Sweden is known for its high quality of life, tranquility and nature. Every year, more and more people travel to the far north. Some to live there permanently, others to buy a holiday home. Either way, buying a house in Sweden is a great adventure. And of course, the whole process starts with looking for the ideal home. But in which region are you going to look? Sweden is very large. In this blog, I will therefore share some tips that can help you choose a region to start looking.
Where is it nice to live in Sweden?
Sweden is a large country. The length of the country in particular, stretching from the south bordering Denmark to the far north above the Arctic Circle, provides a great variety of landscapes and climate differences. In that respect, each region has its own charm and it is actually beautiful to live everywhere in Sweden. But in addition to the landscape and the climate, there may also be other factors that influence the choice of a particular region. For example, are you looking for a nice summer house or do you want a holiday home that is also suitable for the winter? And do you only go on holiday there for a few weeks a year or do you stay there for several months or do you even choose to emigrate? These things have an influence on the region where you want to look. For example, when emigrating, you probably also want to look at the employment opportunities in the area or, for example, the distance to school for the children if you have them.
Although a remote Swedish house in the woods is very tempting, it is good to first think about your reason for buying a (holiday) home in Sweden and what is important in that regard. Think about work and possibly the distance to school for the children, but also about other practical and social facilities such as a GP/hospital, car mechanic, DIY store or a nice city nearby. Also don’t forget that a ‘real’ house is something different than a holiday home. The latter are usually not well insulated, have limited access to (hot) water, often only have a wood stove as a heating source and are sometimes inaccessible in the winter because the road to it is not swept. So whether you are looking for a holiday home or a house for permanent residence, think carefully in advance about what is important to you and what you should pay attention to when looking for your ideal home. After all, it is beautiful to live almost everywhere in Sweden and real estate agents are good at making everything look a bit nicer in photos and in their advertisements than it often is.
Anyway 🙂 Below I give some tips for the different regions in Sweden regarding location, landscape, climate and facilities.
Southern Sweden
The climate in the south is relatively mild compared to other parts of Sweden. Due to its southern location and the nearby Baltic and North Seas, winters here are a lot less severe than in the regions above. Winter temperatures are usually around or just below freezing point, while summers are moderately warm with temperatures around 20-25°C. The east side is generally a bit more pleasant than the west side. This is due to the North Sea, which provides a bit more changeability and cooler temperatures in the west. Furthermore, the landscape in the south consists of rolling hills, a coastline with sandy beaches, picturesque fishing villages and fertile agricultural land. In addition, the large cities are mainly located in the south of Sweden. Think of Malmö, Gothenburg and of course the capital Stockholm. Houses are therefore a lot more expensive in the southern regions, but here you also have all the advantages of the ‘bustle’. Think of a better chance of work, more social facilities in the area and more recreation (such as shops, museums, restaurants, etc.) in the area.
Central Sweden
If you are looking for more peace and nature, but you do not necessarily want to live in a very remote area or experience long, harsh winters, then you are in the right place in central Sweden. With popular provinces such as Dalarna, this area is characterized by a large number of lakes, forests and a mix of urban and rural environments. The seasons are slightly more pronounced here, with clearly four seasons (with snow in the winter, spring when everything comes into bloom, a summer full of green and a colorful autumn). This is in contrast to the south, which is less snow-sure (or at least not continuously) or the north where spring and autumn are very short. Furthermore, this region is ideal for outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, fishing, kayaking and camping. In addition, you will find a lot of culture. Think of the Dalarna horses and the Falun copper mine, but also cities and villages such as Karlstad and Uppsala offer many cultural activities, and at the same time the proximity of nature. The regions in this area are very popular and therefore it is not always easy to find a house here. Both Dutch, but also Germans, for example, quickly move to these regions. After all, they find peace and nature here, but also a bit of liveliness, culture and a not too extreme climate. In addition, for people who are looking for a holiday home, it is not too far to drive from home.
Northern Sweden
Northern Sweden begins roughly on the line between the cities of Östersund and Sundsvall. The area from here is known for its wild, remote landscapes, the extreme winters that can sometimes last more than half a year, the northern lights and of course the Sami and their reindeer. Furthermore, these are also the regions where you can enjoy the polar night (when the sun does not rise above the horizon for a day) and the midnight sun (when the sun does not rise below the horizon for a day). Due to this phenomenon, the northern regions do not really have a clear spring and autumn season and otherwise they are very short. However, there are still many differences in the northern regions in terms of nature, climate and culture. For example, the beginning of the north has cold winters with a lot of snow, but you can also still have quite nice summers here. In addition, you will find a lot of forested areas here and a few large cities such as Östersund and Sundsvall. While the northernmost areas, such as Lapland, consist much more of tundra, have long and sometimes extremely cold winters and warm days in the summer are mainly incidental. In addition, there is also less work to be found in northern Sweden and the distance to certain facilities may also be greater. However, the houses in the north are generally a lot cheaper compared to the south of Sweden and they are often beautifully situated in or close to nature. However, this does not necessarily mean that it is easy to find a house. Because there may be fewer people interested in these regions, but there are also fewer houses available.
Where do we ‘live’ in Sweden?
We officially live in the Netherlands, but spend about half the year in Sweden, preferably in winter and summer. This was also the reason why we started looking for a house suitable for permanent residence instead of a holiday home. This way we knew for sure that the house was more ‘winterproof’. Moreover, with a stay of about half a year per year, Sweden is much more to us than just a holiday address. As for the region, we were mainly looking for a place around the line Åre, Östersund and Sundsvall. That could also be a bit further south or north, but Jämtland and the beginning of the north is an area that really appeals to us. We wanted real winters with lots of snow, but in the summer also a regular chance of some nice weather. Moreover, we find the nature in this area more beautiful than in the far north, where the forests merge more into tundra area. And the fact that there are cities like Östersund and Sundsvall nearby is of course also a bonus.
Furthermore, we were mainly looking for peace, space and nature. We eventually found that at a house about an hour northwest of Sundsvall. The house is fairly remote with, among other things, the nearest supermarket half an hour’s drive away. For us that is not a problem (yet), but if you emigrate permanently I can imagine that a house in such a remote location is not ideal. However, Niels is allowed by his Dutch employer to work remotely from abroad and I work as a self-employed outdoor and documentary photographer. As a result, we do not have to take distances into account with regard to work. Despite the remote location, we do have fiber optic internet, which allows us to continue doing our work online.
