Looking at apartments in Stockholm is a funny process. Like most anywhere in this town, you have to take your shoes off at the door before you walk in. I can’t imagine looking at a place in the US and having to do that. We went to a visning (showing) on Sunday where shoes literally went all the way down the hall and up to the door of the place that was being shown. There were probably 50 or more pairs of shoes.
When you walk in the door, you are greeted by a mäklare or broker who takes your name and mobile number and then provides you with a full color booklet detailing all the features of the place. For many of the apartments, a home stylist has been called in and the place is home magazine perfect.
One of the places we looked at on Sunday was being rehabbed and the first floor was mostly done, but the second floor was just a wooden frame. To get to it, we had to climb up a ladder. I just don’t think that would happen at a showing in the US either. There would be a lawsuit as someone would hurt himself.
Then once you are home, the bidding will start and you will get continual updates on the process and the opportunity to place your own bid, all via SMS. And the market is such these days that apartments are priced high and then sell for 1-2 million SEK more than the asking price. (One Swedish crown = 7.14 US dollars.) It’s all enough to make my head hurt.
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