In October 2026, the Ministry of the Environment published a new decree updating the energy requirements for renovation work. The decree comes into force at the start of 2027, and compliance becomes mandatory for housing companies from 2030. If you are buying an older property, this change affects you more than you might think. What
Energy requirements for renovation work 2027: the buyer’s renovation risk Read More »
The maintenance charge is the cost you pay every month, whether or not you still have a loan balance. Yet it’s often sidelined in home purchases. Attention tends to focus on the debt-free price, the square meters, and the kitchen finishes. The charge gets a quick glance in the listing, is deemed reasonable, and the
The rise in maintenance charges: what homebuyers need to calculate before signing Read More »
In October 2026, the Finnish Real Estate Management Federation (Isännöintiliitto) floated a proposal that got many homebuyers thinking: housing companies should be given the right to forcibly redeem shares if a shareholder permanently stops paying maintenance charges. The proposal isn’t law yet, but it points to something real. Payment difficulties in housing companies are a
Forced redemption in a housing company: what homebuyers need to know Read More »
The Housing Companies Act changed on 1 October 2026. This is not a single provision, but dozens of amendments across different parts of the Act. Some are technical, but many directly affect what you are buying when you purchase apartment shares. We reviewed the legislative text adopted by Parliament and extracted the changes most relevant
Housing Companies Act Amendment 2026: What Buyers Need to Know Read More »
Yle recently reported that for a hundred-thousand-euro loan, the wrong interest rate decision can cost thousands of euros. That is a significant sum. Yet, few first-time buyers stop to properly consider the choice before the bank is already offering the contract for signature. At OUN®, there are no commissions or bank sales targets, so we
Fixed vs. variable interest rate: which is right for a first-time buyer Read More »
Yle reported in September on young people’s housing habits and the postponement of first-home purchases. The article collected 313 comments. That tells you something about how nerve-wracking this topic is. But the comments barely calculated in euros what waiting actually costs. We did the math. What This Is Really About Postponing the purchase of a
Postponing the Purchase of a First Home: What It Costs in Euros Read More »
An apartment on leasehold land may seem like a good deal at first glance. The price is low, the location is fine, the housing company appears functional. But then, after the purchase, it starts to become clear what questions were left unasked. The Central Association of Real Estate Agencies (KVKL) has raised precisely this issue:
Leasehold land in home buying: what the buyer needs to check Read More »
Starting in 2027, housing companies will most likely be able to decide for themselves whether to ban smoking in their buildings and outdoor areas. This is a big change. Until now, only a municipality (!) could impose such a ban, which in practice has meant that most housing companies couldn’t do anything about it, even
Yle already reported in August 2024 on how the negotiating position of tenants has weakened while the role of investors in housing companies has grown. The news specifically addressed situations where a single large owner controls a significant portion of the housing company’s shares. This may be an issue worth considering when buying an apartment.
Investors in a housing company – threat or opportunity? Read More »
Nordea recently released a statement suggesting that, with the rise in interest rates, home ownership has become more expensive than renting. The news circulated in the media as a sensational headline. But what does it actually mean in practice, and should you change your mindset about buying a home? Let’s take a closer look at
