King's pal seeks bumper payout for country estate
Torgils Bonde, a member of Sweden's high society, has raised eyebrows by putting his 2,800 hectare property up for sale for close to a record sum of 200 million kronor ($28.3 million).
The vast property, Gimmersta Säteri, is located by Lake Öljaren in Sörmland, 160 kilometres west of Stockholm in eastern Sweden.
The main buildings were built in 1719-20 based on a design from Konrad Ribbing, although parts of the property date from the middle ages.
The price tag of 200 million kronor, if achieved, would place the property among the most expensive sold in the Swedish property market. The record is thought to be held for the purchase of Rydsgård estate in southern Sweden which was put up for sale last year for 300 million kronor, though the eventual sale price was never disclosed.
The property's land-holdings include 1,850 hectares of forestry and 750 hectares of arable land as well as 500 hectares of lake with plentiful supplies of crayfish, perch and other freshwater fish.
Torgils Bonde is 63-years-old and is known to socialise with King Carl XVI Gustaf, with their mutual interests in sailing and hunting bringing them together.
Bonde is married to Helena, with whom he has a son. He also has two children from a previous marriage to Catherine Gahr Støre, the sister of Norway's foreign minister.
The reason behind the sale is thought to be to avoid an inheritance squabble between his offspring, according to Realitid.se. Bonde claimed in an article in agriculture newspaper ATL last autumn that he had not drawn a wage since 1975.
"What we do is taken for granted. But there is such poor profitability in agriculture that I have to invest money each year," Torgils Bonde told ATL.
The Local has made attempts to contact the agent handling the sale but without success.
Comments
See Also
The vast property, Gimmersta Säteri, is located by Lake Öljaren in Sörmland, 160 kilometres west of Stockholm in eastern Sweden.
The main buildings were built in 1719-20 based on a design from Konrad Ribbing, although parts of the property date from the middle ages.
The price tag of 200 million kronor, if achieved, would place the property among the most expensive sold in the Swedish property market. The record is thought to be held for the purchase of Rydsgård estate in southern Sweden which was put up for sale last year for 300 million kronor, though the eventual sale price was never disclosed.
The property's land-holdings include 1,850 hectares of forestry and 750 hectares of arable land as well as 500 hectares of lake with plentiful supplies of crayfish, perch and other freshwater fish.
Torgils Bonde is 63-years-old and is known to socialise with King Carl XVI Gustaf, with their mutual interests in sailing and hunting bringing them together.
Bonde is married to Helena, with whom he has a son. He also has two children from a previous marriage to Catherine Gahr Støre, the sister of Norway's foreign minister.
The reason behind the sale is thought to be to avoid an inheritance squabble between his offspring, according to Realitid.se. Bonde claimed in an article in agriculture newspaper ATL last autumn that he had not drawn a wage since 1975.
"What we do is taken for granted. But there is such poor profitability in agriculture that I have to invest money each year," Torgils Bonde told ATL.
The Local has made attempts to contact the agent handling the sale but without success.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.