PricePinner
In a bostadsrätt, you own a share of a housing association. The association's debt is, in practice, also your debt.
How debt reaches you
The association pays interest and amortisation on its loans with the members' fees. When interest rates go up, the association's costs go up, and the fee often follows.
Debt per square metre
A common way to compare is the debt divided by the living area of all flats. Compare this number between associations in the same area.
Why buyers care
Two flats with the same price can have very different real costs. If the association has high debt, more of your monthly money goes to its loans. Buyers price this in, so flats in associations with high debt often sell for less.
Not all debt is bad
An association may have borrowed to renovate the building. That can be a good investment. Read the annual report to see why the debt exists.
In the game
When you guess two similar flats and one sells for clearly less, the association can be part of the reason.