Will Finns stay true to their summer houses?
The Finns have rediscovered the joys of the summer house in the pandemic. Holidays abroad were much more popular than the time- and money-consuming maintenance of a house in the countryside before the pandemic. But now there is a boom and even houses that have been empty for a long time are selling like hotcakes. However, opinions differ on how long this trend will last.
Finnish forests instead of Mediterranean beaches
The trend towards owning a summer house is here to stay, Ilta-Sanomat believes:
“The pandemic has shown that borders are not always open, even for Finns. And even if it becomes as easy to travel to foreign cities and beaches as it used to be, people won't necessarily feel safe there. ... During the pandemic it was easier than expected to organise working from home. Many worked from their summer houses. ... Many Finns have found lasting joy in nature. The coronavirus will disappear, but the safety precautions will make travelling somewhat more complicated for a long time to come. And if we are confronted with new pandemic threats, they will be responded to more quickly. Holidays in the summer house will remain attractive for Finns.”
No remote repairs and maintenance for summer houses
The boom is counteracting the rural exodus, Helsingin Sanomat is pleased to report, but doubts that it will be lasting:
“The good news about the summer house craze is that the whole of Finland will remain inhabited. Even properties that have been vacant for a long time are now getting new owners and being completely renovated. However, all the enthusiasm may start waning once the work to be done in the summer house requires tools rather than a computer. If that is the case, many summer houses will be put up for sale in Finland over the next few years.”