Buyer's Agent

Buying a house or apartment in Copenhagen is not that different from purchasing property elsewhere in Denmark - read more about the process here. However, you should be aware of a few things unique to the Copenhagen real estate scene before committing yourself further.

I want to buy an apartment in Copenhagen – what should I think about?

More and more people go big from the get-go

The Copenhagen real estate market regulates whether people choose to purchase property in the city or away from it.

In recent years, real estate prices in Copenhagen have risen significantly, creating a trend where homebuyers jump directly to the big purchase instead of beginning their journey as property owners with a starter apartment.

As a result, many homebuyers turn their eyes towards the outer edge of Copenhagen, e.g., Rødovre, Hvidovre, Brønshøj etc. In suburbs like these, it is possible to get a decent number of square meters at a reasonable price while still being only a few kilometers away from the bustling inner city.

Some homebuyers even look beyond the outskirts of Copenhagen and towards the cities surrounding the capital, e.g., Køge, Hillerød and Roskilde. These cities not only offer great value for money when it comes to real estate but also a close distance to Copenhagen due to well-planned infrastructure. Furthermore, the cities themselves are growing, making investments even more attractive.

Different municipalities equal different regulations and policies

Copenhagen City consists of several municipalities and each of these have different rules and regulations. The same applies for the municipalities that constitute the greater Capital Region. Anything from elder and childcare policies to taxes can vary, depending on where you have chosen to settle down.

Take, for example, the Municipality of Copenhagen and the Municipality of Frederiksberg - two popular municipalities located right next to each other. Despite their similarities, the tax in the Municipality of Frederiksberg is lower than the tax in the Municipality of Copenhagen.

The conclusion is that postal code and property price aren't the only factors you should be looking at when wanting to buy a home in Copenhagen.

Buying a house gives you better insurance opportunities

Have you thought about whether you should buy a house or apartment in Copenhagen? Because there is more to this decision than first meets the eyes.

The thing is that when you buy a house in Denmark, you are eligible for a change of ownership insurance. A change of ownership insurance is a type of property insurance that covers property defects not mentioned in the home condition report. The change of ownership insurance is not only convenient for buyers but for sellers as well, as it waives the latter's obligation to compensate the buyer for any unforeseen property defects.

But when you buy an apartment in Denmark, on the other hand, you are not eligible for the insurance. Because to obtain it, you would need a home condition report. And if you want to a make home condition report for an apartment, you are required to inspect the whole building – not just the housing unit you are interested in. Consequently, only property companies deal with home condition reports for apartments - it just isn't feasible for the everyman.

Because you won't be able to get a home condition report, the seller is respectively liable for property defects discovered within 10 years. But before you get too excited, be aware that it is highly difficult to recover claims for concealed damages. Some choose to go to court to make claims, but the troubles might not be worth it unless you deal with injuries for DKK 50,000 – 70,000.

Learn more about buying an apartment in Denmark here.

Where should I buy a flat in Copenhagen?

Now that you have been introduced to key important factors about buying property in Copenhagen let us look at the many neighbourhoods you can settle in. For outsiders, all of Copenhagen might seem similar but the truth couldn't be further away, as with many other great cities worldwide. Please read more below for an overview of the different districts and what they offer.

Vesterbro

Vesterbro is located very close to the city centre and can be reached within 5 minutes by bike. Its reputation as a hip and trendy neighbourhood with a laidback atmosphere has made it a trendy residential area. Vesterbro was formerly known as Copenhagen's red-light district but is now one of the most attractive districts to live in – and this shows in the real estate prices.

Østerbro

Østerbro is known for its green areas and housing the largest public park in Denmark, Fælledparken. Østerbro is located north of the city centre by the waterfront and within walking distance from the inner city. It is an attractive neighbourhood that is home to people and businesses. Østerbro is especially popular among families with children, but young people also settle here.

Nørrebro

Known for being a multicultural area, Nørrebro is located just north of the inner city. Formerly known as one of the city's seedier areas, Nørrebro has successfully shed this old image and blossomed into a hip district popular enough to rival Vesterbro in trendiness. In addition to being a residential area, Nørrebro also offers plenty of restaurants, cafes, bars etc.

Amager

Amager is one of the newer neighbourhoods, as recently, more and more people have discovered the island's pleasant mix of nature and urban living. Amager is located on the south side of Copenhagen, and a large portion of the urban areas are integrated into Copenhagen, essentially making Amager an extension of the capital city. Amager offers both new and old apartments at varying prices. In some terms, Amager has been mentioned to be Copenhagen's Manhattan.

Nordhavn

One of the newer residential districts in Copenhagen. Formerly an industrial zone, Nordhavn is now a residential area with many waterfront buildings looking out towards Øresund.

Sydhavn

A neighbourhood that offers both beautiful buildings and nature. Sydhavn is the perfect place to live if you want to distance yourself from the busy streets of inner Copenhagen but still wish to be close to the city.

Carlsbergbyen

An upcoming district, Carlsbergbyen, is a small neighbourhood located within Vesterbro. The area is named after the Carlsberg Brewery, which had its base for approximately 150 years. Carlsbergbyen offers modern buildings and buzzing business life.

To sum up, buying property in Copenhagen is roughly the same as buying property elsewhere in this country. Nevertheless, the little details make a big difference and failing to recognize them can impact the quality of your life both in the short and long run. That is why Bomae exists – we are here to help.

Mortgage refinancing

A loan with a fixed interest allows you to take care of your loan actively. If you choose to reorganize your fixed loan to a new one with a fixed interest rate and a lower interest rate than the previous one, this is called down-conversion.

Refinancing lower: Reorganizing a loan to a lower interest rate.
Outstanding debt: unchanged or more significant.

Refinancing higher: Reorganizing a loan to a higher interest rate.
Outstanding debt: often lower.)

In this scenario you will benefit from getting a lower interest rate on your loan, but your outstanding debt will almost be the same or more extensive compared to a situation where you had kept your current loan.

Suppose you go the other way around and change your current loan with a fixed interest to a new loan that also has a fixed interest but a higher interest rate. In that case, you will often be able to get a new loan with a lower outstanding debt than the previous – but at a higher interest rate. This type of refinancing is called up-conversion.

Here, the payment will often be close to the same or slightly higher. However, your total outstanding debt will be lower than before the up conversion.

Variable interest on a house mortgage

Today, several types of loans with a variable interest exist. Similar to them, you only know the interest rate for a small period at a time – typically 1-5 years at a time. A loan with a variable interest where you lock the rate for 1-5 years is called an F1-F5 loan.

Unlike a loan with a fixed interest rate, a loan like this is always taken out at a price of 100. This means that if you have a loan with a variable interest rate, your total loan amount (the principal) will often be lower than in the case of a loan with a fixed interest rate, because you avoid the exchange loss. On the other hand, you should be a bit more aware of the repayment terms on a loan with a variable interest rate.

Here you can pay back the loans at a price of 100 at the time of the mortgage rate adjustment. So, if you have chosen a F5 loan, you will not be able to pay back the loan at a price of 100 until after 5 years.

If you need to pay back the loan before the deadline, it will typically happen at the market price, which will often be under 100. This means that if you want to pay back the loan after three years, you can expect to pay more than what you owe.

The variable interest rate is often lower than the fixed interest rate. On the other hand, the contribution rate will often be higher on loans with a variable interest rate than on loans with a fixed interest rate. So, some of the savings on the lower interest rate are reduced due to a higher contribution rate. However, the loan with a variable interest rate will often still have a lower price at the moment than the loan with a fixed interest rate.

Things to Consider When Wanting to Buy a House in Copenhagen, Denmark