Guides

Everything you want to know before you make an offer, in plain English.

• Am I paying too much? How to judge price and bidding in Denmark The asking price (udbudspris) is the seller's wish, not the home's market value. In Denmark you negotiate, and homes often sell below the asking price. Here is how to check actual sale prices, the public property assessment, and the secret, binding bids of the bidding round, so you know whether the price is fair.
• Can I afford it? Mortgage bond loans, down payment and debt-to-income ratio explained How to work out how much you can borrow for a home in Denmark: a mortgage bond loan (realkreditlån) up to 80 percent, at least a 5 percent down payment (udbetaling), a debt-to-income ratio (gældsfaktor) below 4, and an interest-rate stress test of plus 1 percentage point with a floor of 4 percent. Get an overview of fixed versus variable rates, interest-only periods and the administration margin.
• Co-op or owner-occupied flat? Share value, the association's debt and liability The share value (andelskrone) and the association's debt (foreningens gæld) decide whether a co-op (andelsbolig) is worth the price. Get the answer: a co-op (maximum price, occupancy fee, the association's debt, technical insolvency, key information statement) compared with an owner-occupied flat (ejerlejlighed) (direct ownership, distribution ratio, common charges, pro rata liability). Written for first-time buyers.
• Condition report, electrical report and hidden defects: how to see what is wrong with the house The condition report (tilstandsrapport) and the electrical installation report (elinstallationsrapport) show the house's defects, and together with an offer of change-of-ownership insurance (ejerskifteforsikring) they release the seller from the 10-year liability for hidden defects. Read the colour scale red/yellow/grey/black, the electrical report's icons and what the insurance actually covers, before you bid.
• Property tax after the 2024 reform: property-value tax and land tax What is your property tax after the 2024 reform? You pay full property-value tax (ejendomsvaerdiskat) (5,1 ‰/14 ‰) and municipal land tax (grundskyld), both on 80 % of the new valuations. The tax rebate does not transfer on a sale, so the seller's figures are not yours. Here is how to work out your real level.
• Registration duty and purchase costs 2026: what the deal costs on top of the price On top of the purchase price you typically pay 25,000-50,000+ kr in purchase costs. Registering the deed (skoede) costs 1.850 kr + 0,6 %, the mortgage charge (pant) 1.825 kr + 1,25 % (cut from 1,45 % as of 1 Jan 2026), and a property lawyer 4.450-10.000 kr. The estate agent is paid by the seller. Here is the whole calculation, so you know exactly what to have ready in the account before you bid.
• The buying process in Denmark: right to withdraw, attorney-approval clause and parental purchase You have 6 working days' right to withdraw (fortrydelsesret) against 1% of the purchase price, but an attorney-approval clause (advokatforbehold) written in BEFORE you sign gives you a free exit. Here is the order of a Danish property transaction, how you buy together as an unmarried couple with a co-ownership agreement (samejeoverenskomst), and how parental purchase (forældrekøb) works with market rent and a tax-free gift in 2026.
• What does it cost to own a home? Owner expenses, energy label and radon The real monthly cost of owning a home is more than the loan. Owner expenses (ejerudgifter) (land tax, property value tax, insurance, association), heating cost driven by the energy label (energimærke), and radon below 100 Bq/m³ decide what the home costs you every month. Here are the numbers.