Norway Living

Comments and Questions:

Hi Gunnar,

This is absolutely fascinating and well written.  I can picture myself in your car on the road and building a home from far away.  I am anxious to read more.  Have I missed the parts you must have about building your home and other adventures?  This seems like a preview.  Please allow me to continue to read about it.  I am very happy for you, and although I will never be able to live there, I do want to think about what it would be like in such a wonderful place.  Also, the part about the speed trap reminded me of a funny British sitcom, and is very entertaining to envision.  Is that little brown house yours?  I think not.  I see stakes in the field and think maybe your house would be larger. I am especially interested, as I have built houses and a treehouse before. OK, I have many more questions but will quit for now and await more blogging or info.

Marie

Thanks, Marie.  The brown house on that page is in fact mine – the finished product.  In the future, I will be posting the various steps and the processes that were involved.  The stakes in the ground were just the beginning of the building phase.

Hi Gunnar,

I truly enjoyed reading this.  Keep on writing.

Ingunn.

Thank you, Ingunn.  I try to post something new every week.

"New in Norway" - A source for important information for those moving to or living in Norway.

New in Norway is a book that I obtained shortly after my arrival here.  It is a free book (in fact, on the back it’s stamped: “Resale is Forbidden”).  I received my copy from the local public library. 

This 131-page book was prepared from information from 19 different Norwegian agencies and departments, and outlines many of the rules, rights, and procedures in Norwegian society.  It is divided into seven chapters:  Moving to Norway, Work, Children and Schools, Health, Recreational Activities, Transport and Services, and Useful Information.

This book covers many of the practical questions one might have about living in Norway, and is an excellent resource book for those who are thinking about moving here or those who have just arrived.  The book is available in both Norwegian and English print versions.  Information from this book is also available on-line ( www.nyinorge.no ).  The on-line version appears to be available in Norwegian, English, German, Italian, and Polish.

This is fascinating. That road must be magical to avoid having daily accidents. Are you getting good at the language yet?

Katherine

Hi Katherine.  That road may well be magical as well as being lucky and miraculous.  Last week I added some skid marks to it as I barely avoided running head-on into a VERY large truck.  As for the language, it is difficult to measure small changes over time, but I do believe I am getting better at understanding verbal and written Norwegian.  I still need to work on – and improve – my own speaking skills.  I would like to find language classes somewhere, but that’s difficult to do in a rural area.

Hello,

Thank you for the great reading. I enjoyed your story and adventure; going to Norway after retirement.  Wow! It is funny and a bit scary, the differences in Norway and the States. I am waiting my 90 days to return on Aug. 16, get married and work towards citizenship. My question is do you think that 3 months is too short a period for the paperwork? My Norwegian thinks it will be fine, but I really don’t want to chance having to return to the States a second time.  I have trouble not having a place to call home here, am much a homebody.  Also, did you have trouble with feeling isolated and the silence? It becomes a roar in my head that wont  go away unless I use my mp3 player and blast my ears for about ten minutes...wondering if the brain can adapt to that.  I did not ever run into, or hear of an American in the area, esp. another woman in the same situation that I could talk to about adapting and fitting in, which seems to be the only way to get by. Thanks again for the stories and info, esp. the stuff about the roads and license issues. Be well:)

Michelle

Thank you for your comments.  I’m glad you enjoyed reading about my adventures, especially since it sounds like you’re about to embark on your own exciting life journey.

First – if I were you – I would immediately check with your local Norwegian Consulate (probably by e-mail), and tell them what your plans are and ask them what process and procedures you must follow.  You will be applying for the “Family Immigration” permit (the same type that I applied for).  When I did this, I was told that I could not apply for this while living in Norway – that I had to apply for this through my home country.  I was also told that I could not come to Norway while my application was being processed - that I would have to wait until a decision was made before I travelled to Norway again.  However, I made my application in October, 2011, so the rules might have changed since then.  Also, there may be different rules in place for people in your situation (fiance), so there may be a different procedure you must follow.  I suggest also sending an e-mail to the Norwegian immigration department (UDI) – or telephoning them (they speak excellent English) – and ask these same questions as soon as you can (or your fiance can call them).  Then, follow their advice.  That might save you some unnecessary trips back and forth. The UDI website also has a short video that explains more about their process (I’ve provided links above).  By the way, I completed the application process completely by e-mail and surface mail – I did not have to go to the Consulate to meet anyone in person.

It looks like you can apply for Norwegian citizenship after having lived in Norway for seven years.  Here is a link for their general requirements: Norwegian Citizenship.

As to your second question – about feeling isolated.  That is a very important concern, and you're right, you need someone "I could talk to about adapting and fitting in."  Ask around and seek out people who are also expatriates, possibly from the U.S., but also from other English-speaking countries (such as England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, etc.).  Or you might find someone who originally comes from a non-English speaking country, but who also knows English.  Sometimes, I’ll overhear someone talking English in a store, and I’ll strike up a conversation with them.  Once, I met an American family in Olso this way while eating at the McDonald’s there (OK, I’ll admit it – I was hungry for a BigMac).  Go to the local library and ask about other patrons who might be expatriates.  Also, there is a government requirement that immigrants who are seeking permanent residence in Norway take a certain number of hours of instruction in Norwegian language and culture.  These classes should be available from the kommune in which you live (ask about these classes at the kommune office).  You would meet other expatriates there.  Where I live, these classes are taught through a local “voksenopplæringssenter” [adult learning/education center].  Finally, we have our friend, Skype.  Use this (or another video conferencing method) to keep in touch with family and friends back in the States weekly.

I hope I’ve helped.  Let me know if you have any other questions.  Also, you might want to tell us about your own adventures as you go through this process.  I’d like to hear about them…

Hei Gunnar
Virkelig gode og humoristiske anekdoter fra dagliglivet i Norge, og på Haua spesielt, sett med "nye" øyne. Veldig bra.

Berit

Tusen takk, Berit.

Thank you for your insightful information and interesting read on moving/living in Norway. "Ny i norge" is a good general guideline of how to locate more information, but it does not delve into details. The question I have is for the Driving Licence. When you received the Police Report for clearance, did you submit it to Vegvesen or the Driving School? Thanks!

Serene

Thanks for stopping by and reading! 

When I got the Police Report for my job, I went to the police station, filled out the form, and they mailed me the report within about a week.  I then hand-delivered it to my employer.

With the Police Report for the driver's license, however, a different procedure was followed.  The driving school was in contact with the Vegvesen (which required the report).  I'm not sure exactly who officially requested the report - the Vegvesen or the driving school - but it was all handled without my involvement.  The police apparently sent the report directly to the Vegvesen.  I was informed after it was all done.

Hi Gunnar,

My name is Greg. I'm an American, with Danish heritage. I tried learning Danish, but took up Norwegian when I found difficulty with the pronunciation. Since then, I've come to love the language and country. But, as an American, I don't have a EU passport. I'm curious if you might have any advice for Americans who want to someday live in Norway.

Hi Greg,

Thanks for your letter.  After doing some research, I see that you’re correct that people from EU countries have different entry and work permit requirements than those from non-EU countries.  Also, I understand that citizens of other Scandinavian countries have different rules, as well; according to the udi.no website: “Nordic nationals do not need a residence permit to stay and work in Norway.”

As for others (such as from theU.S.) there are several types of residence and/or work permits available.  You can click this link to get more information about these. 

I assume that you’re not independently wealthy, so that in order to live in Norwayyou’ll have to find work here.  As is often the case in all parts of the world, the key to finding a job is through having connections, so I would suggest establishing and maintaining connections and friendships with people living in Norway who would be in a position to letting you know about job opportunities and/or assisting you in getting a position here.  This might be done through ‘friends of friends,’ social media, blogs, and/or discussion boards.

If you’re a student, you might consider studying in Norway at one of their many colleges and universities, either during the academic year or during the summer.  As mentioned elsewhere on my website, I attended one of the summer sessions of the University of Oslo International Summer School.  Either way – if you study in Norway– you would be able to meet and make contact with people who might be able to connect you with possible employment.

Meanwhile, continue to study the language, as that will be a very important factor in your ability to find work here.  

Hi.  I'm Nik, and I liked your post about building a house in Norway.
I also want to go to Norway and build a rental, and I was curious about actual costs. Like digging the well, laying the foundation, the cost of the permits, stuff like this. I hope this is not a bother for you :)
Hoping to hear from you.

Hi Nik,

Thanks for your comment.

When my water well was dug, the company that did this really didn't want to quote an exact price because no one knows exactly what will happen before they actually dig the well (but they will give a general range of prices to expect).  For example, the water may be 50 meters underground, or it may be 100 meters deep, or they might not be able to find a good water source at all at that location.  Each of these scenarios would be at greatly differing costs (for drilling, casing, etc.), so they do not like to try to give an exact price beforehand.  In my case, however, I had a problem in that the bank (that was financing the house construction) wanted to get a set price for the well so they could incorporate it into the loan.  I never did find out what the actual price was for digging the well, but I'm sure they bid an amount that was at the higher end of the possible price range; therefore, they would be financially covered in case there were any problems encountered during the drilling process.  So, my suggestion in drilling a well is to contract it separately - and directly - with the drilling company (and pay them directly).  That way, you'll pay for only the services they performed.

As for the costs of the foundation and the permits, these were also included in the contracted price for the house from the construction company, so I don't know what the separate costs for these services were.  I know that's not much help.

You could save money by arranging for these things yourself, and by contracting with the various companies individually to provide these different services.  It's my understanding that the construction company added 10% to the subcontrator's prices (such as well-drilling, excavation, foundation, electrical, plumbing, etc.), as part of their administrative costs.  When I was building my house, I was living in the U.S., so I didn’t have the ability to make contact and get bids from various service providers – I relied on the construction company to do all that for me.

But – as a general rule – count on the costs for these various services to be on the high side when compared with other countries.  Things are expensive in Norway.  When building a single-family house in Norway, I would say that the price for everything involved (not including the land that it’s built on), would range anywhere from 1.25 million to 2.5 million NOK (approx. $210,000 to $420,000 US).  Of course, this would depend on the specific house plans you choose.

Hello there Gunnar,

How did you apply for a residence permit? I have a girl in America who wanted to come and live a year or so. Is it a lot of paperwork? Thanks.

Jens Inge

Hei Jens!

I don’t know what your relationship is with the girl, but it may make a difference in what options she has available when trying to live in Norway for a year.

If you are just acquaintances, then it is my understanding that she can come as a tourist and stay for up to three months without a visa.  Now, if – at the end of three months – she were to go to Sweden or England for a few days and then return to Norway, I don’t know if that would then ‘reset the clock’ and allow her to stay for another three months (don’t tell anyone I suggested this…).  A big problem with this (as I see it) would be that your friend would be considered a tourist and would not be covered by the Norwegian national health plan while she was here (in case she became injured or ill).  It would be best if she were covered by a health insurance plan in the U.S. while she was in Norway (if this is the case, make sure her U.S. insurance plan covers her while she is overseas).

As for residence permits, this is my understanding of the current requirements:

If your friendship with this girl is such that you can consider her as a fiancé, then she can apply for a permit that allows her to stay in Norway for up to six months.  If you marry her during this time, then she can apply to remain in Norway.  If you do not marry, then she would have to return to the U.S. at the end of the six months.

Now, if you have lived with this girl for at least two years in the past, then she can be considered as your cohabitant (samboer), and she can apply for a one-year residence permit (which can be renewed later). 

Here are the websites that contain information specifically about these type of permits (in Norwegian and in English).

Other possible ways would be for her to apply for either a work permit or a student visa.

In all likelihood, an application for these permits would have to be made from the U.S.  When I applied for my residence permit, I did it from the U.S., and I went through the Norwegian Consulate there (since I lived in Idaho, I sent my materials to the consulate in San Francisco).

As far as I was concerned, I thought it was a lot of paperwork.  But then, I probably put together an application package that was more information than they might have required or needed (I was trying to be very thorough).

Good Luck!

* * *

Hello there Gunnar,

Thanks so much for great information, I learned a lot from that.  I have one more question: she doesn't have health insurance in the US.  How can I buy that for her, can I just contact any insurance company in the US and shop around? Or is it only possible to get health insurance through her workplace (which was very expensive, I was told)?

Regards Jens

Hei again, Jens,

The health insurance situation for your friend can be complicated.  The way I see it, there are three options:

(1)  If your friend currently has health insurance through her workplace (although it sounds like she does not at this time), she could continue her health insurance coverage through the COBRA program (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985).  This allows workers to continue with their company-sponsored health insurance for up to 18 months after leaving their employment (or up to 29 months if they become disabled during the first 60 days of COBRA coverage).  The individual, however, must pay the full amount of the monthly premium/costs of this insurance (and if she thought that her health insurance premiums were “very expensive” before, they’ll likely be much higher under the COBRA program).  Be careful - she is only given a limited time to sign up for this extended insurance coverage when she leaves the company.

(2)  Your friend may be able to sign up for the “Obamacare” health insurance coverage program that I believe is supposed to begin on January 1, 2014 (this program is officially known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PPACA] or just the Affordable Care Act [ACA]).  Enrollment started October 1, 2013.  Your friend might want to check with this program to see if she is/will be eligible for coverage, and at what cost (the price is supposed to vary according to her income and the type of coverage she wants).  For more information, click on this Wikipedia link.

(3)  There are a number of private companies that offer medical and health insurance designed for Americans who live overseas.  I have not had experience with any of these companies myself, so I don’t know how well they work.  To find out more about these, use some of the following terms in your browser’s internet search program: expat health insurance, expatriate medical insurance, international medical insurance, expatriate health and accident insurance, etc.  Stay away from “travel insurance” – what you’re looking for is insurance for those living abroad, not just traveling abroad.

I hope this helps!

I saw that you used to be located in Spokane and I was curious to know if you were still located there or if you live in Norway now full time? I myself live in Spokane and work in Norway. Håper du har ein fin dag.  Arvid.

Hei, Arvid,

Many years ago, I lived/worked for one year in Post Falls, Idaho (which is not far from Spokane), but I live full-time in Norway now.  Since you live in Spokane and work in Norway, that is certainly a long commute! 

I hope you have a good day, too!

My wife and I are thinking about building a house in Norway near her parents for our visits there. I've been trying to save up money in preparation and am wondering an approximate cost to get the foundation /plumbing /electrical done. I have someone lined up for the actual building, but they don't do the preparation work. Any help you could provide or point me towards would be appreciated :)  - Neil.

Hi Neil,

That’s a good idea to have a house near your in-laws, especially if you travel there and visit often.  It’s always nice to have your own space (and it would be a great possible future investment). 

As for prices for the prep work (excavation, foundation, electrical, plumbing, etc.), that would depend on your building location and the size of your house.  Also, will it have city services (water/sewer), or will you need to have a water well dug and septic tank installed?

When I built here, the general contractor distributed my final house plans to all of these subcontractors, and elicited prices from them.  The general contractor then folded all of the winning bids into their total price for the house, so I don’t know how much each of these individual services cost.

One way to save money, however, would be to elicit the bids and organize these services yourself from subcontractors.  My general contractor added a 10% fee to these subcontractor prices when they produced the general contract price for my house, so this is an area where you could potentially save some serious money (if you have someone in Norway to arrange and oversee these subcontractors during the construction process).

I'm sorry that I can't help with more precise cost information.  I don't believe that obtaining bids costs anything, so I'd suggest submitting your house plans to various providers as soon as you can.  Then you will have more precise information about what these services will cost, and you'll be better able to prepare for them.

Although I couldn’t say what the individual prices are for these prep services, I can give you an estimate of what the total house cost might be.  Mine is a small, two-storey house with a total of approx. 115 square meters of living space (68 m² downstairs and 47 m² upstairs).  The total cost was in the 2,000,000 to 2,500,000 NOK range.  Again, your price may vary considerably from this, depending on size, location, and other factors.

i am one of the international students who is in the process to go Norway for pursuing master degree. after reading your experiences, i get some information about Norway. but could you please provide me some more information about the cost of living in Norway, specially for new international students. how much difficult will it be for the students to sustain in Norway ? Can we able to earn sufficient money in Norway in the beginning? - Sneha

It can be very expensive to live in Norway, but I believe that much can depend on where your school is located.  Which school are you planning to attend?  I found a list of approximately 60 public and private colleges and universities all over Norway here.  If you attend a university in one of the larger cities, the cost of off-campus housing can be very high (I have read, for example, that housing costs in Oslo or Stavanger are extremely high, and are out of reach for many people).  In those cases, it would be best if you could get some on-campus student housing, if possible.

As for the general cost of living in Norway for students, I found a page on the University of Olso site that gives information about the estimated costs – specifically for students – here.  In short, it appears that they recommend at least 50,000 NOK per semester (approx. 8,300 USD).

Since you will likely be attending school in Norway for more than three months, you will need a resident visa specifically for students.  Check this page of the UDI website for details.  With such a visa (and being an international student), it appears that you can work in Norway, up to 20 hours per week.  I'm not sure what type of work you would be able to do, but I believe many jobs that would be suitable for students might pay around 200 to 250 NOK per hour (but don't quote me on that).

Good luck to you!

Hi!
I've come across your site after reading some of your posts at expats forum- and I'm overwhelmed! It's so nice to read your stories, and learn from your experience- we're new to Norway, and find many things simply weird...
Keep on posting!
Best regards,
Anna

Thanks for visiting, Anna.  There are a lot of things that are different here, and I learn new things almost every day.  I'm curious as to what you're finding "weird" as well.  Please share…

Gunnar,

I am an American woman who is looking in to moving to Norway to be with my Norwegian boyfriend. I found your email on a site called Living in Norway, and you were answering questions for others - and I am hoping you could answer a few questions for me.

I am not sure where to start! I was once an exchange student there - Jeg snakker norsk med kjæresten men tenkte det var bedre å skrive nå på engelsk. As an exchange student I had a person number & have no idea if that is useful, too old (1994) or neither here nor there.

I have read stories online of folks just up and moving then having to leave for several months etc ...language classes, job searches etc....and then I am a nurse & know it is somehow possible to work there maybe... but there are requirements there too. So I was hoping you could give me some guidance as to what I should do before leaving here & what I could do over there?... thank you!!

Lynne

Hei Lynne,

I'm glad to help (if I can).

I would say having the person number can't hurt, and - from what I understand - it's still good (i.e., if you become a resident in Norway again, you will likely retain that number).

If you want to stay in Norway for up to three months at a time (90 days), then no visa is required.  But you'd be required to leave on or before the 90 days expire, and then return (if you wanted to) for another 90 days.  Under this system, you would have no benefits (such as the ability to seek employment or to have coverage under the national health care system). 

If you want to live in Norway long-term, then you'd have to get a visa.  From what you've presented, I see two possibilities under the family unification visa system (familieinnvandring): as an engaged partner or as a live-in partner.

As an engaged partner, you are eligible for a visa to live in Norway for six months.  If you do not get married during that period, then you will be expected to return to your home country.  If you do marry within that six-month period, you can then apply for a residence permit.

As a live-in partner (samboer), you are eligible to apply for a one-year visa (renewable).  In order to pursue this avenue, you must show proof that you have already lived together for at least two years - or - you are expecting a child together.

With both of these permits, your sponsor in Norway (your boyfriend) must prove that he had an income of at least 246,136 NOK during 2013, and that he has not received any social security benefits (from NAV) during the previous 12 months.  They are very strict with this - I have read about several instances where American wives have been denied residence permits to live with their Norwegian husbands because they did not meet this minimum income requirement (even though they were married).

There are other application requirements, of course, but these are some of the main issues.  You can read their requirements on their website: http://www.udi.no/ (in Norwegian), or http://www.udi.no/en/ (in English).

Also, the application time-line can be extensive.  Currently, UDI is reporting wait times of approximately nine months before a decision is made on family immigration applications.  Previously, this wait time has been shorter (my wife recently received her approval after waiting five months).  They state that they currently have approximately 10,000 applications in line!  And the current cost for your initial application is 5,200 NOK (approx. $ 860 US).

Now for some "good news/bad news": The good news is that - once such a residence permit has been granted - you would then be eligible to work and you would also be a part of the national health care system.  The bad news (for you, as a nurse) is that there has been considerable news and debate recently about the extreme difficulty that U.S.-trained nurses have had when trying to get certified to work in their profession in Norway.  Two such cases are RNs – both with Master’s degrees along with 12 and 18 years’ experience – and they have been vainly trying for two to three years to get permission to work in their profession in Norway.  They both speak Norwegian.  The problem is that the certifying agency in Norway does not recognize their out-of-country training.  Their stories have been written up in the media ( http://www.nrk.no/ytring/usaklig-forvaltning-1.11702894 ) and ( http://www.nrk.no/norge/sykepleier-far-ikke-jobbe-1.11174431 ).  They are both being told that they must complete additional coursework and practicum training in Norway before certification will be granted.  This, despite the fact that I’ve seen many advertisements in local newspapers looking for trained nurses in Norway.

Thanks for writing, and I hope this has been useful.

I thought you might find it interesting to know why the bird was repeatedly flying into your window. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, there are two reasons for this behavior. First, it's thought that birds hit windows because they see the landscape—trees, sky, clouds—reflected on the glass surface but do not realize that a hard, transparent surface lies between them and that apparent open space. The second (and this seems like what you were witnessing) is a related problem—more annoying than lethal—occurs when birds attack windows. It usually occurs in spring, and is due to birds' urge to defend breeding territories. A male bird pecking at your window is fighting what he perceives as an intruding male—he doesn't understand that it's his own reflection. This territorial reaction may be so strong that the bird may exhaust himself, but it usually doesn't result in fatal injury.

Kelly

Thanks for the information, Kelly.  There was at least one bird that returned at the beginning of this summer to do the same thing (pounding at the windows of both my house and my car).

I'm Maynara, and  I am from Brazil, I am half norwegian but never lived in norway, my parents lives in norway, but now I got engaged and my fiancée is norwegian, and I am already in norway on vacations, and me and my fiancée are planning to marry in end of august, so I would like to know if my fiancée apply for fiancée visa, am I able to wait the asnwer in norway or I have to come back and wait in Brazil?

You've certainly got a unique situation: You're half-Norwegian, your parents live in Norway, and your fiance is Norwegian.  It looks like you would likely qualify for a Family Immigration visa (also called Family Reunification visa), either through your parents' citizenship and residence or through your fiance.  I would suggest contacting UDI directly and explain your circumstances to find out which would be better/faster: applying through your parents or your fiance.  Here's their contact page: http://www.udi.no/en/contact-us/ .

Either way, however, they will probably require you to wait for their decision on your application outside of Norway.  Again, this is something you can ask UDI directly.  Good luck!

Hi

Thank you for sharing your experience in building your dream home. We are in the initial stage of buying a flat or plot to build house thoughts and could easily relate to what you wrote...

Regards
Seema 

Thank you for your comment.  It's an exciting time when you buy your own apartment or build your own home.  Good luck!

Hi Gunnar!
Thanks for a pleasant 'coffee break' as I read some of your post! I especially enjoyed the ones detailing the house build and of course your experience is common (contractors saying 'it's the best way' usually means that it's the easiest and cheapest for them). I am a builder from the UK and find working here a little challenging as every house is individual and you never know what you're going to find. Each decade brought big changes in construction methods and of course you are probably now aware of the large 'black labour' issue here in Norway (maybe less in rural areas?). My mother inlaw's 5m/kr new apartment came with no light fittings ('but we want you to have exactly what you want,madam'), clear plastic pipes out of the floor up to the radiators and all at funny angles. Not a single nail hole was filled in any trims ('that’s the standard' they say, well, it’s certainly ‘a’ standard, I reply!)
I have been here 4 years now having moved here after a couple of years in New Zealand. I met my Norwegian wife working as an aid worker in East Africa some 15 years ago. Now though, I’m also trying to get my experience down on paper for the betterment of others and forge a little living as a writer (in the DIY field).
So, I wish you continued good health and happiness in Norway!
Kindest regards,

Ian

Hei Ian,

Thank you for your comments.  It's good to know that I'm not the only one who has had problems with builders.  I know exactly what you mean by not filling in the nail holes on the interior trim -mine weren't either! 

Gunnar,

Read your blog on building a house in Norway.  Very good article.  My wife is 100% Norwegian and after being in the States for 25 years we are starting to think about moving back to her home town outside of Haugesund.   She has land gifted to her from her family along a fjord so I have one element of the process completed. 

The question that I am most interested to get feedback from you is the mortgage financing.  As an American Mortgage Broker I like to think borrowing money is similar no matter the country, so long as you have enough skin-in-the-game to make it a no brainer for the lender to lend. In this case I am planning on using the land, which I assume is worth at least $1m Krone plus another $1m Krone as a cash down payment to borrow $1M Krone from the bank.  Based on your experience, is a house similar to yours possible to build for $2m Krone and are banks willing to lend to an American if they have 60%+ equity in the property on day one?

Appreciate the feedback.

David Z.

Hi David,

When I first approached a bank here to see if they would lend to a "foreigner", it was during the hey-day of mortgage lending (when everybody and his uncle could get a loan).  When I asked how much down payment they required, I was told that they can finance up to 100% of the value of a house.  Of course, things have drastically changed since then.

Is the land (tomt) that you want to build on in your wife's name now?  If so, what is the appraised value of the land from the tax office (i.e., the value at which it is being taxed now).  I would assume that  would be important to the bank.  Other than that, I wouldn't see any problem in financing a home if you have half of the value in cash. 

Have you been looking at different styles from various builders?  Remember that there are always 'extra' costs involved in building a house, especially if it is outside of city limits (for such things as a well, septic system, perhaps road improvements for access, etc.), so you need to also budget for those exåpenses as well.

All I can say is to check with some local banks where you want to build.  Be up front about your circumstances, present your rough budget, and ask them if they'll work with you.

My final - strong - recommendation is to be physically present here when they build (or at least have someone else you trust to monitor the progress daily), so you can see what is happening every day, and ask questions.  That is something I should have done more of...

My name is Katherine and I live in Saskatchewan Canada.  I truly enjoyed reading about 70% of the posts on your blog.  The rest I haven't gotten to yet.  But likely will in time.  

My husband and I are still working and are too young for true retirement.  We have no pensions and so we have had to try to build our own.  I have a 17 year old daughter and she is in grade 12.  She intends to go to university in about a year or two.  I thought Norway would be a great place for her to get a free education.  That being said it is rather hard to figure out how to learn Norwegian.  lol  I thought perhaps my husband and I when we get the chance to retire MIGHT be able to go to Norway with her and everybody live there for the few years that she could live there and attend school.  Not sure how everyone else feels about it.  Regardless it has been a dream of mine to go to Norway even if only for a visit for MOST of my life.  

Why?  Because my grandfather came from Liverpool to New York in 1911.  Then up to Canada through North Dakota around 1916.  When he came to Canada he proved up his homestead.  I have quite a few relatives in Norway that I have never met.  I'd really love to travel there and meet them.

I have been reading blog after blog today about Norway and realizing that it is in fact likely a very beautiful country.  Furthermore it is likely a LOT like Ontario or Alberta Canada weather wise.  Me being from Saskatchewan.... I would have NO PROBLEMS getting used to a Norwegian winter.  Our temperatures often reside around -26 C and sometimes dip as low as -32 or -38.  With the windchill factor at these temperatures skin can freeze in less than a minute.  So we are a tough lot and we could EASILY handle the cold weather of Norway.  In fact it kind of makes me realize how my grandfather would have actually felt that Canada was colder than Norway.  I am betting he sometimes wondered what he had gotten himself into.  That being said he did build a beautiful house on the farm and kept his family well and cold.  Being from a farm family in Norway I am sure that he knew just what to do in most cases in those early years.

I read a blog about eating like a Norwegian and laughed to myself.  That woman must have been quite used to a lot of fresh fruit and veggies and not used to preserving and growing your own garden.  Overall it was an excellent blog as well.  She said that where she is used to living there are more than 3 million people and lots of activities.  I had to laugh how she thought 500,000 population was small.  And how she thought that Norwegians are spread out along the country in small towns.  Much like... Saskatchewan.  lol.  She said after you get used to the slower pace you get comfortable with it.  I just laughed at that.  I have a feeling the only adjustment would be the prices and the laws and the language for me and mine.  We live on a farm at the moment.  So we are pretty darn used to a slow pace and nothing to do.  lol.

Well your words are well written.  My original family heritage in Norway is from Aurland area and a place called Skjerdal.  It is a farming community in Norway.

I wonder how I could learn Norwegian.

Thank you for your letter, Katherine, and for sharing your thoughts and observations.  I've never been to Saskatchewan, only to Alberta a couple of times to visit uncles and cousins.

Although there are places here that are very cold and difficult in the winters, the coast seems to moderate temperatures a bit.  The lowest temperature here - where I live - last winter was minus 10 to 12 degrees centigrade, and that was only for one week.

I hope you are able to visit Norway in the future, and that your daughter can come to attend school - it would be an unforgettable experience for all of you. I now wish that I had come here for at least part of my education when I went through my university training (more than that one term at the University of Oslo International Summer School).

As for learning Norwegian, there are a number of people who put mini-lessons up on YouTube that can be quite helpful.  There are also a few commercial companies that offer Norwegian language courses.

Good luck to you all!

Hi, 

I just read your blog about building a house in Norway. It was good to read for new builders! Congrats on your house, btw. :)

Let me introduce myself; I am Ester. My husband and me are thinking about building a home as well. We think that we will acquire the land from the "kommune" bidding at Eid. I was wondering if you could name the plumbing agency that you would definetely avoid. Perhaps you could recommend some of the constractors that you were happy with? We could use some help with this because we do not have experience in these kind of matters, and many people have. 

Thank you very much in advance!

Ester

Hi Ester,

Building a house is certainly an exciting experience! As for recommendations of contractors, I would suggest researching the builders in the area where you want to build. 

I started with a list of about four or five general contractors, and ended with one (pretty much by default, since that was the only company that maintained contact with me).  Also, if you're not familiar with the various subcontractors in that area where you want to build (plumbers, electricians, etc.), I suggest that you hire a general contractor who will use the subcontractors that they are used to working with.  In my case, there is one subcontractor who the general contractor chose that I will not use again (the plumber), but I learned that lesson the hard way.