The Stockholm Archipelago: A dream property for sailors with money and imagination

For most sailors, it remains a dream: a little spot of their own right by the water, somewhere amongst the archipelago, with a boat right on their doorstep. On Skärmarö in the municipality of Värmdö, this sailor’s dream is currently up for sale. The property is situated in the inner Stockholm archipelago, the archipelago comprising around 30,000 islands and islets, which National Geographic has named one of the 25 hottest travel destinations worldwide for 2025 – and yet it is less than an hour’s journey from the Swedish capital. Estate agent Björn Ericsson from Svensk Fastighetsförmedling He openly admits that, in his 21 years on Värmdö, he has never sold a property quite like this one.

The rarest thing about this object is the water

What sets this dream property for sailors apart from any ordinary summer house is the water rights included in the sale. The so-called ‘Vattenarea’, covering 5,190 square metres, grants the future owner exclusive rights of use over the adjacent body of water – their own jetties, their own moorings, their own berths, with absolutely no need to compromise on club rules or waiting lists. In the Swedish archipelago, where the ‘Allemansrätten’ (right of public access) guarantees free access for all, but private water rights are an absolute rarity, an offer of this kind practically never comes onto the market.

The former shipyard site also offers plenty of space on land: a 7,040-square-metre plot on which 14 boats – most of which are in a state of disrepair – still stand today; these are to be removed prior to the sale – or may be taken over as part of the property being purchased. The residential building, dating from 1940, is one-and-a-half storeys high, has four rooms and 84 square metres of living space. However, both the house and the other buildings on the site are in a state of significant disrepair. In particular, the boat and shipyard sheds are unlikely to be salvageable and can probably only be replaced or thoroughly refurbished at considerable expense. The jetties, too, have seen better days. They are in poor condition and would require a great deal of effort to restore. Whether commercial use as a shipyard will be possible again in future depends on the Värmdö municipal development plan – as a dream location for sailors with direct access to the water, the property is, in any case, unique despite the considerable need for renovation.

Private sale, value unknown

The property is being offered via a private sale – without a public reserve price and without a traditional bidding process. According to Ericsson himself, the starting price of 15 million Swedish kronor is provisional: as there is simply no comparable property to use as a benchmark, he is basing the valuation on summer cottages in similar locations. Ericsson himself says he does not know exactly what such a dream property is worth – in 21 years on Värmdö, he has never come across anything like it. Around 250 people have registered on the platform Svensk Fastighetsförmedling have already expressed an interest in purchasing. Full property details are available there once you have registered.

​Further articles on this topic:

• Sweden: A guide to the archipelago
• Sweden: The Sunshine Coast – from the Kalmar Sound to the Östergötland archipelago
• Sweden: Along the Sunny Coast – Häradskär and its historic lighthouse
• Sweden: Along the Sunshine Coast – Arkösund and the island of Hävringe
• Sweden: Along the Sunshine Coast – Harstena

Book recommendations

Baltic Sea Coastal Guide It serves as a handy complement to the guide to the archipelago off Stockholm. The sailing guide covers the countries bordering the Baltic Sea, including Sweden and Finland, and lists key ports, approach routes, moorings and provisioning facilities. It thus provides readers with practical guidance when the dream of a house by the water turns into a sailing trip of their own through the archipelago.

Mare Balticum takes a different approach. This large-format illustrated book presents the Baltic Sea and its coasts from a photographic perspective, including the archipelago coasts of Sweden and Finland, as well as the region around Stockholm. Rather than providing detailed nautical information, it conveys an impression of landscapes, harbours and maritime habitats – thereby helping to set the scene for the retreat described in the article.