr (=9000*12*3) in rent.

In 5 years, your piggy bank would already have half a million extra if you had chosen to buy an apartment instead…and 1 million in 10 years!

Imagine you could have used the 100,000 kr saved each year for travelling, buying another apartment or doing anything else.

You can still be a first-home owner like a Swede.

Who can buy an apartment in Sweden?

Anyone!

  • The rules are the same for Swedish, EU and non-EU. The only difference is that you will, as a foreigner (esp. non-EU), have a 1-2 week longer processing time for your mortgage application and a slightly smaller mortgage if you have been under 3 years in Sweden.

 

  • The buying process is very straight forward. You don’t need to know the Swedish language to buy a house. Google translate is quite useful!

Remember:

  • You must have a full-time job in Sweden and passed your probation for the bank to approve your mortgage

When should I buy an apartment?

Ignore what the media says about a property bubble. All you need is a good location for the apartment and you will be least affected by/shielded from any economic downturn.

You are buying because you need a stable life. That said, research if it’s the right time to buy such as a seasonal offer. Always do your own research before jumping into the market. First, check if the market is likely to bring you a profit or a good bargain if you are to sell in 5 years. Some important indications of a good time to buy now is as shown below.

  • It’s a buyer market:  Property price in Stockholm area fell by 5-10% y-y in Aug 2018, this is a good moment to hunt for bargains. Remember that you are not looking for the deepest plunge, but entering at a good low-mid point from the last price peak is generally good enough. Property prices are most likely to rise in long-term and has been for more than 20 years now (+60%).
Bostadsrätter Prisutveckling in Stockholm
Average Property price per sqm in Stockholm (Svensk maklarstatistik, Oct 2018)
  • Financially viable: Downpayment in Sweden is still historically low at 15%. (e.g. downpayment of a 2.5m flat is 375k). This proportion has increased from 10% to 15% recently, consider that the downpayment is likely to increase followed by a stricter gov policy. Grab a cheaper deal before the next one comes!
  • Easy credit: Sweden has one of the world’s lowest interest rate (1.5%), and longest mortgage repayment period (no rush to pay back) compared to many other modern places such as London and Hong Kong. You can still borrow close to 5x your annual income (reduced to 4.5x from 5x since Jan 2018).
  • Unprecedentedly high demand for a small apartment (<2 rooms) due to migration and immigration: coupled with low construction rate leading to a tight supply. The demand-supply gap is huge (+10,000 migrants vs 3000 newly constructed 1-2 rooms). Prices for small-sized apartments are likely to continue to rise in long-term.
Färdigställda lägenheter i nybyggda hus efter region, hustyp, lägenhetstyp och år
Newly constructed apartments in Stockholm by number of rooms (SCB, Oct 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

Now that you are curious about buying an apartment instead of renting, let’s get down to a step-by-step guide of how you can achieve this in action. Read ‘A complete guide to buying an apartment in Stockholm (Part 2)’ to be published in a couple of weeks. 

 

Disclaimer:

The information presented on this Blog series is shared for entertainment purposes ONLY.  Forecasts, estimates and certain information contained here should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation to invest. Past performance is not indicative of future results.  The Author in no way guarantees any specific outcome or profit.  Investments can lose money over short or even long periods of time.  You should consult your financial advisor before making an investment decision.

About the author

Teenie is a Stockholm-based investment advisor and tech enthusiast. Inspired by the gigantic potential of Stockholm aka ‘Unicorn Factory’, Teenie left her job from a top-tier bank in Hong Kong and moved to Sweden in 2017. She’s also the creator of an online activewear brand (yogafriday.com) and the founder of a fashion community that is still active today in England. At present, Teenie continues to seek for emerging technologies in pursuit of improving everyday living and a better future.

Settle in Sweden within 1 year

By 2 Comments

Written by Teenie Fung

Have you considered moving to Sweden alone? Are you worried about the language, culture, job opportunities, cost of living etc? It can be extremely daunting to move from one place to another. However, life is short but remember that preparation is key and adaptation comes next. 

Do your homework, measure the risk and reward. If the risk is too high to lose, have a backup plan or improve your current situation before rushing for relocation. Nothing is impossible! Here’s how I relocated and settled in Sweden within one year. I hope you can find it useful!

Before relocation

Savings are essential to buffer unforeseen risks of relocation. Once you have a work contract, you will need to apply for a work visa from your home country. The waiting time can go from four months to one year depending on the job/ employer. There are jobs that are prioritized in the application process, be sure to check first with ‘Migrationsverket‘ before applying for any jobs.

1. Learn the culture

  • Think long-term. ‘The sense of belonging’ is crucial when you move to a new country. Do you also have special connection to Sweden?
  • Make some friends from Sweden in the country you are currently residing in. Join activities organized by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and other Swedish-related organizations/meet-ups. Get to know the Swedish community!
  • Learn the Swedish history and traditions! Sweden is full of heritage and rich culture. You will enjoy more Sweden if you know more about it.
  • Buy a book to learn basic Swedish!
  • Visit Sweden during short holiday breaks and meet up with your Swedish friends!

E-learning courses

Feel a bit overwhelmed about all the stuff you need to learn and do before, during and after your move to Sweden? We’ve got you covered with some of our great and affordable digital courses:

2. Line up job interviews

  • The worst thing when coming to Sweden is to have no income and waiting for a miracle to happen. If you haven’t already done your homework, 70% of the population in Sweden are Swedes. The majority of jobs in Sweden require a very good level of the Swedish language.
  • The best strategy is to prepare for multiple job interviews and be as prepared as possible.
  • Set goals and stay motivated.

How to land job offers in Sweden?

Work out every possibility you can think of. Just do it! Don’t only submit your CV to Arbetsförmedlingen if you are a young professional with work experience and a university degree.

  • Get referrals from your current network, don’t be afraid to ask! Network, network and network. This is how I got my first job in Sweden!
  • Check if your current employers have offices in Sweden. If so, you can try to request a transfer wherever appropriate.
  • Leverage your skill sets: Focus your job search on the industry that you have the longest work experience in (at least 2 years). Think from the employer’s point of view. Why they should hire someone from outside Sweden when they can hire someone close to them with the same skill set? Know your strengths. Apply to jobs where you are in a more advantageous position compared to a local.
  • Apply to companies with international business exposure. They are the ones who are most likely to hire foreigners. Know the hiring season in Sweden. June to Aug and Nov-Jan are holiday seasons in Sweden. Job opportunities during these months are extremely low, hence it’s best that you don’t end up in Sweden without a job especially at this time of the year. The best way is to relocate just before the hiring season. Meeting employers in person will hugely increase your chances of getting hired than a Skype/phone interview.
  • Create a long list of companies you want to work for on excel. Do your research on them and mark down your application status.
  • Find jobs that don’t require Swedish in the job description. Don’t waste time applying for jobs where the Swedish language is a must.
  • Try connecting with employees of the companies you want to work for on Linkedin by sending a short note to express interests and ask constructive questions. Speak to Headhunters if possible.
  • Make international cold calls: Sweden is a very open and transparent country. You will easily find a phone number and email address on many company websites. Be brave and make a call to a decision maker for a job interview. Make sure you prepare before the call! Buy an unlimited monthly plan on Skype for 75 KR/ month (much cheaper than using roaming or calling cards) and get a Swedish phone number  It shows that you have interests in moving to Sweden.
  • Go to Career Fairs in universities (e.g. Stockholm School of Economics) and meet employers in person. Bring your CV. You can do that during your short holiday trip.
    First day of work in Stockholm!
    The first day of work in Stockholm!

Most importantly…

  • Know the visa process from head to toe. Call ‘Migrationsverket‘ and ask all the questions you can think of. The queue on the telephone line is extremely long, but it’s worth it! Consult them about the work visa process and your nationality. Most employers don’t know the process. Knowing the process will get you one step closer to landing an offer.

Understand that Sweden is not as international as big cities like London, Hong Kong, Paris and New York. Yet, Stockholm is one of the most innovative cities in the world. The Swedish economy survives by exporting,  so there will always be jobs here for foreigners. Locals are very welcoming despite the recent immigration problem. You just need to find like-minded people as everywhere else in the world!

Ring the bell with me in Nasdaq Stockholm when you are ready!

3. Accommodations:

Watch out for scams! There are many scams online if you try to find accommodation before visiting the flat in person.

  • Ask your friends and new colleagues for short term stay accommodation. Stay in a hotel or Airbnb.
  • Find rental apartments on Blocket and visit the apartment.
  • It’s great to experience living in different areas in Stockholm as an expat. Later on, you may want to buy an apartment to cope with the endless moving.

How to identify scams

The so-called ‘landlord’ might pretend to get to know about you. You may have even Skyped with the person. They might create multiple fake ‘flatmates’ to email you and try to ‘get to know you’. But this person can still be fake.

  • Ask the person for a personal number and full name (This is a unique number given to all Swedish citizens). You can search the person’s information online on hitta.se as there’s no secrets in Sweden! If you don’t find a matching name, personal number and address of this person and its property, then it is a fake. If they refuse to provide you with their personal number, they are likely to be scams no matter what excuses they give.
  • They only want you to send money to a bank account outside Sweden e.g. Spain. That’s because they want to cover up their traces in Sweden in case you reach out to the police.
  • The person disregards you right away when you insist to visit the flat first in person. That’s because they don’t really have one!
  • The contract is too simple – google “scam contract” and check if you have the same copy. Google what terms there should be on a normal contract.

Check for other warnings here on another newbie post.

After relocation: First year in Sweden

1. Welcome to Sweden! Now, get yourself into the happy circle of Sweden!

  • Reconnect with your Swedish friends from the country you previously live in. Make new friends through group hangouts!
  • Go to events organized by Meetup and Eventbrite
  • It’s a modern world. Use different apps on your phone to enlarge your network of friends, but be safe!
  • As everyone says, the fastest way to learn Swedish is to be in contact with a Swedish. And the best way to fall in love with Sweden! I met my boyfriend, John, in Sweden coincidently soon after I started my new life here. He’s a great person with a lovely family!
  • Buy warm clothes! As the Swedish say: “Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder.” Appreciate the darkness and snow. Get candles and make your home a nice and cozy place.

2. Register for SFI and attend as many classes as possible.

I work full time and I attend Swedish classes every Monday and Wednesday after work from 17.30 to 20.30.

  • You need Swedish to live in Sweden. Everything is in Swedish except the airport and the main train station. Respect local culture and learn the language like you would also want others to respect your own when they are in your country. Eventually, this will open many doors you have never believed possible before. When you finish SFI, you can do this.
  • You will meet like-minded friends with a similar background. They will most likely become your lifelong friends in Sweden.
  • You are more likely to pass SFI exams when you set a goal with your classmates. Study with your friends and help each other even outside the course.

3. Travel to as many places as possible in/near Sweden.

  • Take a trip to Sälen for skiing, Båstad for the beach, Visby for the medieval week, Copenhagen for city exploration and the 10,000 Swedish islands on the archipelago!

Skiing in Sälen
Skiing in Sälen
Beach life in Båstad, Sweden
Beach life in Båstad, Sweden

 

Parliament in Copenhagen
Parliament in Copenhagen

And here you go! You will settle in in no time! Lycka till! (Good luck)

 

About the author

Teenie is a Stockholm-based investment advisor and tech enthusiast. Inspired by the gigantic potential of Stockholm aka ‘Unicorn Factory’, Teenie left her job from a top-tier bank in Hong Kong and moved to Sweden in 2017. She’s also the creator of an online activewear brand (yogafriday.com) and the founder of a fashion community that is still active today in England. At present, Teenie continues to seek for emerging technologies in pursuit of improving everyday living and a better future.

How Expensive is Sweden?

By Leave a Comment

Written by Karen Roldan

We all know that Sweden belongs to one of the most expensive countries. But, how expensive is Sweden? I say it is really worth it because of the quality of life here. Nonetheless, if you just moved, the first thing that you should not do is convert the expenses in Sweden to your currency back home. 

When moving to a different country, our main concern is the monthly expenses. I have only been living in Sweden for less than a year. Comparing the cost of living in Sweden vs the cost of living in the Philippines, it is obvious to say that it is much more expensive in Sweden. Well, in some cases. During my first few weeks, people have been asking me about how expensive is Sweden.

Average monthly expenses in Sweden

A little bit of background about my living situation: I am living alone and working full-time in Stockholm. So, I spend most of my days in the office. I may not have a crystal clear picture of my monthly costs, but so far, here’s the breakdown of my average expenses in Sweden with a bit of information that might give you a clearer picture.

Housing: SEK 12.000

I am renting a 40m² 2-room fully-furnished apartment with separate kitchen. Fortunately, this includes electricity/gas, water, heating, internet and cable TV. If you want to know more about the average price of renting an apartment in Stockholm, read this.

Food & Groceries: SEK 2.000 to 3.000

I am not much of an eater, and I usually cook my meals so I am saving much more. Though, there are days when I buy my lunch if I didn’t have time to cook.

Transportation: SEK 860

Now, if you live in Stockholm, and you commute more often, it is advisable to buy an SL-access travel card with longer validity. A 30-day validity costs SEK 860.

Other expenses: SEK 2.000

  • Mobile phone contract: as low as SEK 149
  • Shopping: as low as SEK 100
  • Haircut: SEK 200

Quick fact about how much money you need in Sweden

If you are moving to Sweden to work, according to Migrationsverket, SEK 13.000 salary is enough.

You are offered an employment that enables you to support yourself. In order to achieve the demand for livelihood, you must work to the extent that the salary will reach at least SEK 13,000 in the month before tax.

In addition to that, if you are studying in Sweden, the maintenance requirement is only SEK 8.190 per month.

The maintenance requirement for people applying during 2017 is at least SEK 8,064 per month. For applications that are received by the Migration Agency on 1 January 2018 or later the maintenance requirement is at least SEK 8,190 per month.

Tips on how to save more

  1. Rent a shared apartment. I have checked and found out that you can rent a room that costs SEK 4.000 to SEK 5.000 depending on the location.
  2. But, if you don’t want to share an apartment with others, you can also rent cheaper apartments outside the Stockholm city center.
  3. If you want to have some exercise and spend less on transportation, you can cycle to school or work or other places.
  4. Cook your own food as much as possible.
  5. Compare prices when buying your groceries.
How do you budget your expenses? What do you think, how expensive is Sweden? Would love to read your comments below!

Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

About the author

Hi! I’m a 25-year-old travel and lifestyle blogger at https://karenroldan.net. I love pastel colours, dogs and all things teal, turquoise or aqua – basically all simple things. A few months ago, I moved to Stockholm from the Philippines for work. Being new to Sweden, I am still exploring and getting to know more about this beautiful country.

What to Expect the First Year (in Sweden)

By Leave a Comment

Written by Hayu Hamemayu

People say the first year of everything is actually the hardest. What about the first year living in Sweden? Well, it’s not easy, I must say. But, if you know what to expect, you will know how to deal with that.

1. Bureaucracy

Welcome to Sweden!
First thing first: get your personnumer and your Swedish ID as soon as possible. These two things are essential for your new life in Sweden. Brace yourself during these times, as Skatteverket will be your number one office to visit. Expect a long queue so come to the office early. Make sure you provide every document they need and double check no document is missed.

Then, whenever you are in doubt, ask!

I know that coming to Skatteverket office over and over can be really exhausting (and boring!), but it is unquestionably important to keep your eyes on the whole process. I personally had quite an experience with Skatteverket when my personnumer application was rejected but I didn’t know it sooner because for some reasons I didn’t receive the rejection letter. Later I knew it was because my residence permit was almost expired at that time so I needed to renew it first to be able to apply for personnumer. Thus, if you found something suspicious with your application, like the duration of the process or no reply after two weeks, do not hesitate to check it in nearby Skatteverket office.

2. Language

Feeling confused with Swedish? Relax. You’re not the only one. Luckily, Swedish has some quite similar words to English and they both are Subject-Verb-Object language, so you can guess the meaning based on familiar words as a starter (be aware of “slut” and “bra” though as they have totally different meanings 😀 ).

My newbie advice is to understand the pattern, especially for simple daily conversation.

When you shop in supermarket, for instance, most of the times the shopkeeper will only ask you two questions. First, “Do you have a member card (medlem)?”. Second, “Do you want/need the receipt (kvitto)” These are both the yes and no questions; so, you can simply answer them with “Ja” or “Nej.” Then, when you shop in any stores other than supermarket, there will be another frequently asked question which is: “Do you need a bag?”. Again, it’s a polar question and you can reply it with “yes” or “no”. Once you’ve understood the pattern, you will reach that level of Swedish I call: “Enough to survive” 😀

3. Food

For you who come from other parts of the world where foods are cooked with various herbs and layer of spices, like me, you may find getting spicy foods in Sweden is bit hard. But again, there’s something to anticipate. Most herbs and spices can be found in the “Livsmedelbutik” or “Livs” which simply means grocery. Search on Google for Livs in your area by using these keywords: “Kina” (Chinese), “Thai”, “Asiatisk” (Asian) or “Arabiska” (Arabic). Or, you can simply go to chain supermarkets and find the Asian section. Their collection is limited but it’s still better than nothing.

4. Weather

The template weather in Sweden isn’t just cold, but also windy. And it’s changing pretty quickly so we need to be always well prepared. Install at least two weather apps in your phone for comparison, then prepare the following weather essentials: wind and rain and snow proof jacket/coat, strong umbrella (the one that doesn’t easily blown away), waterproof shoes/boots, skincare products, vitamins and if you have young kid, that overall dress is definitely a must.

5. Housing

There’s nothing unusual with moving around in Sweden. I’ve been living in Sweden for a year now and I’m going to move to my 3rd place by the end of this month. Finding house or apartment is indeed really challenging, especially during the first year. Thus, soon after your arrival, sign your email address up and queue in as many housing providers as possible, both public or private ones. Then, join Facebook groups, Blocket, BoPoolen or any other housing related services in your area. Beware of the scams though.

No matter how desperate you are, never send any money before you see, in person, the place you’re going to rent.

6. Social Life

Moving to a new place can create lonesomeness sometimes. Before the homesick hits you, check the international hubs in your area regularly. They often create event, gathering, tour, seminar, workshop, or other activities. Use Facebook to discover events near you, or visit interesting places like museums or the state library to spend the day. The libraries in Sweden always have different language sections so you do not need to worry about language. Another option is to do voluntary works. You can find these kind of works in the international hubs’ websites, in your kommun’s website or even your kid’s school websites (this particular one applied to me). By doing this, you will meet new people, experience new things, and create new circles.

Now that you’ve known what to expect during the first year in Sweden, I think you are ready for the second one. And counting! ☺

Hayu Hamemayu is a Lund-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, Kompas, Majalah Kartini, and Indonesia Travel Magazine among others. A traveller mommy by nature and random thinker by inclination, she keeps memories in her Instagram @hayuhamemayu and writes her everyday stories in her blog.

How to find accommodation in Sweden

By 1 Comment

When I first moved to Sweden I was fascinated with the way the country was governed and with all the rights and advantages that all residences can obtain. With its free health care, tuition-free universities, advanced technology, care for the environment, kindness of the people, the student’s aid CSN… Sweden seemed like the perfect country to me and I thought that nothing could be hard to get or achieve here.

However, this assumption was proven wrong when my family and I had to look for an apartment after our contract was close to expiring. Living in a big city like Göteborg as we did at that time, finding an apartment in the city was extremely hard. Therefore, we had to search for an accommodation in the nearest, relatively big towns like Vänersborg, Trollhättan, Uddevalla, etc.

This wasn’t any easier however… We spent a month trying to find an accommodation in any of the towns around Göteborg, but it was a lot harder than we thought.

With only one month left before our contract would expire, we decided to look everywhere around the country: in big cities, small towns, south, east, west, even the very north where the sun never sets in the summer and never rises in the winter. A few days before we had to leave our apartment to an unknown destination, we were lucky enough to find an apartment in the small town called Ludvika – a completely foreign place to us, but it was better than living on the streets.

Government employees` kindness disappears when you ask them about accommodation

 When we were searching for an accommodation, we tried to ask for help, explaining our situation and the fact that we would not have a place to live after our contract expired. We asked many different places like the Kommun, migrationsverket, arbetsförmedlingen, försäkringskassan and landlords for help but they all responded in the same way: a straight-up, cold NO, while also not being open for discussion or trying to find a solution to the situation.

I learned after that, that this is just the Swedish way of dealing with these kinds of issues; there are strict rules that everyone needs to follow despite any essential needs, with a complete lack of any sort of flexibility.

My experience with finding an accommodation

 Not long after my family and I moved to Ludvika, I had to move to Västerås to continue my studies. As Västerås is the fifth biggest city in Sweden and has a central location not very far from Stockholm, it was very hard to find an accommodation there. Therefore, I had to use public transportation for a long time – which took me two and a half hours – before I finally found an apartment in Västerås. Since then, I’ve moved three times within the city and I’ve gotten many offers for different types of accommodation.

Here are some tips for those of you who are looking for an accommodation

If you are a student

 If you are studying at a university or collage you can probably contact your university for a student accommodation. Almost all universities and collages have student apartments or rooms. However, you need to be registered on the landlord’s website in order to have a better chance at getting the place. The earlier you register, the more points you get (usually one point per day) and when many students show an interest in an apartment, the company invites the one who has the most points. You can find these companies by searching for ‘studentbostäder’ and the name of the city.

Most of the municipalities do not offer high school students any accommodation but some of them do. Therefore, if you are a high school student you need to write to the municipality or the landlord and explain your situation to them and include the reason as to why you need the apartment.

Non-students (applies for students as well)

You need to be aware of the difficulty of finding an accommodation in the same city that you are hoping for, especially if it’s a big city. You should keep in mind that you may have to live in a smaller town until you can move to a bigger city. However, sometimes you get offers on accommodations in big cities after searching continuously for a few weeks.

The first step you need to take is to register yourself on the landlords’ websites in your city. These websites offer a big number of apartments with first-hand contracts (permanent contracts), and you can find them on the municipality’s website or by searching for ‘bostäder’ and the name of the city.

However, the queuing system requires a very long waiting period before getting an apartment. It takes from a year (in small towns) to fifteen years (in big cities).

Many people hear of the long waiting period and therefore they decide to not register themselves. That is a big mistake, because time passes fast and after a few years you will have enough points to get a first-hand contract. In addition, some of these websites offer something called HemDirekt.

Hemdirekt

When registering on a landlord’s website, HemDirekt is the first thing you want to look for. Apartments that are labelled with a “HemDirekt” sign do not undergo the queuing system. Every company has its own policy for HemDirekt apartments but it can either be the one who shows interest for the apartment first that gets it (in this case you should keep an eye on the website and get the app on your phone if there’s one available, so that whenever a HemDirekt apartment is up you will be notified and can press the interest button), or the system will choose an applicant randomly (in this case you can choose to receive an e-mail whenever a HemDirekt apartment is up). You can read more about this on the landlord’s website.

Second-hand accommodation

 These are apartments, houses or rooms that someone already owns or they already have a permanent contract with a landlord. The contracts for the second-hand accommodations vary between 6 months up to 2 years. You can find this type of accommodation by asking your friends if they or someone they know are willing to rent out their apartment/room. You can also search for it on Facebook pages and groups that offer this kind of accommodation in your city, and you can always search for something on Blocket.

Blocket

Blocket served me the best when it came to finding apartments. You can register for free and download the app on your phone. On www.blocket.se you can look under the heading ‘Bostad’ and choose the sub-heading ‘Uthyres’, then you can pick the city, number of rooms, maximum rent, etc.

You basically just need to read the description and if you are interested you can contact the owner. In order to stand out and have a better chance at being offered the place, you need to write a good e-mail to the owner. A good e-mail should include the following:

  • An introduction of yourself.
  • An explanation as to why do you need this apartment/room.
  • Ensuring the owner that you have the money to pay (student loan, salary, etc.)
  • A reference letter if available.

Put yourself in the owner’s shoes: what would you want from a tenant?

Finally and most importantly; don’t give up! It may take a month or two of constantly searching, but if you follow these tips you will find an accommodation eventually.

Get more tips on the Newbie Guide’s housing section.

Good luck!

Written by Liam Aljundi

Liam is twenty years old and graduated from high school 2014 in Turkey. Currently he is redoing a more advanced program (International Baccalaureate Diploma) in Västerås. He has a great love for Mathematics and chemistry (science geek!) and is also interested in Metaphysics. He is a volleyball player and loves camping, hiking, biking and traveling.

Find accommodation in Sweden

There are many websites and online services that can help you find accommodation in Sweden. Here we walk you through the pros and cons of the more common ones.

Partly advertised by Hemavi & Bostadshub

Disclaimer: To keep The Newbie Guide free, we use affiliate links and may get a commission if you click and buy using these links. These links are marked with a star (*). This does not affect our opinions and our writers always recommend their best for your Swedish experience.

Rental agencies and websites

Here are a few places you can start with in your search for a place to stay. We wish you the best of luck in your search and send you a reminder to be careful out there as there are many people trying to trick you into paying for rentals that don’t exist. We have created a “how to avoid rental fraud guide” that is part of our course Preparing your move to Sweden that can be worth checking out for you.

Bostadshub

Bostadshub is a housing portal that makes it easier for tenants and landlords to find each which will of course make it quicker to find a new home. Bostadshub has been in the rental property market for over 20 years and has almost 2 million visitors each year – so they know what they are doing:-).

Main benefits

  • They have over 20.000 apartments on their plattform. So there really should be something for you.
  • They have apartments all over Sweden, so a good fit if regardless if you live in small or large cities.
  • Sign up, set your housing requirements and get information regularly about new housing that fits your needs. 
  • Spend less time looking for places and more time on contacting landlords of interesting apartments. 
  • Bostadshub has a skilled and friendly customer service team that is available by email and phone.

Hemavi

Are you a student or moving to Sweden on your own? Then Hemavi can be just the thing for you. Hemavi is a really cool algorithm-based matchmaking platform for roommates and shared accommodations, and the first of its kind in Sweden.

When you sign up to Hemavi, you become part of their matchmaking engine which allows you to see information about your potential roommate so that you can tell from the start if you are a good match – or not. So if you are for instance a serial pickler, the algorithm won’t match you with someone who hates the smell of pickles:-)

Main benefits

  • Browse rooms, contact verified landlords, and secure your next accommodation seamlessly.
  • Every landlord on Hemavi undergoes a verification process. When you finalize a lease through Hemavi, rest assured with a money back guarantee on your deposit.
  • You don’t need a Swedish Personal Identity Number to apply or sign rental agreements with us.
  • With Hemavi, you are guaranteed a 100% scam-free booking process.
  • Their dedicated team offers personalized support throughout your rental journey, ensuring you have a smooth and pleasant experience.

Samtrygg

Samtrygg* is a safe marketplaces for subleasing in Sweden. They help you find a place to rent OR to sublease your own accommodation in a smooth and hassle-free way.

Main benefits:

  • Possible to apply and sign rental agreements without a Swedish Personal Identity Number.
  • Home insurance included for 30 days (also without a Swedish Personal Identity Number.
  • Free to search for housing, book viewings or create an ad as a landlord.
  • They are confident enough in their product to say it is 100 % free from fraud. And you will never have to pay deposits to strangers.
  • They offer personal service throughout the rental process.
  • All tenants and landlords take part of their sublease insurance and safe agreements.
  • With a free profile at Samtrygg you can book viewings on current objects but you’ll also receive notifications when new housing that fill your requirements become available – new ads are published daily.
  • All information is available in English.

Blocket.se

Blocket.se is the biggest classified ads website in Sweden with a lot of rentals posted every day, but also the place that most people use, so the competition here is high. However, it does come with some down-sides for Newbies:

  • most ads are in Swedish (see insider tip below)
  • competitive: landlords receive a huge amount of inquiries so it’s difficult to get an answer. So make sure to write a good rental application. Learn more here.
  • There is a high risk of fraudulent ads on Blocket so be very careful not to pay for anything that seems to good to be true. Check out our “how to avoid rental fraud guide” that is part of our course Preparing your move to Sweden if you want to learn about the most common types of fraud.

Tips about blocket.se

Translate the ads from Swedish: Use the browser Google Chrome and right click to select “Translate to English” to read a translation of the ad in English. The translation is not perfect but it’s good enough to make a decision.

BostadDirekt.com

BostadDirekt.com is a website where you can find a lot of rooms and apartments. The website has an English version (for the menus and help pages) but the available rentals are usually in Swedish. You can search their website for free but if you want access to the landlords’ contact information you can subscribe for 695 SEK for 30 days. The downsides are:

  • a bit pricey
  • there is no easy way to spot new listings, so you will spend a lot of time trying to spot the new apartments posted after your previous visit.

Tips about BostadDirekt.com

Once you’ve made a first filter, use the chrome translate this page feature and it will translate all the ads at once (until you make another search)

When you pay, you create a personal profile which the landlords have access to. Some landlords prefer to pick tenants manually instead of placing a listing, so if you add plenty of information to your profile you can be contacted by them.

Facebook Groups

There are plenty of Facebook groups for people looking for accommodation in Sweden. The most common posts are shared rooms or individual flats (1 room) but even if you are looking for a bigger apartment it’s always worth a try. A plus is that you can meet people who already live in the city.

The biggest English speaking groups for Stockholm are:

Tips about Facebook groups

Facebook groups are usually closed groups. Apply to join and then check them daily because when a property is posted there the landlords get PMs quite fast. There is a high risk of fraudulent ads on Blocket so be very careful not to pay for anything that seems to good to be true. Check out our “how to avoid rental fraud guide” that is part of our course Preparing your move to Sweden if you want to learn about the most common types of fraud.

How to find home help or skilled craftsmen in Sweden

By Leave a Comment

Written by Anne Pihl

The internet is flooded with the news of IKEA’s purchase of startup TaskRabbit, an on-demand platform for hiring people to do everything from build furniture to stand in line for you at the Apple Store.  With IKEA’s backing it’s bound to become a new household name.

Great news for anyone who hates assembling IKEA furniture. Also music to the ears of anyone who loves the convenience of hiring someone local to simply come to your home and help you with things you either can’t or don’t want to do yourself.

How did Sweden ever get by before TaskRabbit and what are your current options?

If you’ve recently moved to Sweden, you’re probably short of contacts for plumbers, electricians and other essential services, which can be a real headache when the need or a real emergency arises. Worse still, your neighbours might seem to do everything themselves.

A nation of DIY experts

Sweden has a proud history of DIY, not least because of the enormous success of IKEA and self-assembly. A combination of tradition, practical training in schools and high taxes on services has ensured a high level of competence and confidence when it comes to DIY.

Most Swedish homeowners wouldn’t think twice about carrying out minor repairs or renovations and many are happy to attempt much larger projects. Long annual holidays and a high level of ownership of country cottages, often in isolated areas, have also been important factors in encouraging and sustaining DIY skill levels.

ROT and RUT changed everything in Sweden

The relatively recent introduction of tax breaks for household services, maintenance and improvements (ROT and RUT deductions) has had a big impact on Swedish homeowner’s dedication and commitment to DIY. These new tax deduction opportunities have coincided happily with a period of sustained strong economic growth in Sweden and huge increases in property values, making homeowners feel wealthier and more willing to outsource services.

Having help to clean your home for example, has become normal and acceptable over the last 10 years in a way that would have been unthinkable before, not least because of Sweden’s socialist traditions.

An explosion of service providers

This tax development also led to the creation of a multitude of service providers offering everything from household services to help with homework, leaving many Swedes wondering how they ever coped before. The impact of global giant IKEA getting behind a service company like TaskRabbit is also likely to have a huge impact on attitudes to DIY. TaskRabbit may become as synonymous with household tasks as Uber has become with taxis. Swedes’ innate ability to assemble furniture may even be lost from their DNA forever!

Current options for outsourcing household services and skilled craftspeople in Sweden

There are a number of platforms for hiring people in Sweden for things you can’t or don’t want to do. Here are three of them.

  1. Offerta.se
    This site helps you to find a service company who can help you in your home or at work. You write a description of your needs and get up to 6 quotes from which you choose one. Tasks profiled on the site include cleaning, moving services & transport, building & renovation, gardening, building maintenance, architects and interior design, financial and legal assistance, web/IT and design.
  2. Task Runner
    TaskRunner offers a network of individuals who can provide help on demand and a quote for the work you need done. You choose who you want to hire. Tasks profiled on their website include assembling IKEA furniture, gardening, help with moving, transports to the dump/recycling stations, handymen/craftsmen.
  3. Veterankraft
    This company enables you to hire a pensioner for the work you need done and has over 30 offices in Sweden. Tasks profiled include gardening, cleaning, painting, handymen/craftsmen, care of the elderly, and last but not least, hiring an extra grandparent.

Need help?

Unfortunately Swedish is required to use the above sites and may be needed to have satisfactory communication with the service provider. If you need help using these sites, information on tax deductions for household services or even better, a good old fashioned recommendation for help from someone tried and trusted, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a consultation or to arrange project management. We provide a full range of support services for newcomers to Sweden. See www.relocatetosweden.com

 

About the author

An Irish expat in Stockholm. I moved to Sweden in 1998 with my Swedish husband and new-born daughter after living and working in England, Germany and Ireland. With nearly two decades of experience of living, working and raising a family in Sweden, I now help other expats moving to Sweden through my relocation company.

Our top posts on finding a home

By Leave a Comment

Finding a place to stay is wayyyyy up high on every newbies to do-list – no matter if you move to Sweden or any other country. And here is the not so good news – finding accommodation in the bigger cities, is getting harder by the minute. 

But do not give up just yet, we have a bunch of newbies and oldbies on here who share their experiences, thoughts and tips on finding a place to call home.

And because sometimes you may need a bit of help

Housing allowance

And finally – when you have found your home, it’s time to invite your new Swedish friends

What to expect from a Swedish visitor

What is the average price of renting an apartment in Stockholm?

By Leave a Comment

Written by Anne Pihl

Rents in Stockholm continue to soar following the relaxation of controls over how much landlords can charge for sublets.

The average rental price for sublets in Stockholm is now 12 597 SEK per month which is 39 % higher than the national average of 9056 SEK, according to the latest quarterly survey by property rental site Qasa.  It’s also more than double the average rental price of other Swedish cities such as Linköping, just 2 hours drive away, where the average rental price is 5 475 SEK.

Sublets are the only real option for anyone who is moving to Stockholm or other major Swedish cities and looking to rent an apartment. This is because there has been a crippling shortage of housing for many years and waiting times for first-hand rental contracts in Stockholm can be up to 20 years.

Östermalm tops the rent charts

Östermalm is the district that commands the highest rental prices whilst Hässelby and Vällingby in West Stockholm are cheapest. Note: Prices shown cover the municipality of Stockholm only and surrounding suburbs are not included.

Price survey for April – June 2017 just released

Qasa’s survey also includes a breakdown of sublet prices in the different areas of Stockholm.  Details are provided of average prices as well as prices for one, two and three roomed apartments. Apartments in Sweden are described in terms of their number of rooms which refers to the number of living space rooms and does not include the kitchen, bathroom or any hall. A two room apartment, for example, means an apartment with a  living room and a bedroom, a bathroom and usually (but not necessarily) a separate kitchen.

All figures presented are monthly rent prices in SEK.

Sources : Qasa, DN 09.08.2017

Renters beware!

The loosening of rental price controls and easy access to property rental websites has encouraged many to sublet their apartments for both shorter and longer term periods. However, many of these rentals are extremely risky as landlords often sublet without authorisation which means that the tenant can be evicted if discovered. This significant risk, combined with all the other usual forms or fraud which exist in highly competitive rental markets, leave newcomers to Sweden wide open for exploitation.

Need help finding an apartment in Sweden?

Please contact us about our home finding services at Relocate to Sweden for a safe and stress-free relocation.

About the author

An Irish expat in Stockholm. I moved to Sweden in 1998 with my Swedish husband and new-born daughter after living and working in England, Germany and Ireland. With nearly two decades of experience of living, working and raising a family in Sweden, I now help other expats moving to Sweden through my relocation company.

How do I know if a housing contract is legitimate?

Before you sign a housing contract (or agreement) it’s important to make sure that the contract is in fact valid. But, how do you know what is legitimate? In order for a tenant contract to be valid two elements are required,

  • concession of a residence or part thereof; and
  • for consideration (primarily money).

There are no pre-determined formalities for a tenant agreement to enter into force. There is e.g. no rule that the contract must be in writing (but if one party requires it to be written it must be so in accordance with 2§ of Chapter 12 of the Land Code).

Watch out for the crux

The crux of the matter is part of contract law. A contract is formed where there is an agreement between two parties – there must be an offer, acceptance, intention and consideration. If these appears on the agreement, you have a binding contract. However, nothing prevents the parties from negotiating new terms.

Are oral agreements valid?

Yes, an oral agreement is valid. But we advice you to avoid oral agreements as these are hard to prove in case of a dispute. If you have an oral agreement, try to get hold of evidence or witnesses in one form or another, e.g. correspondence, present third-party, etc.

Who is allowed to make a housing contract?

Just the righteous owner of the property is allowed to make a housing contract. If the landlord is not the righteous owner (or holder) of the property, he or she is unable to agree to it changing hands, and thus the agreement becomes voidable. Therefore, it is important that you do your research as to whether the landlord has a legal right to transfer a title.

What can I do if my rent is “way” over the market price?

There is a maximum threshold for how much rent a landlord can take. This is due to the fact that a private individual can’t let his/her property second-hand with a ”for profit” purpose. However, it´s not unusual that landlords charge a much higher rent than they are allowed. Therefore, you should make sure to do some research on what the reasonable rent for that particular property is.

So, what is a reasonable rent?

The short answer is that it depends on several circumstances. E.g. whether the apartment is changing hand for the first time or further down the stream of tenants.

The longer answer is that it depends on the type of property and means of tenancy (there are different rules and regulations in the Tenancy Law regarding this).

The different scenarios:

  1. For example, if you are looking for a house or apartment to rent, a reasonable sum is what follows a fixed list based on maintenance costs and capital costs.
  2.  On the other hand, if the apartment is rented (first-hand) the tenant usually pays what is reasonable on a determination of similar properties.
  3. If it is let second-hand (often the case for newbies in Sweden) the reasonable sum is the price the landlord pays and some additional costs for furniture (if provided) and other reasonable additional costs (e.g. utilities). If you rent a room in an apartment (also often the case for newbies) the total costs for the property are calculated and divided accordingly.

Landlords can be held liable to return the sum in excess. In order to do so, you need to bring a proceeding reclaiming the sums in excess.