It has become difficult to find second-hand accommodation. The reason is that the housing market has started after the drop in interest rates and now homes that were previously rented out are being sold – which hits students, among others, hard.
– In some places, the market has dropped dramatically by over 40 percent, says Isabelle Purits, finance manager at housing site Qasa.
Erland Hassler, who studies at Umeå University, sublet when he started his studies.
– I lived in a basement with a colleague of an aunt, but it was perfectly fine, he says.
Oskar Åberg has also lived second-hand.
– It wasn’t quite optimal, but it’s good that it was there when you didn’t find anything in the first place, he says.
Here it sinks the most
In 16 of the country’s 21 counties, the second-hand market decreased in August this year, compared to the same month last year. The market decreased the most in Jämtland, which had a decline of as much as 47 percent, according to the housing site Qasa:
– Now we see in several places that the supply has decreased by 30-40 percent, so it is clear that these are dramatic numbers, says Isabelle Purit, head of communications at Qasa.
Falling interest rates behind
According to the housing site, it is clear that it is above all in socio-economically strong municipalities that people have rented out villas, instead of selling in a bad market.
– Now interest rates are falling and sales are starting, then it will affect the second-hand market, says Isabelle Purits.
Erland Hassler says that many who start studying sublet before they get their own contract.
– It is clear that the students are affected, second-hand housing is perhaps the first thing you get hold of, because it is difficult to find housing here when you start studying.