Transfer of properties

Updated: 3 May 2023

Next update: 8 September 2023

Dwellings transferred on the free market
Dwellings transferred on the free market
1st quarter 2023
25 885
Registered transfers of real property and properties owned through a housing cooperative. Preliminary figures
Registered transfers of real property and properties owned through a housing cooperative. Preliminary figures
1st quarter 20231st quarter 2022 - 1st quarter 20231st quarter 2018 - 1st quarter 2023
All transfers51 430-0.6
Real estates42 261-2.2-1.1
Cooperative estates9 1697.8
Dwelling properties on the free market sale, total25 8851.4
Dwelling properties on owned site, free market sale18 635-0.214.3
Dwelling properties on leased site, free market sale632-3.4-6.1
Properties owned through a housing cooperative, free market sale6 6186.7
Holiday properties , free market sale, total1 806-24.5-10.6
Holiday properties on owned site, free market sale1 452-25.2-6.5
Holiday properties on leased site, free market sale354-21.3-24.4
Explanation of symbols

Selected tables and figures from this statistics

  • Transfers of dwelling properties with building, free market sale. Preliminary figures
    Transfers of dwelling properties with building, free market sale. Preliminary figures
    1st quarter 2023
    Transfers, totalTotal purchase price (NOK million)Purchase price per transfer (NOK 1000)Transfers of titleTotal purchase price, transfer of title (NOK million)Purchase price per transfer of title (NOK 1 000)Transfers of leasesTotal purchase price on transfer of lease (NOK million)Purchase price, transfer of lease (NOK 1 000)
    The whole country19 26794 2724 89318 63590 4594 8546323 8126 032
    Viken4 96825 5085 1344 82424 9175 1651445914 104
    Oslo2 42420 7868 5752 31618 6688 0601082 11819 607
    Innlandet9983 6213 6289733 5593 65825622 467
    Vestfold og Telemark1 3016 8055 2311 2426 6075 320591983 358
    Agder1 2264 3973 5861 2024 3303 60224672 774
    Rogaland2 0758 6784 1822 0698 6534 1826254 225
    Vestland2 1138 5024 0242 0568 2964 035572063 616
    Møre og Romsdal8492 8533 3618392 8313 37510222 174
    Trøndelag - Trööndelage1 8817 9504 2261 7997 7154 288822352 870
    Nordland - Nordlánnda6682 1703 2496272 0793 31641912 228
    Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku7643 0013 9286882 8034 074761982 599
    Explanation of symbols
  • Free market sales of property owned through a housing coopertive. Number, purchase price and joint debt. Preliminary figures
    Free market sales of property owned through a housing coopertive. Number, purchase price and joint debt. Preliminary figures
    Transfers, totalTotal purchase price (NOK million)Purchase price per transfer (NOK 1000)Joint debt in total (NOK million)1 Joint debt per transfer (NOK 1000)Total purchase price per transfer included joint debt (NOK 1 000)
    1st quarter 2023
    The whole country6 61819 6552 9702 6944073 377
    Viken1 2043 1592 6243953282 952
    Oslo1 9898 5994 3237253654 688
    Innlandet2965871 984882962 280
    Vestfold og Telemark8081 7582 1754265272 702
    Agder1442851 981604152 396
    Rogaland3317582 2901725192 809
    Vestland6071 5232 5102103472 857
    Møre og Romsdal1442601 808584052 213
    Trøndelag - Trööndelage6331 5792 4952654182 913
    Nordland - Nordlánnda2837482 6421836473 289
    Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku1783982 2331126292 862
    County not stated101501514664
    1Figures on joint debt are based on information on sellers joint debt in the housing cooperative at the end of the year before the sale took place. If figures on joint debt are missing, it is estimated.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Transfers of holiday properties with building, free market sale. Preliminary figures
    Transfers of holiday properties with building, free market sale. Preliminary figures
    1st quarter 2023
    Transfers, totalTotal purchase price (NOK million)Purchase price per transfer (NOK 1000)Transfers of titleTotal purchase price, transfer of title (NOK million)Purchase price per transfer of title (NOK 1000)Transfers of leasesTotal purchase price on transfer of lease (NOK million)Purchase price, transfer of lease (NOK 1000)
    The whole country1 8064 9782 7561 4524 1342 8473548442 384
    Oslo and Viken4121 4393 4943381 2493 696741902 570
    Innlandet3891 2443 1982949293 161953153 311
    Vestfold og Telemark2015882 9241645213 17637671 805
    Agder1855282 8521303882 985551402 539
    Rogaland691432 06847921 96222502 294
    Vestland1814172 3041744082 343791 341
    Møre og Romsdal771341 741741291 747351 583
    Trøndelag - Trööndelage1623051 8851312662 02831401 280
    Nordland - Nordlánnda64871 36450771 5411410731
    Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku66931 40450741 48616181 147
    Explanation of symbols
  • Registered transfers of real property
    Registered transfers of real property
    TransfersNotified amount (NOK million)
    1st quarter 20231 1st quarter 20231
    The whole country42 261130 406
    Viken9 40233 114
    Oslo3 55629 612
    Innlandet3 4817 111
    Vestfold og Telemark3 2909 644
    Agder3 1046 664
    Rogaland3 62510 941
    Vestland4 83711 491
    Møre og Romsdal2 2334 166
    Trøndelag - Trööndelage4 15010 353
    Nordland - Nordlánnda2 3053 427
    Troms og Finnmark - Romsa ja Finnmárku2 2783 883
    1Preliminary figures.
    Explanation of symbols
  • Registered transfers of real property, by type of property
    Registered transfers of real property, by type of property
    1st quarter 20201st quarter 20211st quarter 20221st quarter 20231
    All properties41 74247 28543 21042 261
    Dwelling property total29 23031 93730 09130 459
    Dwelling property with building27 87530 42028 90929 517
    Dwelling property without building1 3551 5171 182942
    Holiday property total6 7189 0896 9815 675
    Holiday property with buildingl5 6497 3345 6054 944
    Holiday property without building1 0691 7551 376731
    Agricultural/forestry property total1 7741 9571 8791 870
    Agricultural/forestry property with building1 4281 6211 5151 551
    Agricultural/forestry property without building346336364319
    Commercial/office property total1 024872882977
    Commercial/office property with building975832803913
    Commercial/office property without building49407964
    Industrial property total672743727723
    Industrial property with building556588591619
    Industrial property without building116155136104
    Communication purposes89127122108
    Other2 0712 3562 3612 134
    Not specified164204167315
    1Preliminary figures.
    Explanation of symbols

About the statistics

The statistics comprise the number and value of registered transfers of real property and registered transfers of property owned through a housing cooperative. For dwellings and holiday homes sold on the free market, both total and average purchase prices are published.

Registered amount

Registered amount comprises mainly purchase prices. If the transfer is free of charge, the value of the property stated on the deed of conveyance is used.

Average purchase price per transfer

An average purchase price is calculated for the following types of properties and transfers:

  • Dwelling property with building, title to land, free market sale and purchase price reported.
  • Holiday property with building, title to land, free market sale and purchase price reported.
  • Holiday home on leased site, free market sale and purchase price reported.
  • Dwelling owned through a housing cooperative.

Transfer

A transfer does not only comprise ordinary sale, but also donation, compulsory sale and eminent domain, licensed decedent estate, inheritance of decedent estate and other. A transfer can also comprise one or several cadastral units. For properties with more than one owner, a transfer can also be a part of a property.

Free market sale

Free market sale means that the property is sold for a price corresponding to the market value. The property is not always announced for sale on the free market.

Name: Transfer of properties
Topic: Construction, housing and property

8 September 2023

Division for Housing, Property, Spatial and Agricultural Statistics

The statistics are published at county and municipality level.

The statistics are published quarterly. Preliminary figures are published about 6 weeks after end of quarter. Usually, final figures are available about 32 weeks after end of quarter. The difference between preliminary and final figures is under 1 per cent.

The statistics are based on the date of registration. This date can be several weeks or months later than the date of sale. Data from finn.no from 2016 show that dwelling properties in average are sold 2-3 mounths before the date of registration.

Not relevant

Microdata are stored in Statistics Norway.

The aim is to provide statistics on the extent of transfers of real property in Norway. The statistics have comprised the present level of details since 1991. With fewer details the statistics go back to 1836. However, statistics are lacking for the years 1981-1983.

As from 2017 registered transfers of property owned through a housing cooperative are included.

Users are public institutions, estate agents, media and people in general.

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 8 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given in the Statistics Release Calendar. Read more about principles for equal treatement of all users on ssb.no.

Since 1991 Statistics Norway has worked out the quarterly House Price Index , which provides current price statistics for the housing market.

Statistics Norway also works out statistics on registered transfers of agricultural properties . This statistics are based on the properties defined as agricultural properties in the farm register owned by Norwegian Agriculture Agency.

The Statistics Act §§ 2-1, 3-2.

Not relevant

The statistics comprise all registered transfer of real property (and from 2017 registered transfer of property owned through a housing cooperative) and not only real sales. In addition to sales on the free market, the statistics also include donations, forced sales, expropriations, licensed decent estates, inheritance of decent estate and other registered transfers of title. The statistics include three types of real property: parcels, leases and sections of buildings registered as freehold.

Transfer of real property may occur without registration, but this is very uncommon.

A few transfers include more than one dwelling property unit or holiday property unit.

The statistics are based on data from two governmental administrative registers: the Register of Deeds ("Grunnboka") and the Norwegian Cadastre system (real properties, addresses, buildings and cadastral map). The Norwegian Mapping Authority has been managing the latter register for many years and has in the period 2004-2007 gradually taken over the management of the Register of Deeds from the local courts.

The statistics comprise all registered transfers of real property.

Data from the registers mentioned in chapter 3.2 are forwarded via file transfer and API to Statistics Norway.

The data are subject to computerized controls to detect lacks, errors, extreme values and lack of coherence. Data are corrected by means of additional information from the Register of Real Properties, Addresses and Buildings.

Mainly, the statistics comprise counting of transfers by various characteristics, e.g. type of property, type of transfer, with/without building and type of dwelling. Registered amount in NOK is also added up.

Registered amount is estimated as follows:

If the purchase price is above NOK 1, the registered amount is based on the purchase price. If the purchase price is NOK 1 or less, the registered amount is based on the value of the property stated on the deed of conveyance.

As from 2017 registered transfer of property owned through a housing cooperative is included. Data on share of common debt in the cooperatve come from tax statistics for persons. If data on debt is missing, an average value is used.

Not relevant

Figures based on less than three units (transfers) are not published if this causes risk for identifying any of the units concerned. Furthermore, figures are not published if more than 90 per cent of the registered amount originates from a single unit.

Statistics on transfers of real property exist as a continuous time series from 1836 to 1980. The statistics show the number of transfers and the registered amount, distributed on urban and rural areas. In addition, as from 1852 to 1980 a time series is available on average price per unit of assessed site value for agricultural properties sold on the free market.

Up to and including 1980, the statistics were based on aggregated data forwarded directly from local courts to Statistics Norway. The Register of Real Properties, Addresses and Buildings was established around 1980. The intension was to use this register as base for the statistics as from 1981. However, at that time data from several municipalities were lacking and the data quality for municipalities included was partially poor. Due to this, statistics are lacking for the years 1981-1983. As from 1984 statistics are published again, but for some years data were still of rather poor quality. Statistics at present level of details are published as from 1991.

Before 2006, the statistics were published in this way: 1st quarter, 1st half year, 1.-3. quarter and the whole year. As from 2006, the statistis are published quarterly.

Average price per transfer is published for transfers of dwelling properties with building and holiday properties with building. Properties without purchase price reported are not included. Dwelling property refers to detached houses, semi-detached houses, row-houses, flats in multi dwelling houses etc. Percentage of different dwelling types varies over time. For holiday properties a few transfers may include more than one holiday property unit. Due to these circumstances, the average value do not describe the price trend for a specific type of dwelling or holiday property, particularly not when the average figure is based on just a few transfers.

Therefore, average prices are not published for a lower level than county.

See the section revisions.

The statistics are based mainly on information reported in connection with registration of title to property and thus considered to be reliable. Misclassification of type of property and type of dwelling may occur.

In the period 2004-2007 the number of registered transfers classified as other type of property and other type of dwelling has increased. Registered transfers not specified have also increased. During the control routine we are not able to replace all of the transfers with the correct classification.

Errors originate from data processing in Statistics Norway are considered to be insignificant.

There are formal procedures to be followed when registering a real property. Consequently, non-response does not exist. Delay in the updating of the relevant registers may cause minor lacks in the preliminary statistics.

As from 2017 registered transfer of property owned through a housing cooperative is included. Data on the share of common debt in the cooperatve come from tax statistics for persons. If data on debt is missing, an average value is used.

The figures for dwelling and holiday properties in free sale for the years 2015-2020 have been changed. This is because several dwellings and a small number of holiday properties have by mistake been changed from the free sale to donation. These have now been changed back to free sale.

By linking information about the buyers and sellers involved in the sales with information from the National Population Register, we have been able to determine if any of the buyers are family members of the sellers. Up to three sellers and two buyers from each sale were included in the assessment of whether the buyer is related to the seller.

The following relatives are included in the test:

  • Spouse
  • Parents
  • Children
  • Siblings
  • Grandparents
  • Aunts/uncles

Sales that are declared as free market sales should be placed in the ‘other’ category if the price is lower than the market price. The guidelines for the statistics have not included any criteria for inclusion as a free market sale in terms of how the dwelling is sold or who buys the property. The only requirement has been for it to be sold at market price. This is often difficult to assess.

We have therefore examined how house sales to family members that are categorised as free market sales differ from the rest of the sales. We have only included sales with title transfers here. The average purchase price for dwellings sold to family members was significantly lower than the average for all free market sales. The low purchase price suggests that many of these dwellings were sold at a reduced price. Sales that are declared as free market sales have been placed in the ‘other category from 2015 if the buyer is related to the seller.

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