Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Sweden Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Sweden Property Pack
Wondering if January 2026 is the right time to buy property in Sweden? You're not alone, and the answer depends on solid data rather than gut feelings.
In this article, we break down the current housing prices in Sweden, market signals, and what could happen next so you can make an informed decision.
We constantly update this blog post with the latest figures and trends to keep you informed.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Sweden.
So, is now a good time?
As of early 2026, now is a "rather yes" time to buy property in Sweden, especially if you're looking at mainstream homes like bostadsrätter, villas, or radhus in areas with strong job markets.
The strongest signal is that Swedish property prices have been mostly flat over the past 12 months (around -0.3% nationally for apartments), meaning you're not buying into an overheated market.
Another strong signal is that the Riksbank is expected to hold its key rate at 1.75% through 2026, which keeps mortgage costs stable and reduces the risk of a sudden price crash.
Other supporting signals include shrinking for-sale inventory after nearly four years of rising supply, and upcoming mortgage rule changes that could boost buyer demand and push prices higher if you wait too long.
The best strategies in Sweden right now include targeting bostadsrätter or radhus in commuter belts around Stockholm, Göteborg, or Malmö, holding for at least 5 to 10 years, and making sure you can afford the monthly payment even if rates don't fall further.
This is not financial or investment advice, we don't know your personal situation, and you should always do your own research before making any property purchase.
Is it smart to buy now in Sweden, or should I wait as of 2026?
Do real estate prices look too high in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Swedish property prices are not dramatically overpriced but remain expensive compared to fundamentals because affordability is still strained by slow permitting, zoning frictions, and a regulated rental market that pushes demand toward ownership.
One clear on-the-ground signal is that national apartment prices have been roughly flat year-over-year (about -0.3%), which suggests prices are not running ahead of what buyers can actually pay right now.
Another signal worth noting is that for bostadsrätter (tenant-owner apartments), the real question is often whether the monthly fee plus mortgage cost is too high, since BRF association debt can heavily affect what you actually pay each month, and this is something many foreign buyers overlook.
You can also read our latest update regarding the housing prices in Sweden.
Does a property price drop look likely in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the likelihood of a meaningful property price decline in Sweden over the next 12 months is low to medium, because the interest-rate backdrop looks stable and there is no sign of forced selling like we saw in 2022 and 2023.
That said, a plausible downside-to-upside range for Swedish property prices over the next year is roughly -5% to +7%, with the downside more likely in weaker submarkets if the economy disappoints and the upside more likely in prime urban areas if credit rules loosen.
The single most important macro factor that could increase the odds of a price drop in Sweden is a rise in unemployment or a surprise rate hike, because Swedish households carry many floating-rate mortgages and are highly sensitive to changes in monthly payment costs.
However, this scenario looks unlikely in the near term since the Riksbank's own minutes suggest the key rate will stay at 1.75% through 2026, and labor market data has not shown major warning signs so far.
Finally, please note that we cover the price trends for next year in our pack about the property market in Sweden.
Could property prices jump again in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the likelihood of a renewed price surge in Sweden within the next 12 months is medium, mainly because proposed mortgage rule changes could unlock significant buyer demand if implemented.
The plausible upside price range for Swedish property over the next year is around +3% to +7% nationally, with the higher end more likely in bostadsrätter and radhus in commuter belts where buyers are currently constrained by deposit requirements.
The single biggest demand-side trigger that could drive Swedish property prices to jump again is the proposed easing of mortgage rules, specifically raising the loan-to-value cap from 85% to 90% and removing the extra amortisation requirement, which would let first-time buyers pay more for homes.
Please also note that we regularly publish and update real estate price forecasts for Sweden here.
Are we in a buyer or a seller market in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the Swedish property market is slightly buyer-leaning but becoming more balanced, meaning buyers still have some negotiating power but the window of easy bargains is starting to close.
While Sweden doesn't publish a single "months-of-inventory" figure like some other countries, the recent trend of shrinking listing supply after nearly four years of increase suggests the market is tightening toward a more balanced or even seller-leaning state in some segments.
Price reduction data is not uniformly published in Sweden, but the fact that national prices have been flat year-over-year rather than falling suggests sellers are not being forced into deep discounts, which is a sign that seller leverage is holding steady especially in prime urban areas like Stockholm's inner districts.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Sweden. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
Are homes overpriced, or fairly priced in Sweden as of 2026?
Are homes overpriced versus rents or versus incomes in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Swedish homes are moderately overpriced compared to rents and stretched compared to incomes, though not at the extreme stress levels seen in 2022.
The price-to-rent ratio in Sweden remains elevated compared to its long-run average, which means buying costs more relative to renting than it has historically, especially in Stockholm's inner areas where many buyers will find owning more expensive than renting on a monthly cash-flow basis unless they have a large down payment.
The price-to-income multiple in Sweden is also stretched, but the gap has narrowed somewhat from its 2021 peak because prices have stabilized while incomes have continued to grow, making affordability less painful than it was two years ago even if it's still not easy.
Finally please note that you will have all the indicators you need in our property pack covering the real estate market in Sweden.
Are home prices above the long-term average in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, Swedish property prices are above the long-term average but have come down noticeably from the 2021 and 2022 peaks, sitting in what feels like a stabilization zone rather than a runaway boom or a deep correction.
The recent 12-month price change in Sweden has been roughly flat (around -0.3% for apartments nationally), which is much slower than the double-digit annual gains seen before the pandemic and suggests the market has cooled to a more sustainable pace.
In real (inflation-adjusted) terms, Swedish property prices have fallen from their cycle peak because inflation eroded some of the nominal value, meaning buyers today are not paying as much in "real" terms as those who bought at the 2022 high.
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What local changes could move prices in Sweden as of 2026?
Are big infrastructure projects coming to Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the biggest infrastructure project likely to affect Swedish property prices is the Stockholm metro expansion, which is one of Europe's largest urban transport investments and could meaningfully boost demand in neighborhoods near new stations.
The Stockholm metro expansion is already funded and under construction, with new lines expected to improve commute times for southern and southwestern suburbs, and delivery is planned over the coming years, making it a concrete near-term catalyst rather than a distant hope.
For the latest updates on the local projects, you can read our property market analysis about Sweden here.
Are zoning or building rules changing in Sweden as of 2026?
The most important zoning and building rule discussion in Sweden right now is not about dramatic new changes but rather about how the existing municipality-led planning system remains slow and restrictive, which the OECD has flagged as a structural constraint on housing supply.
As of early 2026, the net effect of Sweden's current zoning and building rules is to keep supply constrained even when demand returns, meaning prices are less likely to fall sharply but also less likely to become affordable quickly because new homes simply cannot be built fast enough.
The areas most affected by these constraints in Sweden tend to be the commuter belts around Stockholm, Göteborg, and Malmö, where demand is high but permitting delays and land-use restrictions prevent developers from responding with enough new construction.
Are foreign-buyer or mortgage rules changing in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the biggest rule change story in Sweden is about mortgage regulations rather than foreign buyers, and these proposed changes could meaningfully increase buyer demand and push prices higher.
Sweden is not considering significant new foreign-buyer restrictions or taxes, so international buyers will continue to face the same conditions as domestic buyers, which is relatively open compared to some other European markets.
The most likely mortgage rule change is the proposed increase of the loan-to-value cap from 85% to 90% combined with removing the extra amortisation requirement for highly indebted borrowers, which would reduce the deposit needed and lower monthly costs for first-time buyers.
You can also read our latest update about mortgage and interest rates in Sweden.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Sweden versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
Will it be easy to find tenants in Sweden as of 2026?
Is the renter pool growing faster than new supply in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, renter demand in Sweden is growing faster than new rental supply in most major cities, which means landlords in high-demand areas are unlikely to struggle finding tenants.
The best indicator of renter demand in Sweden is the persistent housing shortage documented in Boverket's municipal surveys, combined with continued population growth and in-migration to job centers like Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö, Uppsala, and Lund.
On the supply side, new construction completions in Sweden have been modest, with housing starts in the first half of 2025 only slightly up year-over-year and still not high enough to rapidly unwind the accumulated shortages built up over many years.
Are days-on-market for rentals falling in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, rental properties in prime areas of Sweden typically find tenants within 1 to 3 weeks when priced correctly, and this time-to-let has remained short due to persistent undersupply in desirable neighborhoods.
In weaker locations or for higher-priced luxury rentals, days-on-market can stretch to 4 to 8 weeks, which creates a noticeable gap between the best areas like Södermalm in Stockholm or Linnéstaden in Göteborg and less central or less connected neighborhoods.
One common reason rental days-on-market stays low in Sweden is the structural undersupply caused by rent regulation on first-hand contracts, which pushes demand into the second-hand rental market where landlords can set more market-like prices.
Are vacancies dropping in the best areas of Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, vacancy rates in the best rental areas of Sweden like Södermalm, Vasastan, and Östermalm in Stockholm, Linnéstaden and Majorna in Göteborg, and Västra Hamnen in Malmö are already very low and showing no signs of rising.
Effective vacancy in these prime areas is typically around 1% to 2%, meaning rental units do not sit empty for long when priced sensibly, which is much tighter than the overall market average in less desirable locations.
One practical sign that the best areas are tightening first in Sweden is that landlords in places like central Stockholm are seeing multiple applications within days of listing, while landlords in outer suburbs or secondary cities may wait weeks, a gap that reflects where housing pressure is most acute.
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current rent levels in Sweden.
Buying real estate in Sweden can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
Am I buying into a tightening market in Sweden as of 2026?
Is for-sale inventory shrinking in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, for-sale inventory in Sweden is shrinking after nearly four years of rising supply, which marks a meaningful trend break that could shift bargaining power toward sellers if it continues.
Sweden does not publish a single official "months-of-supply" figure, but the direction is clear: Hemnet reports that listing supply is now decreasing because sales have been relatively strong compared to new listings coming onto the market.
The most likely reason inventory is shrinking in Sweden is that some sellers are holding back and waiting for expected credit-rule changes, while at the same time buyers who had been on the sidelines are returning as rate stability has improved confidence.
Are homes selling faster in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, it is hard to give a single median days-on-market figure for all of Sweden because selling speed varies a lot by property type, location, and BRF quality, but overall the market is showing signs of improved absorption rather than stalling.
Year-over-year, selling times appear stable to slightly improving in stronger segments like well-priced bostadsrätter in Stockholm and Göteborg, while quirky properties or those with high BRF fees can still linger on the market for longer.
Are new listings slowing down in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, new for-sale listings in Sweden appear to be slowing down compared to last year, contributing to the shrinking inventory that Hemnet has documented as a trend break after nearly four years of rising supply.
Seasonally, Sweden typically sees fewer listings in winter (December through February) and a pickup in spring, and the current level seems consistent with that pattern, though we are not fully confident whether this year's slowdown is just seasonal or reflects deeper seller caution.
The most plausible reason new listings are slowing in Sweden is that many sellers are waiting for the proposed mortgage rule changes to take effect, hoping that looser credit conditions will bring more buyers into the market and allow them to sell at better prices.
Is new construction failing to keep up in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, new housing construction in Sweden is not keeping pace with household demand, and the gap between completions and what the market needs has been a long-standing structural problem rather than a recent development.
Recent data from SCB shows that housing starts in the first half of 2025 were only slightly up year-over-year and remain at levels that will not quickly unwind the multi-year supply shortfall, especially in high-demand areas around Stockholm, Göteborg, and Malmö.
The single biggest bottleneck limiting new construction in Sweden is the slow, municipality-led planning and permitting system, which the OECD has identified as a structural constraint that prevents supply from responding quickly even when demand is strong.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Sweden compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
Will it be easy to sell later in Sweden as of 2026?
Is resale liquidity strong enough in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, resale liquidity in Sweden is generally strong for standard, mainstream properties like bostadsrätter in major metros and villas or radhus in commuter belts, meaning you can expect to sell within a reasonable timeframe if you price correctly.
For well-located, well-maintained properties in Sweden, median time-to-sell is typically a few weeks to a couple of months, which compares favorably to a "healthy liquidity" benchmark of around 3 months or less in most developed markets.
One property characteristic that most improves resale liquidity in Sweden is being in a bostadsrättsförening with low debt and reasonable monthly fees, because buyers are increasingly aware that high BRF costs can make an otherwise attractive apartment hard to sell.
Is selling time getting longer in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, selling time in Sweden is not clearly getting longer compared to last year, and in some stronger segments it may actually be improving as inventory shrinks and buyer confidence stabilizes.
The realistic range for days-on-market across most Swedish listings is roughly 2 to 8 weeks for standard properties, with the lower end in prime urban areas with good transit and the higher end for properties with issues like high fees, poor location, or unusual layouts.
One clear reason selling time can lengthen in Sweden is affordability pressure: if a property's total monthly cost (mortgage plus BRF fee plus energy) is too high relative to what buyers in that area can afford, it will sit on the market longer even in otherwise decent locations.
Is it realistic to exit with profit in Sweden as of 2026?
As of early 2026, the likelihood of selling with a profit in Sweden is medium to high if you hold for a typical period of 5 to 10 years, but expecting a quick flip profit within 1 to 2 years is unrealistic given flat recent price trends and transaction costs.
The minimum holding period in Sweden that most often makes exiting with profit realistic is around 5 years, which gives you time to benefit from amortisation, income growth, and gradual price appreciation while absorbing the round-trip costs of buying and selling.
Total round-trip costs in Sweden, including buyer fees (stamp duty for houses, registration fees) and seller costs (agent commission around 1.5% to 3%), typically add up to roughly 5% to 8% of the property value, which is approximately SEK 200,000 to 400,000 on a SEK 5 million property, or around 17,000 to 35,000 euros (18,000 to 37,000 USD).
One clear factor that most increases profit odds in Sweden is buying below market in a strong labor market area and targeting high-demand segments like smaller bostadsrätter near transit or family-friendly radhus in commuter towns with good schools.
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Sweden, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics Sweden (SCB) | Sweden's official statistics agency, as "ground truth" as it gets. | We used it to anchor long-run Swedish house price direction. We cross-checked it against agent and bank indices to avoid relying on one dataset. |
| Svensk Mäklarstatistik | Based on real-time contract data from agents, processed with SCB. | We used it to quantify recent price changes by region. We treated it as our "what buyers are paying right now" check. |
| Valueguard HOX Price Index | A widely used, quality-adjusted Swedish housing price index. | We used it to represent quality-adjusted trends for condos and villas. We triangulated it with other indices to avoid over-reliance on one model. |
| SBAB Booli Housing Price Index | Built by a major Swedish mortgage bank from Booli transaction data. | We used it to confirm monthly price direction including seasonal effects. We treated it as a "second opinion" alongside HOX and agent data. |
| Hemnet | Sweden's dominant housing portal with named analysts. | We used it to support the claim that listing supply is shrinking. We also used it to interpret shifting bargaining power. |
| Sveriges Riksbank | Sweden's central bank and official source for policy rates. | We used it to ground the interest-rate backdrop for mortgage affordability. We used it to frame rate risk for buyers in 2026. |
| Reuters | Top-tier wire service reporting directly on central bank minutes. | We used it to set a realistic near-term rate path assumption. We used it to stress-test floating mortgage scenarios. |
| Government of Sweden | Official government policy communication, not commentary. | We used it to identify policy changes that could affect demand. We used it to explain why some buyers and sellers may be waiting for spring 2026. |
| Boverket | Sweden's national housing authority covering all 290 municipalities. | We used it to assess rental pressure and housing shortages beyond big cities. We used it to triangulate where price indices might miss bottlenecks. |
| OECD Economic Surveys: Sweden 2025 | High-credibility international organization with consistent methods. | We used it to validate structural issues unique to Sweden like permitting and zoning. We used it to separate cyclical moves from long-run constraints. |
| Bank for International Settlements (BIS) | Global reference for cross-country financial statistics. | We used it to check Sweden's real price trend against other advanced economies. We used it to avoid being fooled by nominal prices during inflation. |
| European Investment Bank | Official EU institution with factual press releases on funded projects. | We used it to support infrastructure tailwinds around Stockholm. We used it as a concrete example of location-specific demand drivers. |
| Nya tunnelbanan | Official project site for Stockholm's metro expansion. | We used it to verify scope and timing of the metro expansion. We used it to identify which areas could feel the impact. |
| Trading Economics | Widely used data platform tracking affordability indicators. | We used it to check Sweden's price-to-rent ratio against benchmarks. We combined it with our own calculations for context. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Sweden. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.