In many rural areas, the market value of houses is low – often considerably below the cost of construction. As a consequence, it is very difficult to obtain the loan to build or buy. This ‘freezes’ the market and has a negative impact on rural development overall. So, how could the rural housing markets improve in the Nordic countries?
A new Nordregio Report and Policy Brief, shed light on the role of financing, the part played by municipalities, and the potential benefits of a larger rental market. Via interviews, a picture of the predominant challenges facing the Nordic countries emerges, and the specific nature of these challenges is described in five case studies. Based on these, we have identified various mitigating measures at national and municipal level.
Both the Report and Policy Brief are part of the work of The Nordic Thematic Group on Sustainable Rural Development 2017-2020. Please join the online event Nordregio Forum in November for thematic discussions.
Report 2020:7 Rural housing challenges in the Nordic region
POLICY BRIEF 2020:4:
Breaking the downward spiral::Improving rural housing markets in the Nordic Region
