After observing a slight rise in real estate prices after the first month of 2012, Swedish realtors are hoping that this may be the beginning of a positive trend after last year's plummeting prices.
”It is too early to talk of a break in the trend, but we are receiving signals that the activity on the property market is increasing,” said Claudia Wörmann, head analyst at the Association of Swedish Real Estate Agents.
House prices in Sweden fell by 4% over the last year and apartment prices by 3%, according to the latest figures by real estate statistics service. Prices plummeted especially in the big city areas, where flat prices in central Stockholm fell by 6 percent, in Gothenburg by 7 % and Malmö by 9% over 2011.
But according to Wörmann, there has been some indication that the prices are stabilizing and even growing during the first month of the year. House prices rising by 1 % and flat prices by 5%.
However, due to the current financial turbulence in the world it is more difficult than usually to predict how the property market will develop long term. ”But buyers and vendors seem to have adapted to the new situation and are finding it easier to reach an agreement,” Wörmann told.
Source: http://www.thelocal.se/39096/20120214/