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Big Brother Sweden !

By: Steven Magill

Sold out to eighteen countries, the huge television hit 'Big Brother' was originally aired in the Netherlands in 1999 and has generally been a huge success all over the world (not all series being a big hit). Big Brother Sweden had it's first launch in 2000 by the production company responsible for the Netherlands show, Endemol, who launched the UK version on Channel 4 and the Swedish version can be watched on Kanal 5. They had success in countries such as Bulgaria, Germany, Mexico, Greece - to name but a few - and Big Brother Sweden was soon launched.

Producers initially thought the idea of cramming around twelve people of mixed races, backgrounds and persona's and isolating them in a small house was the way to get huge viewing numbers, and they were right. The contestants, or 'house mates', were to be chosen by the public, and the nominated for eviction each week, eventually leaving a winner with a cash prize at the end of the shows long twelve weeks.

Plenty of TV companies bought into the idea and aired their own countries' versions of the show. So far in most of the series aired in the United Kingdom, we have seen drunken capers, plenty of nudity, and rumbles under the duvets and that's not set to stop just yet. Big Brother Sweden has provided the many Swedish viewers with endless amounts of the same, plus many more sexual activities, and the house mates are showing no signs of being more subtle whilst on screen, giving Endemol exactly what they wanted! The surveillance camera's that are appropriately placed so that they can catch every move the house mates make have caught plenty of action and sex on tape, most of which is still shown (officially AND unofficially) on video websites like www.youtube.com.

In the five years that Big Brother Sweden has run, the house has been located in the fabulous city of Stockholm, the countries capital. The winners to date have been Angelica Freij (2000), Ulrica Andersson (2002), who amusingly spanked one of her house mates when her name was announced! Danne (2003) S?rensen and Carolina Gynning, a nationally renowned model, won the 2004 show which was surrounded by controversy after two house mates were filmed having sex. Britt Goodwin (2005) and Jessica Lindgren (2006) took home the finalist places in the two years that Big Brother Sweden was co-produced and filmed with the Norwegian show.

It is Carolina Gynning that you are most likely to see as she hosts TV shows and popular reality shows in the country. Most of the contestants find out just how hard the celeb lifestyle can actually be and shrink into the background, often returning to their former jobs. It's thanks to Big Brother Sweden that some of the house mates that have stayed in the confines of the Big Brother house actually gain the celebrity lifestyle they wanted and yearned for.

Swedish real estate could be the key

By: Nicholas Marr

What is the fourth largest property market in Europe? Would it shock you to learn that it is also the home of Ikea, and Saab? Sweden, is the fourth largest land mass in Europe, and has a population of nine million. Britain, by comparison is home to about 59 million people who live in an area half the size of Sweden. Sweden is commonly perceived as being expensive and cold. It's true the cost of living in Sweden is higher than Britain; but property prices are lower, and its actually hotter in the summer than the UK, and not nearly as wet in winter.

Sweden is a member of the EU, although like Britain it has not adopted the euro as its currency, Sweden's GDP per capita is approximately 15% above the EU25 average, placing it well within the 10 wealthiest nations in Europe. The cost of living is high by UK standards, but property prices are surprisingly low with country cottages priced from €40,000 (?27,500) and villas from €100,000 (?69,000).

Gothenburg, on the west coast, is a major port and industrial centre. It's also home to a world-class opera house, and has a lively down town area. Malmo, on the south coast, arguably has the greatest economic potential of all Sweden's cities following the completion of a 16 kilometre-long bridge and tunnel linking it to Copenhagen, Denmark, where workers are choosing to work in in Copenhagen, and live in Malmo where house prices are cheaper. The disparity between house prices in Sweden and its neighboring countries is due to the Swedes – typically preferring to rent rather than buy property as supply and demand for tenanted occupation is one of the most favorable anywhere in the world. In Stockholm people often stay on housing lists for five years before finding something suitable. The downside is that the rental market is over-regulated, and rents have been kept artificially low. Vast numbers of properties are now being sold to the private sector therefore rents in the cities should rise fast. Depending on your finance arrangements, you may wish to hire an independent surveyor, which is common practice in Sweden. You are not obliged to have a solicitor but it is strongly recommended you do so when buying a property overseas. Once the transaction is completed, it is the buyer's responsibility to apply for deeds of title within three months of the sale transfer and submit them for registration.

In practice, your solicitor will do this on your behalf. Expect to pay 1-4% in solicitor's fees. Stamp duty is charged on registration of the title deeds at approximately 1% of the purchase price. Property tax is payable at an annual rate of around 1.5% of the property's regularly assessed value at 75% and will be charged on tax registered foreign ownership. Newly built homes or renovated homes are exempt from property tax for the first five years with the next five years at a 50% reduction.

Another popular method of property ownership/investment within the Scandinavian region is syndicated property ownership. These are typically set up as limited companies registered with the equivalent of companies house in the appropriate country. The single purpose of the registered business is to purchase, manage tenants, collect rental income, and sell the property, at the end of the investment term – and make all the necessary returns to all the investors involved. Returns from rental income are typically paid back to investors during the investment term either; quarterly or annually, and any capital appreciation of the property is paid in a lump sum at the end of the investment period.