Buying a house or apartment
If you decide to buy a house, the approach depends on whether you are an EU/EEA citizen or a citizen of other countries. One rule applies in both situations: The property must serve as a necessary all-year residence for the buyer.
EU/EEA citizens are allowed to acquire an all-year residence in Denmark without obtaining permission from the Danish Ministry of Justice. All they need to do is make a declaration to the Land Registration Court.
Citizens from other countries than EU/EEA Member States must obtain permission from the Danish Ministry of Justice before buying accommodation in Denmark. The process for applying for permission is described at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark's website.
Searching on your own for listings to buy a house, an apartment or an apartment in a housing co-op is possible through these two websites (both in Danish):
You can also contact realtors in the areas where you are looking for housing. Realtors in Denmark are hired by the seller of a house, and they carry their own listings. There is no formalised buyer’s agent to help a buyer search, preview, and negotiate with the seller’s agent. You might be able to negotiate an agreement with an agent to help you out.
Other major real estate companies with local neighbourhood offices are:
Thinking about buying accommodation, you will find that there are various mortgage options. We recommend that you seek advice from your bank of choice. You can read more about the various mortgage options at the Association of Danish Mortgage Banks web site.
In Denmark, you pay a property value tax and a land value tax on your property, which are deducted on your tax return. Read more on the Danish Tax Authorities web site.
Buying an apartment in a housing co-op differs from the form of a single-residence ownership. This also applies to financing and taxation of an apartment in a housing co-op. When you buy an apartment in a housing co-op, you have the right to use a specific apartment, and you own an arbitrary part of the entire building.
Your monthly housing costs consist of a monthly "rent", you pay to the operation of the apartment building for expenses such as maintenance, taxes, etc. and monthly costs on the housing loan you obtain from a bank. You do not pay a separate property tax on your apartment; taxes are covered by the "rent".
The important part to remember when you buy an apartment in a housing co-op is to check the building´s accounting methods and financial statement – both the current year as well as a few years back. Then you can find out about earlier and upcoming renovations as this can influence your monthly “rent” and also the value of your apartment. We recommend that you seek professional advice from a housing lawyer.
Read more
- Read more about how to buy property at the Municipality of Copenhagen website.