Swedes' dream house

A castle in France? A penthouse in New York? Equipped with the latest dishwasher or the latest home theater system..? 

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  Forget a château in France or a loft in New York City, a “herrgård” like this one—Rottneros—is what Swedes dream of.

• Swedes’ dream house
  Let a Swede think freely about his dream home and chances are it won’t be a castle in France or a loft in New York City, but rather a mansion (“herrgård”) in the Swedish countryside, with a luxurious kitchen and a view of a lake.

• Fastighetsbyrån, a firm of brokers, polled some 1,000 people who answered questions about how they’d like to upgrade their housing as well as what their dream house would look like. The results show that almost 40 percent of the people are happy with how they’re living. Among those who want a change, moving to a bigger space was the number one priority. After that followed the desire for a house in the country or a villa close to the city, and 16 percent feel a mansion in the countryside is the absolute dream. But there are also those whose dreams are of a home outside Sweden. Some people dream of owning a bungalow in the Caribbean, a vineyard in Tuscany or a beach house in Malibu.
  When Swedes dream of something extra for their home, it is exclusive white goods that rank highest. Having an ocean view or terrace also rank high. Women are more interested in a walk-in closet, whereas more men want a mini movie theater.