Köpekontrakt

This is the binding contract

The köpekontrakt (purchase contract) is the document that makes a property purchase valid. The deal becomes binding the moment both the seller and the buyer have signed, provided no conditions are still outstanding. It is not the handshake or the bid that counts, but the signatures on the contract.

Four things must be included

For the purchase to be valid, the contract must be in writing, be signed by both the seller and the buyer, state the köpeskilling (purchase price) and include a declaration from the seller that the property is transferred to the buyer. If any of these formal requirements is missing, the purchase is invalid, even if everyone was in agreement. The köpekontrakt usually also states the fastighetsbeteckning (property designation) and who the parties are.

Köpekontrakt and köpebrev are not the same thing

It is easy to mix the two up. The köpekontrakt is the binding contract about the sale itself. The köpebrev (bill of sale) is a separate document, often drawn up later once you have paid the full purchase price, and it then works as a receipt confirming that payment has been made.

What you should do

Read the whole contract before you sign, and check that the price, the parties and the property designation are correct. If anything is unclear, ask the agent and have it spelled out in the text. If you want a besiktningsklausul (inspection clause) or any other reservation, it needs to be written into the contract, otherwise it does not apply.