Beyond the Image: Part 2
Hunt for the Perfect Plot!
Hello and welcome back to the second part of the series Beyond the Image, where I share the story behind the house featured in Super Finnish’s marketing. This series will take you through my inspiration, the five and a half months of building, and where the house stands today. In this post, I’ll delve into my journey of finding the perfect piece of land. I hope you enjoy it!
In the summer of 2020, I got serious about finding the perfect plot.
A few years of a playful plot hunt came to an end in 2020. I sold my apartments and made a deal with the buyer to stay in my own home for six more months after closing. This arrangement was ideal—it gave me time to start making offers on plots I found interesting. Long story short, I didn’t make any other offers besides the one I ended up buying. But it wasn’t as simple as it sounds. I took many trips around the southern part of Finland, searching for exactly what I wanted.
Traditional off-grid home, or mökki, as we call it in Finnish.
In Finland, it’s very common to build your mökki by the water. With thousands of lakes and extensive shoreline, there’s a strong divide between those who want their summer house by a lake and those who prefer it by the sea. After seeing a few beach properties, it became clear that I wanted my piece of paradise to be on dry land.
I enjoy the changing view and the money I saved.
After seeing those beach properties, I realized how much I enjoy the way forests and fields change colors throughout the year. Water is calming, but to me, a view of fields and forests has the same effect. Maybe it’s because I was born in a town surrounded mostly by flat fields. The rich green in summer, the golden yellows in fall, and a blanket of snow in winter.
I also didn’t mind that I could likely find my property for a tenth (or even more) of the cost of a beach plot. Beach properties are pricey, and I didn’t mind avoiding the extra maintenance that comes with them. In a country with warm summers and thick ice in winter, owning a beach property is a lot of upkeep.
So many more options opened up once I forgot about the beach.
Because most off-grid house builders are looking for beach properties, I realized I had many plot options within my budget. I set my budget tight for the plot, hoping to spend €50,000–€60,000, which is about $55,000–$66,000. It was a challenge, but after buying those fixer-upper condos, I knew that the best deals are made when you buy wisely. I’ve never planned on selling the house I built, but my experience in real estate taught me to always prepare for that option as well.
Almost 80% of Finland is covered in forests and fields.
As mentioned previously, my focus during the plot hunt was on the southern part of Finland, where cities like Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa are located. But hear me out: Finland is mostly forests and fields. It wasn’t difficult to find amazing locations with stunning forest and field views just an hour away from Helsinki, the capital city.
I had a very specific idea for the plot; it had to be large—between 2 to 4 acres. I wanted the plot to have some height variation so I could build a couple of separate buildings and create landscaping on different levels. I knew I wouldn’t use all of that land for building, and I wanted to appreciate the natural state of the land.
Jackpot!
I was discussing the plot hunt with a good friend of mine—someone who had trained me when I was new to the real estate industry. We became great friends, and we’re still connected, even though I now live on the other side of the world.
She obviously had a lot of experience in real estate, both as an agent and a property owner. She had owned several summer houses and still had one herself. During our conversation, she mentioned some new areas I hadn’t even considered.
After our talk, I drove back home from her place, opened the local “Zillow,” and did my magical search in the areas she had suggested. Jackpot! I knew the moment I saw that beautiful piece of land online. I drove to see the plot the next day, and the rest is history!
Happy landowner, soon after the purchase of my lifetime. So far, at least!
Jussi-Pekka Kajaala
Nordic Visionary, Creative Entrepreneur
