Around 20 of Estonia’s historic manors are looking for new owners, but sellers say buyers are difficult to come by due to their complex conditions and pricey renovations.
Some of the grand – and formerly grand – buildings are under heritage protection, which can add extra layers of difficulty for future buyers.
One of the most recent to hit the market is Kalvi Manor, joining around 20 other manors and two castles, Sangaste and Laitse.
These include Kehtna Manor (listed sale price: €699,000), Kudina Manor (€721,000) and Rava Manor (€590,000). A 100-square-meter apartment in a new development in Tallinn city center costs around the same amount.
Manor buildings in need of renovation are much cheaper: Vaeküla Manor is sold for €29,900, Kirimäe Manor for €85,000, while the Luutsniku Manor complex, which needs extensive renovation, is for sale for €199,000.
Among the most famous manors, Põhjaka Manor, which is also the location of a popular restaurant, is on sale for €198,000.
Sangaste Castle is the most expensive at €2,600,000.
Some buildings have been listed on real estate portals for years with no success.
“Manors are harder to sell because they are unique and there are always fewer buyers for them than for a universal property such as an apartment,” explained real estate analyst Tõnu Toompark.
“In the case of manor houses, the fact that they are historic sites and come with heritage restrictions comes into play, and if they have to be renovated to prescriptive standards, it is simply expensive. Owning a manor house is an expensive hobby for enthusiasts,” he said.
“If you want to buy a mansion, you buy a lot of obligations and complications. But there are such people,” Toompark added.
There are several reasons for selling an extensively renovated manor, such as Sangaste, the analyst said: either the owner has run out of money due to another business drying up or they want less hassle.
“Real estate is still bought and sold,” he said.
VES/ERR News
