Porvoo Real Estate: Houses and Flats in a Medieval Riverside Town

The Old Town has wooden houses, cobbled lanes and red riverside warehouses, and the town is bilingual in Finnish and Swedish. It draws Helsinki-region buyers who want a calmer setting, plus summer-house owners. Bus and road connections make a commute to Helsinki workable but long.

For the capital see Helsinki. Closer to it, Vantaa, Kerava, Järvenpää and Tuusula form the northern commuter belt, and Nurmijärvi lies beyond.

Wooden houses in the Old Town are charming but come with conservation rules and higher upkeep, so ask what you may change before buying. Newer districts outside the centre offer ordinary apartment blocks and detached houses, usually with easier parking, and the price gap between the two can be large.

Foreign buyers can generally purchase Finnish property, with exceptions such as Åland. Most flats are shares in a housing company with a monthly charge, and transfer tax is 1.5% on those shares and 3% on real property. Banks typically lend up to about 85% of value. See our Finland buying guide, financing page and the Finland overview.

Ask for the housing company's financial statement and renovation plan before buying a flat, because large pipe or facade works are paid through higher charges. Conditions for non-resident borrowers are tighter, so many overseas buyers fund a larger share themselves.