Hemnet’s Buyer Barometer February 2026: Record-low share of homebuyers expect prices to fall
4 February 2026
In Hemnet’s Homebuyer Barometer for February, the share of homebuyers who expect housing prices to fall decreased. During the month, 10 percent said they believe prices will fall—down 3 percentage points from the previous survey and the lowest level since Hemnet began measuring buyers’ price expectations in autumn 2017.
At the same time, the share of homebuyers who expect housing prices to rise remained unchanged at 43 percent. Overall, this results in a net figure—the difference between the share expecting rising versus falling prices—of 33 percentage points, an increase of 3 percentage points from January.
Price expectations are strongest in Stockholm. There, half of homebuyers expect prices to rise, while 9 percent expect prices to fall.
Percentage of buyers expecting:
Increasing prices: 42.9 percent (43.3% in the previous month)
Decreasing prices: 10.3 percent (13.2% in the previous month)
Unchanged prices: 46.8 percent (43.5% in the previous month)
Erik Holmberg, market Analyst at Hemnet, commented:
“The housing market has started the year with strong price growth. A low inflow of listings—due to hesitant sellers—combined with buyers’ broadly positive expectations of rising housing prices is helping to strengthen the market. The development is particularly strong in Stockholm, which is also in line with price expectations being highest in the capital..”
Hemnet’s Buyers’ Barometer went out to 2,265 respondents between 1 and 3 February.
For more information, please contact:
Contact
Erik Holmberg, market analyst Hemnet
M: +46 72-55 88 050
E: [email protected]
About Hemnet Buyers’ Barometer
The Buyer’s Barometer is a survey that asks Hemnet visitors who plan to buy a home in the next six months, “How do you think property prices will develop where you live in the next six months?”. The survey has at least 600 responses and is conducted monthly. The first survey was conducted in September 2017.
About Hemnet
Hemnet operates the leading property platform in Sweden. The company emerged as an industry initiative in 1998 and has since transformed into a "win-win" value proposition for the housing market. By offering a unique combination of relevant products, insights and inspiration, Hemnet has built lasting relationships with buyers, sellers, and agents for more than 205years. Hemnet shares a mutual passion for homes with its stakeholders and is driven by being an independent go-to-place for people to turn to for the various housing needs that arise through life. This is mirrored in the Company’s vision to be the key to your property journey, supplying products and services to improve efficiency, transparency and mobility on the housing market. Hemnet is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (‘HEM’).
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