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PROPERTY

Swedish property prices fall, new figures reveal

The price of Swedish properties, which has been going up in recent months, dipped in August. Prices on apartments and detached houses also fell, according to new figures.

Swedish property prices fall, new figures reveal
A for sale sign outside an apartment block in Stockholm. Photo: Magnus Lejhall/TT

The price of apartments dropped by 0.6 percent in August, while detached houses saw a drop of 0.2 percent, according to figures from the property statistics provider Svensk Mäklarstatistik.

At the same time, the number of homes on offer was high, with 11 percent more properties selling in August than during the same time last year.

“That’s also a factor affecting prices,” Fredrik Kullman, CEO of estate agency Bjurfors Sverige, wrote in a press statement. “Usually we see prices rise in August, but we’re seeing now that the market hasn’t really gotten itself out of its hammock. The reason for this is obviously the high number of properties on offer,” he continued.

According to Kullman, many properties were taken off the market in the spring due to interest rates being at such a high level, which were then put back on the market in August instead.

The central bank is also expected to cut interest rates again in a few weeks, which would mean a key interest rate of 3.25 percent, if it makes a 25 percentage point cut as expected.

Experts are divided on how prices are likely to change during the autumn. 

“We think prices are going to remain relatively still, considering the number of properties on offer and the state of the economy,” CEO of Svensk Fastighetsförmedling, Erik Wikander, wrote in a press statement.

Marcus Svenberg, CEO of Länsförsäkringar Fastighetsförmedling, expects instead to see prices rise by a few percent during the autumn.

“At the same time, there are some risk factors, like geopolitical unrest, developments in American and European interest rates, and the record-high number of properties on offer,” he said.

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ECONOMY

Winners and losers: What are the tax cuts for Sweden in 2025?

A total of 27 billion kronor of Sweden's 60 billion kronor budget reforms will go towards lowering taxes. Let's take a look at the main tax cuts and who is set to benefit the most.

Winners and losers: What are the tax cuts for Sweden in 2025?

Who are the winners and losers?

Two high earners who have a joint income of around 180,000 kronor a month will get just over 3,400 kronor more in their bank account every month, whereas a couple of pensioners will only get 226 kronor more a month, according to banking giant SEB.

What are the tax cuts?

A new employment tax credit, a rebate given to everyone who has a job, worth 11 billion kronor. This will benefit everyone earning more than 16,000 kronor a month.

A rule that previously reduced the employment tax credit the more you earned will be scrapped. People earning between 778,000 kronor and just over 2 million annually will benefit the most. It’s expected to cost the state 4.7 billion kronor.

Taxes for pensioners are being lowered to the tune of 2.5 billion kronor, which means a median pensioner will see their taxes lowered by approximately 1,400 kronor a year.

The cap on who has to pay state tax will be raised to monthly salaries of 53,590 kronor. This cap is usually automatically raised every year in line with inflation, but last year the government suspended the hike due to Sweden’s rampaging inflation at the time.

READ ALSO:

Are you one of 3.5 million people in Sweden saving money in an ISK account? In the new budget, the fixed tax on ISK accounts will be scrapped for any accounts with a balance of less than 150,000 kronor, rising to 300,000 kronor in 2026.

Cutting Sweden’s aviation tax will cost the state 870 million kronor. It corresponds to around 80 kronor for a domestic flight.

A total of 3.2 billion kronor will be spent on lowering the tax on fuel for vehicles.

If you own a motorhome, you’ll get a tax cut of almost 7,000 kronor, as 90 million kronor of the budget is allocated to lowering taxes on recreational vehicles.

What are the reactions?

The centre-left opposition immediately accused the government of unfairly prioritising high earners, also criticising the fact there’s significantly less money earmarked for welfare in this budget compared to last year: down from 16 billion to 7.5 billion kronor.

“It not only makes a mockery of ordinary people, but is also bad for the Swedish economy,” said Mikael Damberg, finance spokesman for the Social Democrats.

  • Don’t miss the latest news and analysis about the Swedish economy by downloading The Local’s app (available on Apple and Android) and then selecting Economy in your Notification options via the User button

Pensioners’ association PRO also argued their members should have been compensated more in the budget. “We’re really talking ‘thumbs down’,” PRO chairwoman Åsa Lindestam was quoted by the TT news agency as saying.

Swedish Commerce, the association serving the trade and commerce sector, on the other hand welcomed the budget, as its members are directly affected by strengthening customers’ purchasing power – a key priority for the government in the bill.

The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise also praised the budget for trying to speed up growth, get more people into work and strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness.

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