Buying a condominium in Sweden is considered to be a good deal by many people. But there are factors that can make it worth renting an apartment instead – both in terms of time, convenience and money. For some people, a rental apartment is the most economical and suitable option to prefer. For others, it may be the only option.
Predictable economy for rental apartments
A rental apartment comes with more predictability for your personal economy, while buying a condominium requires you to take out a loan and pay a part in cash up front. In financially troubled times, the situation can become extra worrying for those who have a big mortgage. An increase of interest rates can lead to your loan suddenly becoming several thousand Swedish kroner more expensive per month. And if the market value of your apartment goes down, you risk a financial disaster when you sell the condominium.
When it comes to rental properties, on the other hand, your personal economy is much more secure and predictable. The monthly rent you paid when you first moved to the rental apartment will probably not skyrocket. The rent may only increase very slowly over time. An exception is when the landlord carries out major renovations of the property, which can increase the rent more than usual. For 2022, the average rent increase in Sweden was only 1.7 percent.
Cheaper home insurance
Taking out a home insurance for their rental apartment is a cost that almost everyone in Sweden is willing to pay. And there’s good reason for that – if you are unlucky and have an accident, such as a fire or water damage that destroys your belongings, it’s very expensive to replace your items with your own money, instead of relying on insurance.
Even if you cannot do without a home insurance, it doesn’t mean that it has to be expensive, especially when it comes to rental apartment insurance. Regardless of which insurance company you choose, home insurance will be cheaper if you rent instead of owning a condominium or house. This is because you don’t own your accommodation, and therefor your landlord is responsible for a large part of the apartment, which will be covered by the landlord’s insurance.
One of the most priceworthy options of home insurance in Sweden is provided by an insurance company called Hedvig. Go check it out on hedvig.com
Free repairs and maintenance
Broken fridge? Trouble with the heat in the apartment? Leakage in the bathroom sink? Don’t panic. If you live in a rental apartment, measures of this kind are the landlords’ problem. The landlord is also responsible for the safety of electrical installations, and consults with their insurance company if the apartment suffers water damage (if your belongings are damaged by a water leak, it’s covered by your own home insurance). And if an imperfection in your rental apartment takes a long time to fix (meaning that you will have to live in a defected apartment), you can even get a reduced rent!