Abandoned house is on the agenda

All over Sweden and Finland, so-called abandoned house detectives are working to map empty houses, contact owners and create new life in the countryside through reuse and moving in.

Thanks to support from Leader, several areas can map their abandoned houses, contact their owners, and in various ways try to get the houses back into the housing chain. A task that places high demands on the project leaders as it requires both patience, intuition, and a fair amount of cunning.

Let’s call them ”abandoned house detectives”.

From abandoned houses to dream houses and a more vibrant countryside

Porträtt av en leende person med kort lockigt hår och glasögon, klädd i en beige skjorta. Personen står framför en ljus inomhusmiljö och är inramad av en husformad grafisk kontur. In southeastern Skåne, the municipalities of Sjöbo, Tomelilla, and Ystad jointly ran a leader-funded abandoned house project between 2023 and 2024. The abandoned house detective was Melissa Nyström:

– During the inventory, Ystad allowed residents to report houses that seemed abandoned, while Tomelilla and Sjöbo relied on previous inventories. Then I checked things like waste collection and water and sewage status. I drove around, looked at houses, and called a number of property owners. Some actually said they had just been waiting for me to call.

– That a house stands uninhabited for several years can have many causes. But it is rarely money that is decisive; more often it is about an emotional connection to the property.

Find Home in My Northwest

Porträtt av en leende person med långt brunt hår, klädd i en stickad tröja i grått och orange. Personen står framför en mörkröd trävägg och är inramad av en husformad grafisk kontur. In central and northwestern Skåne, a leader project focusing on abandoned houses is underway in thirteen municipalities. The abandoned house detective is Pernilla Björverud:

– We want to breathe new life into the houses that today stand empty and unused in our rural areas, and at the same time enable more people to find a home here. The houses are a valuable resource, not
least from a sustainability perspective.

– We want to start conversations, spark engagement, and increase knowledge about why so many houses stand empty and what we can do about it.

The project will arrange workshops and digital lectures:

– We cover everything from how to assess the condition of an abandoned house and what harmful substances may be present, to building preservation, law, and financing. It should be support for those who own, dream of, or work with abandoned houses.

Many small villages – the abandoned houses in Ostrobothnia

In Finnish Ostrobothnia, the leader-funded project of Korsholm municipality has for nearly two years highlighted the issue of abandoned houses as an important community concern. The abandoned house detective is architect and building conservator Ruusa Viljanen Rossi:

– We see a great interest in the issue, from the public, other municipalities, the media, and even national heritage authorities. It shows that abandoned houses engage a wide audience.

– In the mapping work, we have worked closely with the villages. It is both effective and crucial for creating anchoring among those affected – the villagers themselves.

The project has worked broadly to create movement:

– We have organized abandoned house days with lectures and excursions, collaborated with pensioner associations and banks, participated in radio, held seminars, and written opinion pieces. We have both sold abandoned houses at autumn markets and discussed their role in the green transition together with authorities and research actors.

Collaborations have also been central:

– We have worked closely with Stundars, the region's attraction to the open-air museum, and teamed up with other leader projects within building heritage and sustainable housing.

– Right now we have 110 people looking for abandoned houses to renovate, about twenty houses for sale, and we have finally secured our first deal. It feels like we have set something in motion.

Hello Hemby

Leader Tornedalen has been running an abandoned house project since 2023, which is expected to conclude at the end of 2026. Here, they are not only looking for abandoned houses but also for houses that can be rented out, used as vacation homes, or sold. Four municipalities are involved: Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, and Övertorneå. Abandoned house detectives are Sanne Pantzare, Åsa Morin, and Johanna Funck:

– The local engagement from the non-profit sector is invaluable. They not only help find houses, but they also welcome newcomers and make them feel at home. This increases the chances that they want to stay.

– We are working a lot to further develop that collaboration, while also building relationships with local businesses that have recruitment needs.

Several activities are planned for 2026:

– We will organize lectures, study visits, and activities within building preservation to continue raising awareness about old houses.

Rural life – the abandoned houses & reuse

In Kristianstad municipality, a leader-funded abandoned house project started at the end of 2025. Abandoned house detective is Anny Persson:

– We collaborate with village associations, organizations, and engaged rural residents to create a structure where the municipality can actively contribute to reusing abandoned houses.

– If we succeed, the project can contribute to much more than just new residents. From a climate perspective, it is important to create housing without exploiting valuable arable land and to reduce the construction industry's climate footprint by reusing existing buildings, materials, and garden environments.

– Already during my first week, I was contacted by homeowners who want to sell, so I am very hopeful!

Different reasons for the existence of abandoned houses

The owner has moved to a nursing home without the ability to take care of the house
The house has been used as a summer house but is no longer in use
The owners live abroad or far from the property
The house has been owned by a family for several generations
Emotional ties to the property that make it difficult for the owners to sell
The house is part of a farm, where the focus is on cultivating the surrounding land

How is it done in other countries?

Empty houses and underutilized spaces are a global problem. At the same time, examples from other countries show that there are many ways to give new life to buildings that would otherwise risk falling into disrepair.

Norway

In Norway, there are rules about ”residency obligation,” which means that properties must be inhabited or rented out. The purpose is to counter speculation and create vibrant local communities. The issue is also being discussed in Sweden as a possible solution in areas with many empty houses.

Italy

In several Italian villages, houses are sold for symbolic amounts, sometimes as little as ”one euro.” However, the buyer must renovate the property, which helps preserve buildings and attract new residents.

USA (Baltimore)

Through the program “Vacants to Value,” abandoned houses are sold at reduced prices with renovation requirements. The initiative has reduced the number of vacant properties and contributed to safer and more vibrant neighborhoods.

Japan

In Japan, there are millions of empty houses, so-called ”akiya.” Through municipal databases and financial incentives, these are matched with new owners, helping to revitalize the countryside.

USA (New York)

In New York, restaurants are used as coworking spaces during the day. This shows how even commercial spaces can be better utilized and reduce empty areas.