The orientation

During 2004, we began to orientate ourselves in the Swedish housing market.

November 2004, the last week of November, we would go to Värmland, for an orientation and maybe we could come back as proud home-owners, of a Swedish home. It was exciting, because at that time, there was not much to buy in the segment, we could spend. And what we could afford, was all just sold. And if we didn’t buy a house, we could have a nice short vacation, is n’t it?

Gerton went already toSweden before, because of his work. That was in a winter, but it was ridiculous that I, Karin, except for a holliday inDenmarkand Finland, had never been to  Sweden.For now we had rented a house in Sorby, a small village near the lake Lakene.

However, before we arrived, we came in to a great snowstorm, between the two large lakes. Slip one party after another, the police, fireman, everything on the road, or just not on the road, a bus in to a ditch, flashing lights and lots of wind and snow! 
No idea, for how long we had to drive  and what  could happen the last kilometers.  After a phone call, the person’s house we rented, we were reassured that, there was no storm, snow and stuff on the way, happy!

After a good night’s rest, set off for a visit, with the person who should accompany us. Seen a nice house, but it would be nicer, several homes to view. Sooner said than done. But in the meantime,  the first house, we had seen, was already sold! By viewers, who visited the house half an hour later!  Anyway, good spirits again.

The following days, we set off, to an area, which I thought,  the end of the world should have come soon. To drive 40 km to have to  a bread ……….., no, it was not our place. But we have seen a lot of winter beauty of Värmland. Wonderfull!

Then the broker in Hagfors, where we went on monday, he was a great help. We could tell him the houses we wanted to visit,  first we visited them ourselves and in the afternoon, together with the broker, we could enter the house, we had chosen.

That morning we visited a farm in the forest. Nice place in summer, but in the winter? We got stuck in the snow, with a band in the ditch! That happend because we did not see the ditch, because of the snow! Fortunately, fortunately, the peasant still lived there. With hand gestures explained our problem, we couldn’t speake Swedish, he didn’t speake English. Anyway, until he had the tractor battery charging, the battery was in fact because it was winter. After more than half hour, the battery was charged, yes, we were saved.

It was then we decided, to surch for a house in the civilized world. In the winter is too laborious to find the right road through the forest, to make it snow-free, no control, etc.

That  afternoon, the last house: yes, this is it! Entering the house: there was the right feeling!!  Because we decided to find a house, in wich we could live immediatelly and there it was: Ons Huset was a fact.

In 2004, our first impression of the house.

On Wednesdaymorning, the day of our departure to theNetherlands, at 7:00 ‘o clock in the morning we met the broker, to sign the contacts. What a great feeling!

So we left with many pictures, contracts and a feeling of great excitement, about what the next years would bring, back to theNetherlands.