So you have chosen to live in Norway. That is a great choice considering Norway has consistently been ranked among the best places to live by the United Nations. Since it is such a nice place, there are literally hundreds of thousands of people looking to move to Norway every year. To join this stream and enjoy living in Norway you will need some help.
Here is some information to help you in your search for a dream home in Norway:
Housing costs in Norway are generally high but will depend on where you plan to settle. The cost of accommodation in Norway has risen sharply in the recent past and this trend is set to continue. The high costs are not for nothing; the average Norwegian house is built to a very high standard. You can be assured you will not pay highly for an igloo!  The houses offer a high level of comfort. Normal houses will have excellent heating and insulation which is understandable since Norway is a cold place. Costs are higher in the urban areas. Rural areas are usually cheaper to live in. So if you are moving to Norway for rest or retirement, you can find cheap accommodation in one of the villages and enjoy a blowtorched sheep’s head for dinner every day!

If you are moving to Norway to work you should check if your employer can assist you with the search for accommodation. To search for accommodation yourself, check out real estate ads online or in the local papers. You can also place an ad yourself specifying what you want. There is a wealth of information out there that can help you find the perfect home suiting all your needs. Most towns in Norway also have municipal real estate agencies which can help (Norwegians are very organized). However these places almost always have long lines of people waiting to be served.

For those who intend to rent a place, there are many available places to let. You should make sure you get a tenancy agreement before entering the house. Not because Norwegians will cheat you; Norway boasts of a very sincere and honest population. The agreement is just as a precaution. Standard agreements are available online. They are usually valid for an initial year after which they are extended for five year terms with provisions for termination by either party. To terminate an agreement you will normally have to give three months notice; not just getting up and leaving. In most tenancy agreements, the rent is payable two to three months in advance.

If you are studying and need a small apartment, a single room with bath and kitchen, can find it difficult to find housing due to the competition among students when the season starts. If you are studying in Oslo, the search often goes via Studentsamskipnaden The Foundation for Student Life, or they search within a private solution in their search for a hybel (single room with bath and a small cooking solution).
Many people who visit Norway fall in love with the place and end up buying a house there. Norwegians are very welcoming. Foreigners have equal rights with native Norwegians when it comes to purchasing a house.  If you end up wanting to own a place in the lovely country, you can arrange for the purchase through a real estate agent, a solicitor or a bank. Housing finance (in the form of mortgages) is available from Norwegian banks. They accept to hold the property you are buying as the collateral. Whether you are looking for a penthouse apartment in Oslo or a cabin in the woods, you will be able to find it listed in one of the dailies or on real estate websites online.

There you have it; you can now go out and look for the perfect home for you and your family in Norway, one of the best places to live on this earth.