Find a Home
Finding a home in a new country can be a confusing and challenging process. Luckily, it doesn't have to be that difficult – and in Norway, it is also quite safe.
Deciding whether to rent or buy your new home is not a decision to take lightly. Different factors such as the duration of your stay, your economic situation, and the size of your family all have to factor in.
In Norway, as much as three quarters of all households own their own property. Still, not everyone has the means to buy their own house or apartment, which makes for a solid and safe rental market as well.
Here are the most important things to think about when finding a home in Norway.
Are you curious about buying or renting a house in Norway? Norway's biggest online marketplace, Finn.no, is the absolutely best place to start, as all the real estate agencies publish available properties there.
Renting a home
Get a written contract!
That piece of advice is the single most important piece of advice for anyone looking to rent property in Norway.
The next piece of advice you should carve into the back of your skull, is to always put your deposit into a designated deposit account.
The cost of renting an apartment in Trondheim greatly varies. From 5 000 kroner a month (about 550 USD) for a room in a shared apartment, renting an entire apartment usually costs between 15 000 and 30 000 kroner (about 1 700 to 3 400 USD).
If you are interested in renting a home in Trondheim, the most popular marketplaces are Finn.no and Hybel.no. Some real estate agencies also specialize in rental apartments, so if you want to make sure that your renting experience is as smooth as possible, you can check out Utleiemegleren. Beware, however, that the websites are primarily in Norwegian, so you might want to ally yourself with Google Translate.
Buying a home
If you want to buy a house, or an apartment, in Trondheim, there are a few things you need to think about.
A bank guarantee
Unless you are rocking a big pile of cash, you will need to get a loan. And that does not need to be overly complicated.
First, you need a bank account, and to have a bank account. Read more about opening a bank account here.
Second, you need to have at least 15 % of the property value in cash.
The bank will then have a look at your salary, your savings, and based on that give you a loan estimate.
As all bids are legally binding, you must not place any bids without a bank guarantee, or exceeding the loan estimate.
The loan interest fluctuates, of course, but it is usually at about 2 %.
Where you want to live
As in most cities – property pricing descends the further away from the city centre you get. The beauty of Trondheim is that the surrounding municipalities, together forming the Greater Trondheim Area, offer fast means of commuting – giving you the option of cheaper living, while working in Trondheim.