Housing prices reached new peak levels during the pandemic year 2020. An average villa in Sweden had an annual rate of +13 percent and a condominium with an average of +7 percent, according to Swedish Brokerage Statistics' January figures.

At the same time, the number of reports of cover prices has skyrocketed, according to figures from the Real Estate Inspectorate, which SVT Nyheter has read.

Between January and December 2020, a total of 692 notifications of cover prices were received by the Real Estate Inspectorate.

This can be compared with a total of 139 registrations the year before.

- We have seen increases in reports of cap prices before.

But not in line with what has happened in 2020. There is an extreme increase in reports that has taken place, says David Johansson, head of supervision at the Real Estate Inspectorate.

Stand out

It is the metropolitan regions that stand out, with Stockholm accounting for 384 of the registrations.

This is followed by Skåne and Västra Götaland with 75 and 70 registrations respectively.

In the big cities, it is mainly for condominiums that the bid premium (the difference between the starting price and the final price is noted) has been withdrawn, according to the notifications that have been received.

But Uppsala and Värmland have also had large increases in registrations in percentage terms.

But then it has mainly been about villas and holiday homes.

David Johansson believes that there was uncertainty about the market and the price development at the beginning of the pandemic, which is reflected in the registration frequency during the year.

- Above all, it has increased where there have been relatively few reports before.

But that it has now increased explosively is a bit in relation to how it has been before.

Then it is the market that rules, that they have seen a sharp rise in prices that has generated more notifications, he says.

"High inflow"

And the development continues.

During the first month of the year, a total of 128 reports were received by the Real Estate Inspectorate, of which 68 concerned cap prices.

Thereafter, 18 cases concerned bidding.

- At present, the trend seems to be continuing.

We have a continued high inflow of applications in general in all areas.

But cap prices still stand out as an area where we get a lot of reports, says David Johansson.

"The hot market"

Björn Wellhager, CEO of Mäklarsamfundet, emphasizes that most of the reports are written off and that the propensity to report has generally increased in society.

At the same time, he says, bidding is not uncommon.

- It has to do with the fact that we have a very hot market.

We also know historically that when we see such increases, we also see current announcements of starting prices, says Björn Wellhager.