Lidingö is one of the 14 islands Stockholm straddles and it lies close to the city’s downtown area.
The traditionally affluent island suburb is only a few miles from mainland Stockholm via the Lidingöbron bridge and has a Metro station with services into the city.
Separated from the mainland by the Lille Värtan strait, with a natural setting, a sense of space and a slower pace of life, the island has long-held appeal with Stockholm’s elite.
As a result, Lidingö is one of the most expensive places to live in Stockholm, with the average home costing SEK5,082 (US$545.43) per square foot, according to property data analyst Svensk Mäklarstatistik.
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Lidingö, like the rest of central Stockholm, has seen an upward trend in prices over the past decade, with slight dips during the 2008 recession and in 2017, when the government implemented tighter lending criteria, but they have since recovered, said Jan Tivenius, a broker at Christie’s Real Estate affiliate Residence and a Lidingö resident.
Developed in the 19th and 20th centuries, Lidingö combines a rural setting with suburban amenities of a Metro station, a town center with shops and restaurants, and a range of schools, giving it a family-friendly feel.
Once made up of pastoral farmland, the island charms with its broad, clear skies, sea and horizon views, and areas of meadows, open farmland, and forests. Its rocky shoreline, meanwhile, has direct access to the water and beaches.
Once made up of pastoral farmland, the island charms with its broad, clear skies, sea and horizon views, and areas of meadows, open farmland, and forests.
Eddie Granlund / Folio / Getty Images/Folio Images RFMr. Tivenius notes that although Lidingö is a suburb of Stockholm, it “still feels like an island.”
“The west side is more developed since it is nearer to the bridge and the mainland, and the north side, which is the furthest from the bridge, though only about a 20-minute drive, is more rural,” he said.
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Boundaries
Lidingö covers 30 square kilometers, and the Lidingö municipality includes a group of islands known as Fjäderholmarna, which forms a city park and features a number of restaurants and cafes.
It lies outside of the city center and is part of an area known as Greater Stockholm or Stockholm County.
It sits to the east of the Lille Värtan strait and Norra Hamnvägen on mainland Stockholm, south of Strandvägen in the suburban district of Djursholm, north of Skarpövägen in the suburb of Nacka and east of Bogesund in the Vaxholm municipality. It lies within the Stockholm archipelago and is surrounded by water.
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Price Range
The areas of Torsvik and Herserud, which sit on either side of Lidingöbron bridge, where the Gåshaga brygga Metro station is located, are sought-after for their convenient location. From here, the journey by bike to downtown Stockholm takes about 20 minutes, Mr. Tivenius said.
Mr. Tivenius said that a small house in these areas would cost between SEK16 million and SEK17 million, while a large family house would cost about SEK25 million.
Apartments, meanwhile, range from between SEK4,644 per square foot and SEK8,361 per square foot depending on location, standard and view. Top-end houses with views can cost up to SEK35 million. However, Mr. Tivenius said that the property would need to be special “because buyers with that kind of budget would be able to afford a seafront property elsewhere on the island.”
Popular rural areas with waterfront homes include Brevik, which lies on the southeast coast, and Elfvik, which lies on the northeast coast. The premium for a waterfront property is at least 50% but can be substantially more, Mr. Tivenius said.
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Housing Stock
Lidingö was formerly made up of privately owned farms and was historically only accessible by ferry until a bridge was built in the 19th century, which sparked a boom in development.
A growing number of villas, or houses, began popping up alongside farmsteads and summer houses, built on plots bought by “wealthy Stockholmers looking to swap city life for rural surroundings and a healthy and outdoorsy lifestyle,” said Emelie Samuelsson, the international and office manager for Sweden Sotheby’s International Realty.
In the 1920s, Lidingö island was bought by the city of Stockholm, and in the postwar period, it saw the building of condo developments. By the 1970s, it had transformed into a modern suburb with a tram station with services into Stockholm city center.
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Modern Lidingö is formed of different neighborhoods with a diverse mix of homes and architectural styles from its different eras of development, ranging from period houses to modern condos and rural farms.
There are single-family homes, some of which were built as summer houses, dating from the 19 century to the present day, and postwar, modern and contemporary condo blocks, according to agents.
Residential development in Lidingo, Sweden
Eddie Granlund / Folio / Getty ImagesWhat Makes it Unique
Lidingö is a well-connected place with an attractive natural setting and a full range of amenities. It is located within a few miles from mainland Stockholm.
Offering an outdoorsy lifestyle within the city limits, it has Fågelöudde sandy beach; open meadow land; the Kottlasjön lake, which offers bathing in summer and ice skating in winter; rod fishing opportunities; hiking and cycling trails; farms and two golf courses.
The premium for a waterfront property in Lidingo is at least 50% but can be substantially more, according to local expert.
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Who Lives There
Residents work across a number of high-paying sectors, including the banking and finance industries, according to agents.
Due to its natural setting, large-build plots and properties, and open spaces, it is mainly families who live here, Ms. Samuelsson said.
Luxury Amenities
According to Ms. Samuelsson, the best restaurants on the island are Pocket by Pontus in Lidingo, which is a modern, light-filled bistro-style restaurant with a casual vibe and international dishes, and Lidingo Saluhall, which offers “Swedish home cooking with plenty of seafood” from the west coast of Sweden and an outdoor eating area.
Michelin-starred restaurants such as Frantzén in the central district of Norrmalm and Oaxen Krog on the island of Oaxen, and designer stores such as Prada and Gucci, can be found on Birger Jarlsgatan street, which runs between Norrmalm and Östermalm, are all about 5 miles away.
In Lidingö, there is an artisan bakery by the Gateau chain; Wink, a women’s clothing shop offering upmarket brands; natural fragrance shop Muro Scents and boutique children’s clothing shop Liten På Ön.
Meanwhile, Lidingö has two golf clubs. Lidingö, an 18-hole golf course, and Ekholmsnäs, a nine-hole golf course. Plus, the upmarket Foresta hotel lies in Herserud.
Sought-after schools located in Lidingö include Rudboda school, a state elementary school set in a contemporary building; Vittra Lidingo, a state preschool and elementary school; and the Lidingo Music School, which has fee-paying courses for children aged 6 to 19.
Notable Residents
Former couple and members of the Swedish music group Abba, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus lived together in a house in Trädgårdsvägen on the island until 1979, according to fan site raffem.com
In the 19 century, the island was home to Swedish sculptor Carl Milles and his artist wife Olga Milles, and their home in Herserud, named Millesgården, is now a museum and an outdoor sculpture park.
Today the island is home to notable people in Sweden’s media, arts and business industries. Mr. Tivenius said the singer and actor Pernilla Wahlgren; television host and sports reporter Peter Jihde; television host and radio talk show host Sofia Wistam; singer, manager and songwriter Laila Bagge; television fitness instructor Susanne Lanefelt; and entrepreneur, author and blogger Isabella Löwengrip all live in Lidingö.
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Outlook
According to data from Svensk Mäklarstatistik, central Stockholm has seen prices steadily increase over the past 10 to 15 years.
A long period of low interest rates, rising incomes and increased levels of population growth has boosted the property market, with the wealthier areas benefiting the most, Mr. Tivenius explained.
In Lidingö, the biggest jump in average prices took place from 2012 to 2017, which saw values increase from SEK3,059 per square foot to SEK5,281 per square foot, according to data from Svensk Mäklarstatistik.
Over the past 12 months, a total of 231 homes have sold on the island, up 5.3% over the same period last year, according to data from Svensk Mäklarstatistik.
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There are currently 44 homes on the market, according to the property portal Hemnet. The figure is low because the summer period is typically a slow time for the housing market in Sweden, according to Per-Arne Sandegren of Svensk Mäklarstatistik.
Homes in Greater Stockholm or Stockholm County, including Lidingö, take an average of 40 days to sell from the first listing to exchange of contract, Mr. Sandegren said. The figure remains the same a year ago.
Mr. Tivenius notes that while it is not easy to make predictions about the market over the coming year, he is seeing a trend of locals buying summer homes in Sweden because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are seeing more people looking to buy second homes here, where previously they may have chosen to look abroad in places such as Spain,” he said. “They are typically people who have been thinking about it for some time but are motivated by the events of the pandemic.”
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