Buying a House or Flat in Sweden: the Complete Process

For many people moving to Sweden, the dream of a red wooden house by a lake is a big part of the appeal. However, buying property here works quite differently from many other countries: there is no notary, bids are not binding, and the typical "owned flat" is legally not property at all.

In this post we walk you through the entire process – from choosing the type of home to financing and registering your ownership.

Bostadsrätt or äganderätt – what are you actually buying?

There are two basic ways to own a home in Sweden:

• Bostadsrätt – the typical "owned flat". You don't buy the flat itself but a right of use, and you become a member of a housing cooperative (bostadsrättsförening). The cooperative owns the building, and you pay a monthly fee (månadsavgift) covering maintenance, the cooperative's loans and running costs.
• Äganderätt – full ownership of land and building, for example a villa (detached house), a terraced house or a holiday home. You are responsible for everything yourself.

With a bostadsrätt, the cooperative's finances are at least as important as the flat itself. Ask for the annual report (årsredovisning) and look out for high debt per square metre and planned fee increases. The cooperative also has to accept you as a member.

Financing: down payment and mortgage cap

Since 1 April 2026, new rules for mortgages (bolån) apply and are now set out directly in law, as Finansinspektionen (the financial supervisory authority) explains:

• The bolånetak (loan-to-value cap) for a purchase is 90% of the market value. So you need a down payment (kontantinsats) of at least 10%.
• For topping up an existing mortgage, the cap is 80%.

The bank will also check whether you could still afford the loan at considerably higher interest rates. Without a personnummer, permanent employment and Swedish income, a mortgage is hard to get in practice. Get a lånelöfte (mortgage approval in principle) early – many estate agents won't take your bids seriously without one.

Amortering: mandatory repayment

In Sweden you have to pay down your mortgage depending on the loan-to-value ratio (amortering):

• Above 70% loan-to-value: at least 2% of the loan amount per year
• Between 50 and 70%: at least 1% per year
• Below 50%: no statutory repayment requirement

The former additional repayment requirement for loans above 4.5 times gross annual income (skärpt amorteringskrav) was abolished on 1 April 2026.

Good to know: mortgage interest gets tax relief. You receive 30% of your interest costs up to 100,000 kronor per person and year as a tax reduction (ränteavdrag), and 21% above that. Skatteverket has the detailed rules.

The estate agent and the bidding process

Almost all properties are sold through a mäklare (estate agent). The agent is hired and paid by the seller but must also take the buyer's interests into account. Estate agents are registered with the supervisory authority Fastighetsmäklarinspektionen.

This is how a typical purchase works:

1. Find properties on Hemnet or Booli.
2. Go to the viewing (visning) and ask the agent to add you to the list of bidders.
3. Take part in the budgivning (bidding), usually by text message or online.
4. Sign the purchase contract (köpekontrakt) and pay the deposit (handpenning, often around 10%).
5. On completion day (tillträde), pay the remainder and get the keys.

Important: bids in Sweden are not binding – neither for you nor for the seller. The purchase only becomes binding once both parties have signed the contract. This also means you can still be outbid even after you have "won".

Besiktning: your duty to inspect

In Sweden the buyer has an extensive undersökningsplikt (duty to inspect). You cannot hold the seller liable later for defects you could have discovered with a careful inspection.

• For houses, a besiktning (survey) by an independent inspector (besiktningsman) is strongly recommended.
• There is often already a survey paid for by the seller – read it carefully and ask about anything unclear.
• Typical risks: damp basements, crawl spaces (krypgrund), roofs, drains and, for rural houses, the private well and sewage system.
• For a bostadsrätt a survey is less common, but still check the bathroom and kitchen carefully.

Lagfart and pantbrev: the costs of buying a house

When you buy a house (äganderätt), you must register as the owner with Lantmäteriet (the land registry). According to Lantmäteriet, private individuals pay:

• Lagfart (title registration): 1.5% stamp duty on the purchase price (or the higher tax value) plus a fee of 825 kronor.
• Pantbrev (mortgage deeds used as security for the bank): 2% of the amount of new mortgage deeds plus a fee of 375 kronor.

You take over the house's existing mortgage deeds free of charge. New ones are only needed if your loan is larger. For a bostadsrätt there is no lagfart or pantbrev – the cooperative charges smaller fees instead.

Running costs for a house: according to Skatteverket, the municipal property charge (fastighetsavgift) for 2026 is 0.75% of the tax value, capped at 10,425 kronor. Newly built houses are exempt for the first 15 years. On top of that come electricity, heating, insurance, water and waste collection.

Fritidshus and sommarstuga

Holiday homes (fritidshus or sommarstuga) are very popular in Sweden – including with foreign buyers. The buying process is the same as for a villa.

• Many summer cottages are not winter-proof – check the insulation, heating and water pipes.
• There is often a private well and a private sewage system (enskilt avlopp), which must be approved by the municipality.
• Check the access road: private roads are often financed through a road association (vägsamfällighet).
• The municipal fastighetsavgift also applies to holiday homes.

If you want to finance from abroad: many foreign banks do not lend against property in Sweden. Sort out financing early and get independent advice if in doubt.

Checklist for buying property

• Have a down payment of at least 10% plus extra costs ready
• Get a lånelöfte from your bank
• For a bostadsrätt: check the cooperative's annual report
• For a house: have an independent survey carried out
• Read the purchase contract carefully, especially the completion date and any conditions
• Budget for lagfart and, if necessary, pantbrev
• Take out home insurance (hemförsäkring) or house insurance (villaförsäkring) from completion day

Our conclusion

Buying property in Sweden is very doable once you know the special features: non-binding bids, an extensive duty to inspect and the distinction between bostadsrätt and äganderätt. Under the new rules since April 2026, a 10% down payment is enough – but still budget generously for extra costs and repayments. For detailed legal or tax questions, talk to a lawyer, your bank or Skatteverket.