The questions buyers ask most often. If yours isn't here, write to me.
Is this even possible?
Yes, without restriction. Since the year 2000, anyone can own property in Sweden, regardless of nationality or place of residence. You have the same rights as a Swedish citizen. All you need is a valid ID card or passport. More on this in the guide.
No. For the purchase itself you need neither a Swedish residence nor a personal identity number. The personal identity number only becomes relevant if you want to move to Sweden permanently. Buying and emigrating are two different things.
No. Rabenfels guides you through the whole process in English. You don't need a word of Swedish for the purchase to work.
The process
In clear steps: first contact, a detailed walkthrough video, a viewing and getting to know each other, settling how you'll pay, a written purchase contract (köpekontrakt), payment by bank transfer, the köpebrev and registration (Lagfart). Steps with the authorities afterwards can be handled by Rabenfels as an optional service. The whole path is on the page How a purchase works.
No, and that often unsettles buyers from countries where a notary is standard. In Sweden, no notary is involved in a house purchase. The purchase runs through a written contract (köpekontrakt) and the title deed (köpebrev) with witnesses, then the registration at the Lantmäteriet. It is the normal legal system, no less secure than the way you may know from home.
Yes. Every house comes with a detailed video, so you can look at the property in peace before you decide. If you'd like to come by in person, we'll find a way: a viewing together, or a key left out so you can see the house yourself. Many buyers decide on a deposit after the video and then still come by in person.
The purchase itself moves quickly. After payment comes the köpebrev, then the Lagfart registration at the Lantmäteriet. There is a three-month deadline for that. How quickly things move up to handover depends on the individual property.
Costs and payment
The entry point is around 8,000 €. One property really was that cheap. Most houses sit in the low to mid five-figure range, with the occasional larger property above that. The cheapest properties are simple houses, often in need of renovation. More in the guide: What does a house in Sweden cost?
On purchase there is the stämpelskatt, 1.5% of the purchase price for private individuals, plus a small Lagfart administrative fee. On an ongoing basis there is a low municipal property fee, building insurance, and electricity, water and waste. Details in the guide on closing costs.
By bank transfer. That's clean for both sides: you have a clear record, and everything is properly documented.
Rabenfels is not a bank, but there are two ways. A direct purchase is always possible; with direct payment the price is usually negotiable. With rent-to-own you pay a deposit and then monthly instalments; ownership passes to you with the final instalment. For very cheap, rural houses, banks rarely offer ordinary mortgages. For many buyers, rent-to-own is therefore the only realistic way.
The houses
That varies from one property to the next. With some houses, it's only cleared out and the grounds tidied; with others, more has been done. The cheapest properties usually need renovation. The larger renovation is then yours to take on. Known faults are named beforehand, in the video and in writing. You know what you're buying before you sign.
In many rural areas of Sweden there are simply more houses than buyers. On top of that comes the direct sale: at Rabenfels you buy straight from the owner, with no agent fee. And cheap properties are simple houses, often in need of renovation. That brings the price down too. More on this in the guide.
Mostly in rural regions. As a rule of thumb: the more rural and the further north, the cheaper. Which area suits you depends on what you're looking for: quiet and nature, or being close to a town.
Known and visible faults I name beforehand, in the video and in writing. And if something does come up that no one could have foreseen? Then I don't stonewall. Get in touch. I'm reachable after the purchase too, and we'll find a solution together.
Rabenfels and service
Alexander, a German who emigrated to Sweden with his family in 2020 and now lives in Värmland. The business is run by Rabenfels Holdings OÜ. More on the page About me.
Rabenfels sells only its own houses, properties that Rabenfels has bought and owns. It is not brokerage, where other people's properties are passed on. That is why there is no agent fee: you buy directly from the owner.
The bureaucracy around the purchase — the contract, the köpebrev and the Lagfart registration — is part of the Rabenfels Complete Purchase and included in the price. Steps with the authorities after the purchase, such as switching electricity and water into your name, can additionally be handled by Rabenfels; the terms are discussed openly beforehand.