Housing prices increase throughout the country

Overall prices of existing homes in Norway rose 2.1 per cent from second to third quarter 1997. The increase applies to all parts of the country and for most types of homes.

Prices increased the most in Akershus County excluding Bærum from second to third quarter 1997, with three per cent. In the rest of the country prices rose between 1.9 and 2.3 per cent. In Oslo and Bærum, which have seen the strongest growth in prices over the past year, increases are now in line with the rest of the country.

Apartment prices decline

Big differences exist between the various types of housing despite the overall increase in prices. Prices of apartments increased by a total of 0.6 per cent from second to third quarter 1997, although Oslo including Bærum was the only area reporting price increases. In the rest of the country, however, prices of apartments dropped. The price zone "rest of the country" (the entire country minus Oslo, Akershus County, Stavanger, Bergen and Trondheim) showed the biggest decline in apartment prices, with 2.3 per cent. Prices of small houses and single family homes climbed by 2.7 and 2.4 per cent respectively from second to third quarter 1997. Single family homes in Oslo including Bærum rose the most in price, with 6.3 per cent.

New Statistics

Price index for existing dwellings, third quarter 1997.
Statistics are published every quarter in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and in the monthly publication Bygginfo. More information: Roger Jensen, tel. +47 62 88 55 45, e-mail: roj@ssb.no, or Inger Monsrud, tel. +47 62 88 54 26, e-mail: ijm@ssb.no.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 1-2, 1998