housing
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Almost One Third Oppose Densification In Capital Area
According to a new survey by the Housing and Construction Authority (HMS), 60 percent of people oppose densification in their local environment, with 20 percent in favour. Out of all age groups, people aged 25-34 are most likely to be in favour…
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“AirBnB” Law Confirmed In Alþingi
New legislation concerning short-term leasing allows residents to rent out their private dwelling, while simultaneously limiting the subletting of other properties in urban areas. The law was introduced by Minister of Industries Hanna Katrín Friðriksson and passed in Alþingi on Thursday, March…
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Size Of Rental Market Severely Underestimated
The size of the Icelandic rental market has been severely underestimated, according to a recent report by the Housing and Construction Authority (HMS). Approximately 74 percent of foreign residents in Iceland occupy the market. The group has been underrepresented in official surveys. …
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Former Icelandair Headquarters Transformed Into Nursing Home
On Friday, May 16, Minister of Social Affairs and Housing Inga Sæland ceremoniously tore down a wall in the former Icelandair headquarters on Nauthólsvegur in Reykjavík. The demolition marks the first phase in transforming the building into a nursing home, RÚV reports.…
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Houses Are A Better Investment Than Stocks, Says Housing Authority
The Icelandic Housing and Construction Authority (HMS) claims that housing investment offers more gains and fewer risks than purchasing stocks. This is a sign of an abnormal housing market in Iceland, the institution commented in its recent monthly report. In the last…
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Short-Term Rentals To Be Limited To Legal Residence
On March 13, the government published a drafted bill to limit short-term rentals exclusively to individuals’ legal residences. With the bill, the government aims to better ensure equilibrium in the housing market and that apartments will be used as people’s homes, as…
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Majority Of The Public Oppose Vacation Homes
A recent survey indicates that 60% of people oppose the purchase of residential buildings as vacation homes. The poll was conducted by the Bifröst University Research Institute for Housing and Municipality Affairs, measuring the public’s attitudes towards housing developments. Low-income individuals were…
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Do Shit: Housing Benefits Edition
We immigrants get a bad rap sometimes. Despite the fact that moving to another country, learning a new language, integrating into a new culture, and basically starting life from scratch far from the place you were born is a hell of a…
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Editorial: Don’t Hold Your Breath For The Housing Market
Everything is too damned expensive in this country. It’s a fact that is reportedly dissuading some would-be tourists from flying over to our little corner of the North Atlantic, according to recent reports from the all-knowing tourism overlords. I’d like to let…
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Too Little, Too Late: Iceland’s Shambolic Housing Market
In the afternoon of June 25, 2020, a house on Bræðraborgarstígur in Reykjavík’s Miðbær neighbourhood was set ablaze. Smoke engulfed the western part of town and a majority of the downtown area, pooling over the city pond where warm air met cool…
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Reykjavík Real Estate Continues To Be Really Expensive
Over 85% of homes in the capital area have a property value over 60 million krónur (US$432,000, €403.000), according to a new report from the Housing and Civil Engineering Agency (HMS). This is an increase of 4,9% in the first five months…
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Home Sales Saw Big Increase In February
Iceland’s real estate market is heating up, with nearly twice as many sales contracts signed in February as in January, according to the latest figures from Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun (HMS), the housing and infrastructure agency. As per HMS, the capital regions aw…
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New Survey Reveals Icelanders’ Five-Year Housing Plans
Where to you see yourself in five years? If you’re of the same mind as 4% of Icelanders, you see yourself getting the hell out of Iceland. The polling conducted by Prósent on Icelanders’ attitude to their living situations asked what kind…
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Least Housing Security Among Renters In Iceland
At a recent conference hosted by Velferðarvaktin (Welfare Watch), chairman of the Icelandic Renters’ Association Guðmundur Hrafn Arngrímsson claimed rent prices have seen a 150% increase since 2011. The conference focused on low-income groups in the housing market. The Welfare Watch is…
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Housing Demand Still Greater Than Supply
The demand for housing is still greater than the available supply, demonstrating the continuing need for more housing builds, reports RÚV. [su_pullquote]The Volcano is on (again) at Fagradalsfjall! Check out our volcano merch in the Grapevine shop: books, T-shirts, posters even socks…
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RVK Newscast 197: Viðey Island
On this episode of RVK Newscast, Grapevine journalist Josie Anne takes a trip to Viðey, an island off the coast of Reykjavík with a fascinating history. Read on for more information and links! Iceland has topped the gender equality index for the…
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Labour, Management & Central Bank Square Off Over Inflation–And How To Stop It
There is no disputing that Iceland’s inflation rate has been steadily rising–from 4.3% in July 2021 to 7.6% in April 2022. The real question is what to do about it, and the Central Bank, business leaders, and union representatives all have different…
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Lowest Number of Advertised Apartment Rentals Recorded
As of today, there are only 179 apartments advertised for rent in Reykjavík, the lowest recorded number of available rentals. [su_pullquote]Who better to ask what’s best in Reykjavík than the people who live here? Every year we round up a panel of…
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Not Enough Workers To Meet Housing Promises
2,000 construction workers are needed to meet housing construction promises, reports RÚV. [su_pullquote]Who better to ask what’s best in Reykjavík than the people who live here? Every year we round up a panel of experts and enthusiasts in every category and make…
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New City Council Partnership Agreement Addresses Several Issues
The new Reykjavík city council majority has officially been announced. Comprised of the Social Democrats, the Progressive Party, the Pirate Party and the Reform Party, Dagur B. Eggertsson of the Social Democrats will be mayor until 2024, followed by Einar Þorsteinsson of…
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Iceland With Largest Housing Price Increase In Europe
A new report from Eurostat details both rent and housing price increases in Europe from the first quarter of 2010 to the third quarter of 2021. Perhaps unsurprising to many local readers, Iceland has come out on top. [su_pullquote]Become a member of…
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The High Cost Of Living: Renting And Being Foreign In Reykjavik
Upon first moving to Iceland, the primary factor that must be arranged is a place to live; if one is from outside the European Economic Area, in most cases this has to be established before even setting foot in the country. For…
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Grapevine Tips ‘n’ Tricks #3: Finding A Place To Live
Culture editor Hannah Jane Cohen and news editor Andie Sophia Fontaine discuss looking for a place to rent, whether you’re interested in renting a room or you want a whole apartment. If you have other tips and suggestions for this topic, leave…