Living in a comfortable environment, in city full of architectural masterpieces, is closer than you might think. You don't need to fly to Zurich or Vienna to enjoy all of this. Pay attention for the northern city of Helsinki. Portal ee24.com helps to discover Helsinki and find out apartment prices in its different neighborhoods.
Cold, typical for northern countries, restrained and refined buildings silently surround the very heart of Helsinki - Senate Square. However, if you open a door, enter a house, walk in the streets, you’ll understand that a sweet core is behind the thick skin. In strict classical buildings you will suddenly hear contemporary music, get inspired by the latest experimental cinema masterpieces and works of contemporary artists.
You can relax and reflect on what you have seen in your own apartment right in the city center, as here you can buy a property for any taste: from a modest studio to a luxurious apartment.
If you suddenly get tired of the rhythm of the city and prefer tranquility, then just in half an hour drive you can reach your own cottage on the seashore. We’ll explain how and where to buy an apartment in Finland.
From centre to the suburbs
According to Statistics Finland, in late 2013, the average price of a square meter in apartments on the secondary market in the Greater Helsinki was €3,549 - approximately two times more than the rest of Finland (i.e. without Helsinki). At the same time, new apartments in Greater Helsinki were available for €4,607 per square meter.
But Greater Helsinki includes Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, and other neighboring towns. So, of course, apartments within the administrative boundaries of the Finnish capital are more expensive than in the data provided in the paragraph above. It's €4,300 per square meter in secondary market and about €5,300 for a new housing.
In the centre of Helsinki, including Kamppi, apartments are worth €6,000 per sq.m and more. To the north-east, in Kallio, is already possible to find a property for €4,000-5,500 per sq.m. The same prices - and in the districts to the north-west from the center , for example, in prestigious Munkkiniemi and Meilahti.
Elsewhere in the capital price of a square meter ranges from €2,500 to €4,000. But there are some exceptions. Apartments on the coast of the Gulf of Finland, in areas such as Kulosaari, Herttoniemi, Vuosaari are more expensive.
Apartment prices in neighboring Espoo are also high, about €3,600 per square meter. If you want to buy an apartment closer to the airport, it's possible in Vantaa for around €3,000 per square meter.
Near the muse
Kamppi district is one of the most interesting places in the capital, and right here, along Mannerheim street, you can find the largest selection of property in Helsinki. The area is located within a five minute walk from the cathedral on the Senate Square.
In Kamppi, next to the central railway station, there is a creative oasis. In Ateneum Art Museum you can learn about Finnish art of XVIII — mid-XX centuries, and contemporary artists’ works can be viewed in the museum Kiasma, as well as in art hall Taidehalli. You can see future of the city in the exhibition hall of urban art Laituri, and you can brighten long cold evenings on festivals in the music centre Musiikkitalo. Those who want to live in Kamppi will be surprised not only by cultural diversity, but also by great of choice of residential real estate: from simple one-bedroom apartments to six-room ones.
Average price per square meter in this area of Helsinki is €4,500-5,000. For example, a one-bedroom apartment of 31 sq.m in Kamppi will cost €139,000. A one-bedroom apartment of 44 sq.m will cost €158,000. It is very good that even in one-room apartments there is a glazed balcony and a sauna.
Apartments in ancient buildings can fulfill wishes of the most demanding customers, their average price is €12,000 per sq.m. There are only a few offers, but each of them is unique. A comfortable two-bedroom apartment in the heart of Helsinki, just 100 meters from the train station and the main square of the Finnish capital will be a worthy acquisition.
You can buy an apartment in Helsinki even in a classic old house. A two-storey apartment of 74 sq.m is located in the building of the early twentieth century and includes a living room, a bedroom, a kitchen, a dining room, a dressing room and shower room. The purchase will cost you €530,000.
A four-room apartment of 164.5 square meters, located in a house built at the end of XIX century in Bulevarden street will surprise you with its luxury. Among the advantages of luxury apartments there are four-meter high ceilings, natural oak parquet flooring, and modern light. The great accommodation comprises two separate bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a laundry and a bath complex. Chic and comfort will cost the owner €1.69 million.
Bliss on the seashore
For those who prefer to relax on a veranda overlooking the sea after entertainments in the capital, it is necessary to look at the offers in Espoo, a suburb of Helsinki, just half an hour from the city center. Espoo, part of capital region, is considered to be the richest in Finland in terms of budget and income of its residents.
Houses with land plots overlooking the sea are offered to customers. Cottages with 5-7 bathrooms and with all the charms of a country holiday, from a fireplace to a pool, are the most popular. You can buy a cottage in Finland, in such area as Espoo, for €5,000-10,000 per sq.m. For example, a five-room house of 300 sq.m with a plot will cost €3 million. A twelve-room house of 600 sq.m with a plot overlooking the sea, will cost the new owner €8 million. A private beach, a dock and a guest house are also included in this price.
Those who decided to stay at one with nature in Espoo, will be interested in a five-room house with a kitchen, a fireplace, a pool, a sauna, a jacuzzi, ad a billiard room (total area of 355 sq.m). On winter veranda, which is connected to the house with a glass corridor, you can prepare a dinner on the grill for your guests. The owner will get all these pleasures for €1.49 million
Finally, a house with ten rooms near Lake Finnträsk will be a wonderful option for those who like to relax near the water surface. It will cost €1.45 million. In the estate there are four bedrooms, a living room, a fireplace, a library, a music room, a cloakroom, a garage and a terrace. In addition, on the territory there is a well-kept garden, a parking and a private beach.
Market experts advise not to think for too long to all those who dare to unravel the mystery of refined neoclassical buildings in the center of the Finnish capital, and those who simply want to have a rest from the bustle of the suburbs. Since the summer of 2013 prices for secondary Finnish property started to decline slowly, which means it's time to discover new Helsinki.
Text: Galina Borisova, Alexander Fetyukov, ee24.com