House Hunting in … Finland

Well, not all of the new housing is as pictured. Helsinki is so desperate to build housing that there is a construction site maybe a ten minute walk from here. The area is part of a low lying area, with a creek crossing it. When it rains, or snow melts, water is everywhere. But it has been decided to construct several apartment buildings in one section of the area. The project is now in its fourth year as first a substance was pumped into the ground which most of us locals decided was to reinforce the ground to hold the heavy structures. Then came the diggers and dum-trucks, taking away mud and replacing it with new dirt and stones and whatnot. Then gouging the earth to induce the water to run off. And pumps running 24/7. Regardless, the water returns from the surrounding area. The only substantial structure in the immediate area is a child day care center. But it is built on the only land that is elevated. The structures are going up, yes, but those of us who have been observing this process wonder when they will begin to slowly sink. The city will never get their investment back. Nor will the people who eventually buy their apartment on the site. Beautiful homes in the article. Now write about the other side of the housing issue here.

5300 square feet? Who needs that much space?

“Mortgages are available to foreign buyers, but most banks in Finland have strict qualification requirements” Please finish the thought.....like what kind of restrictions????

What a dream. Modern, stylish, spacious, yet very cosy and home-like at the same time. The Finns are just so good at this.

A bright, cheerful place in a desirable location. Yet, for me the stairs intrude into, disrupt the integrity of the living room and dining room. Intrusive stairs are a very common as I have noticed looking at houses all over the country in the hope of finding a spot to relocate. Even worse when busy rails add visual clutter to the disruption (not the case here)/

A lovely, enchanting country with about the same total population as Wisconsin. Finland demonstrates the power of land, language and culture to define the characteristics of a nation.

The kitchen and dining room are too far about.

Finland is such a fantastic place to live. As just reported, the happiest people on earth. Nature and arts are outstanding. People very friendly and love Americans. I have spent two years working there for Nokia back in the days when they were leading cell phone market. Best time of my life with my family. Helsinki is a hidden gem but prices rapidly picking up. Even better is the archipelago out of Helsinki with its summer houses and the western coast of Finland. Like Maine, without the spoilers.

Yes, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish. My first hand knowledge is about 20 years out but most Finns (Suomi in "Finnish") also speak excellent English which they of course learn from early on in school . They also have a lot of business uses for English, notably in their large high tech sector but also at sellers of goods internationally such as Marimekko the clothing house. Naturally their lawyers, accountants and such need to be proficient in English as well. As English is my primary language and Swedish my third I never did learn more than a few words in Suomi which is neither a romance nor germanic language. Its closest liguistic relative is Hungarian.