The small Swedish town of Götene, less than 150 kilometres north of Gothenburg, has made headlines in the real estate market thanks to an offer that has attracted thousands of people. The local council of the town, with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, has put around 30 plots of land up for sale at a price that seems to good to be true: one krona (kr) per square metre, equivalent to just under 90 cents per m2. Italy's 1 euro house programme has certainly set a precedent - let's find out more.
Buyers save around 500,000 kr (43,800 euros) and have two years to build a house, which in this part of the Scandinavian country costs between 3 and 4 million kr (between 260,000 and 350,000 euros).
This town decided to launch this plan to attract more people to the area, which has long experienced "low birth rates and an ageing population," according to Mayor Johan Månsson. These 30 plots of land have been on the market for a long time without finding a buyer.
Since the city launched the plan in May, it has received thousands of applications, and the City Council has decided to suspend purchases until early August to fine-tune the selection process for buyers.
The new buyers must build a house on the land with the intention of living there permanently or using it as a holiday property within the next two years. Götene is in a rural area near Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden. It is also close to several UNESCO sites: the Platåbergens Geopark, the Lake Vänern Archipelago, and Mount Kinnekulle.
Given the success of the campaign, the mayor stated that they are considering selling more land or even some houses, similar to the 1 euro house scheme that has been so successful in Italy.
“We still have a lot of land, and we will need to sit down and see if we can do something to go further,” explained the councillor. Månsson also added that this programme has brought hope to the town. "If you are looking for a quiet life in the countryside, we can offer you a high quality of life. It’s a perfect combination."
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