How to retire early and relax

Many Europeans in their early fifties who had planned early retirement have been hit hard by the global economic down turn. For several years, thousands had been investing in shares, funds and property that seemed to be increasing in value relentlessly.

This changed dramatically in 2007 following the housing market crash in the US which was quickly followed by a banking, share and property price collapse in the UK and many parts of Europe. Thousands of people who were looking forward to retiring early have been forced to re-think their retirement plans and ultimately, are having to work longer than they had intended.

There is however a solution to help many people realize their dream of retiring early to a peaceful and natural environment. Hundreds of Europeans have found an alternative to working into their 60’s by retiring to Lapland in the north of Sweden. Lapland in Swedenoffers excellent value for money when buying a property.

A broad range of property is available to purchase, from older houses in need of renovation to more modern houses needing only cosmetic attention. An option for some is to have a brand new house built to their own specification by one of the several local construction companies specializing in factory fabricated houses.

Land is also very good value for money when purchased with a property and many have several hectares (acres) of land included in the purchase price. It is not impossible to find houses for sale next to a river or lake and whilst these prices increase comparatively, for most Europeans they offer incredible value for money.

For those that own their own property in the UK, Ireland and central Europe, selling their property in their home country and moving to Swedish Lapland can enable a complete lifestyle change. As property is very good value for money in the region, a home in Lapland Sweden, can be bought for often a fraction of the cost of a house in most European countries. The capital realized can then provide a comfortable income enabling people to retire much earlier than would have otherwise been possible.

The region enjoys access to thousands of lakes, dozens of major rivers, and many national parks including Sarek National Park, the last true wilderness in Europe. Retiring to a warm country has its appeal for many, but not everyone. Canada has long been an attractive emigration destination as has New Zealand, both having large areas that cannot be consider to be ‘warm’ for many weeks of the year.

Swedish Lapland enjoys 12 weeks of total daylight from the middle of May to the middle of August. Temperatures in the summer can soar to 30c degrees with a more temperate climate through most of the summer. Fishing at this time is a pleasure as many of the thousands of lakes in the region are not fished in. It is very common for one person to return to particular lake day after day and not be disturbed by other fisherman.

Autumn is full of colour. The spring brings the promise of the summer together with its own amazingly sunny days even though the landscape is still covered with snow. Spring is a very attractive and enjoyable period as the forests and remote areas of the region are more accessible by skis and snowmobiles than in the summer months.

Winters are cold and the darkest days last from late December to the end of January when the daylight return’s to near central European hours. Many of the people who have retired here rent an apartment in Spain or Thailand for the two main winter months, leaving the area in late November as the first snow arrives and returning in the beginning of February to enjoy the skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing that early spring offers. The famous Jokkmokk Winter Market is held around this time and the region begins to become a hive of activity after the winter break.

Early retirees looking for a more rural and relaxed lifestyle find the pastimes on offer in Lapland plentiful. Sweden has for long time embraced the English language as a way of communicating with the world and English has been taught as a core subject for many decades now. There are even free Swedish lessons available in every town for those that have moved to the region and everyone can learn at their own pace.

People retiring to Lapland in Sweden are welcomed and many European retirees have made their home in Swedish Lapland. The Dutch, Norwegian, German and the English can be found in the north of Sweden, although due to the vast sizes of most counties, concentrations are low. The county of Jokkmokk is nearly as big as Wales and covers a larger area than Northern Ireland. With a population of only 5,500, space is in abundance and a relaxed and peaceful lifestyle is waiting for those that would like to choose to retire to Swedish Lapland.