Together, their offices arrange about a quarter of all property sales in Sweden. They have expanded the company and have been operating in Spain since 2008 and in Portugal since 2014 and have a promising future ahead.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Fastighetsbyrån Franchise owners Christer Hellman and Stefan Nymberg as well as the Regional Manager for Portugal and Spain, Martin Posch. “Fastighetsbyrån is the largest Swedish real estate agency, with last year alone selling an impressive 47,000 in Sweden”, an impressive figure considering Sweden has 10 million residents.

Martin Posch started at Fastighetsbyrån five years ago, originally operating as the customer care officer and he told me that the real estate agency wanted to “follow our buyers on their journey” which is why they expanded to Portugal and Spain.

Fastighetsbyrån opened their first office in Alicante, Spain in 2008, which is where Martin Posch is based and they have grown to 22 offices from Barcelona to Gran Canaria and went on to mark their name in Portugal. Their agency is focused on Swedish buyers but have also found that their European approach has attracted a lot of different nationalities to their agency. They have a promising future in the Algarve, with three offices in the Algarve, Portugal which are based in Lagos, Albufeira, which covers the Vilamoura area and Tavira.

Algarve boom

Christer Hellman revealed that their company has witnessed a boom in the last year with the Algarve becoming a popular destination for Swedish buyers. Martin Posch reinforced this by saying that “In Portugal and Spain combined, we have had an increase in sales with 1,200 homes being sold last year.” Additionally, “the number of people moving to the Algarve has risen and we have had the best sales record in July for Vilamoura and Tavira and in September for Lagos and Tavira. The figures highlight that Tavira has really become the hotspot for buyers.” Franchise owner and manager of the Tavira office, Stefan Nymberg, told me a bit more about their office and his role stating that they “work Eastern Algarve all the way to the Spanish border, we have both Swedish and Portuguese agents working at the office”, assuring me that they speak multiple languages there.

Christer Hellman, expressed that they have seen a huge difference in the popularity of the Algarve since they started and I asked why he believes that there has been an increase in demand from Swedish people and he told me that his personal opinion is that “Fastighetsbyrån is a very well-known brand in Sweden and because it has established itself in the Algarve, Swedish people are more confident about moving to the area too.”

Both franchise owners agreed that the Algarve has so much to offer their clients, “the game changer really is the weather especially when you are coming from somewhere as cold as Sweden.” Christer Hellman has seen “a great increase in the number of people from Sweden wanting to buy properties here as winter is approaching and their clients look to spend their Winter in a warmer climate.” Christer Hellman added that “Lagos is a fantastic town and a great place to live and the picturesque views make for creating memories that will last a lifetime: On this side we have the beautiful cliffs, surrounded by beaches, it is more populated here, including being international and having lots of different restaurant options.”

“It is also important to mention that Central Algarve, is also a wonderful place to move to with how beautiful Olhos de Água, Vilamoura and Quarteira are, they offer buyers great beaches, with some really unique spots.”

A different approach

Martin Posch told me one way that sets them apart from other agencies is that they show houses virtually, which they have continued from the pandemic, it has allowed their clients from overseas to view and buy their dream home.

They have found that clients really appreciate this tool as it shortens the viewing process, making it stress free. Stefan Nymberg added that “virtual viewing works best for their office in Tavira, the process is easier, we go to the property and the client can view their chosen home through video call, where they can ask questions.”

“We make the buying process as easy as possible, with clients who have said they really appreciate working with us because we walk the extra mile, we do more than the clients expect, we are really here to help our clients fulfil their dreams.”

When it comes to running a successful estate agency with longevity, Fastighetsbyrån has always gone above and beyond for its clients, “we are a trustworthy and friendly agency that provides the best quality service, delivering results, whether you would like to buy or sell your property in Portugal, we are here to help you.”

Author

Following undertaking her university degree in English with American Literature in the UK, Cristina da Costa Brookes moved back to Portugal to pursue a career in Journalism, where she has worked at The Portugal News for 3 years. Cristina’s passion lies with Arts & Culture as well as sharing all important community-related news.

Cristina da Costa Brookes