So, it seems like I'll be getting my own place soon...

No idea really what our plans are... I think it'll be one of those "share and learn" things...mighth even be able to hire some models if we want to shoot portraits (unless we use eachother). Fotojen just got the idea after she visited me a week ago and was so excited to meet us all. It needs some planning as Karin is pregnant and might not be able to make it, etc (due date end of jan beginning of february). I'm not sure what date I'll be back, but nothing says we have to do it in january/february, might be nicer in the spring.

Spring would probably be nicest as the weather's better.
Didn't know Karin's pregnant, yaay.

Congrats Claire.

Im currently looking for a new place as my landlord is selling up.

Its all pretty exciting.

Hope all goes well for you.

Karl C wrote in post #2310872
Forgive my ignorance regarding Sweden's apartment market but why not find a place on your own? Are they that expensive? Couldn't be any worse that apartment costs here in Los Angeles or New York.

In London I could get a flat in 10 mins, it was only a matter of how much I was willing to pay/could afford. In Sweden majority of flats nowadays are to buy. At first I looked at that, but had to accept it'd be too expensive for me.

Then I began to look for a rental. There are very few 1st hand contracts, and those who got them keep them in case their flat might be turned into one they can sell. Or they keep & rent out 2nd hand (subletting).

Being a young, single girl I'm also very particular where I want to live. I refuse to live in a bad area, I want close & safe walk to local traffic, the place should be decent & rent ok. Now, all those may sound much, but I'd rather spend more on rent for a flat in a safe area/location.

I've been looking around the suburbs & applied through rental organisations, website & such. Nothing. Majority of young people sublet nowadays & end up being forced to move to a new sublet every 3,6,12 months (depending how long the contract is). In Stockholm 10 percent live through sublets. Some legal, some illegally. Some crash on friends' floors.

There's a big black market when it comes to flats in the big cities. Landlords ask for extra high rents, others set up biddings who'll pay highest gets the flat, some 1st hand contracts are sold black market for thousands of kronor, or/and ask extra high rents. Recently an 18y/o girl wrote in the Gothenburg Post how her friend had applied for a flat. The guy told her "I've had many applying for it & some girls have given me offers that are hard to turn down being a man... What you got to offer in order to be in the bidding?"

I've never liked the idea of subletting from a total stranger. I want a 1st hand contract. I haven't got one & I've looked for a flat for almost a year & lived with my folks for 4 years since coming back to Sweden.

It's not an ideal situation, but it's the best I can get right now unless I want to live at home until I get a 1st hand contract. No clue when that'd be. This arrangement lets me move out, there's no time limit like all the other sublets out there, it's a great location, safe area, nice flat, acceptable rent, I know who I'm renting from & it's a place of my own until I get a 1st hand contract.

In Spain the model is that people get a mortgage, buy a flat then live in 1 room and rent out the others to other people.

rhys wrote in post #2311605
In Spain the model is that people get a mortgage, buy a flat then live in 1 room and rent out the others to other people.

Ah, that'd not work over here. People buy houses, get a mortgage and live in it themselves. I think Swedes like their privacy and that's also why every kid has to have their own room etc. We're just not all that into sharing, unless we're 18-23 y/o and sharing with mates or preferably living with a gf/bf.

My friend in Malmö is ducking the law. He and his ex lived in a three room flat. They shared the rent as well as shared it with the 1st contract owner. The thing is the 1st contract owner lives in Stockholm and the term for them were that there were only her "live-in tenants". Then the gf moved to Stockholm and he now lives there alone with a really low rent. He's actually not supposed to be having the flat alone, as that'd be seen as illegal 2nd hand contracting, but as the 1st hand contract girl officially still has a bedroom there (which he's not allowed into), he is still considered to be "live-in tenant", which legally means the landlord doesn't have to give permission, and can't do anything about it.

I told my mom about that, and she said "well, you could be a live-in tenant to your boss." I said, sure, I've thought about that, but kinda hard in a two room flat. Her reply was "geesh, what's with Swedes? Just because they can't stand being without their own room doesn't mean everyone is like that!" lol