$800,000 Homes in Sweden
This wood cottage, built in 1960 and fully renovated last year, packs two bedrooms, one bathroom and an open-plan common area into a footprint of 645 square feet. The 0.85-acre property is on Värmdö, a verdant island in the innermost region of the Stockholm archipelago, in southeast Sweden.
The region is dense with lakes and forests, and a destination for second-home owners and outdoors enthusiasts. The nearest shop is at the Bullandö Marina, which also has a popular restaurant. About 15 miles west, the town of Mölnvik has more shops and services. Stockholm, Sweden's capital and home to an international airport, is about an hour west by car.
Size: 645 square feet
Price per square foot: $1,139
Indoors: The L-shaped house has a single living and dining space that extends to the semi-open kitchen and the two bedrooms, which share a wall. The living room has a white-brick fireplace, white paneled ceiling and a wall of glass windows and doors that open to the rear deck. The kitchen has minimalist dark cabinets, bright counters and a large window over the sink overlooking the garden. The bathroom has under-floor heating and a standing shower.
The windows are triple-glazed. The house is heated with an air-source heat pump, and shares a well with a neighbor.
Outdoor space: The front and back decks nearly double the home's the living space. From the living room, glass doors open to the rear deck, which has a grill and looks out to the sea. On the other side of the house, a wood staircase leads up to another deck and the front door, which opens to the kitchen.
Plans have been drawn for a larger, three-bedroom home on the lot.
Costs: The annual operating costs are estimated at 14,046 Swedish krona ($1,449), and property taxes are around $1,100.
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