Lørenskog has everything they wanted
Henning Granum (60) had lived all his life in Oslo when he and his wife Torill Fjæran-Granum (60) decided to pack up the apartment at Trosterud and move to Lørenskog. Here, they’ve got everything they want - and a bit more.
"Even though we were happy at Trosterud, we were thinking about moving. It's actually thanks to Henning’s sister that we ended up here at Skårer," says Torill, who had lived in Oslo for almost 20 years.
"His sister lived in the housing association here, and I’ve always liked it here when we’ve been visiting. So I just looked up her address to see if there were any apartments for sale nearby."
Fortunately, there was one apartment left in the neighbouring block, and Torill and Henning went to view it. The first thing they noticed was that the apartment looked bigger in reality than in the pictures.
"It’s usually the other way around, so that was a positive surprise. After viewing it for five minutes, we decided to buy," says Henning.
The best thing about living in Lørenskog
- The Skårerløkka area is very pleasant and has a nice and calm atmosphere
- You have all kinds of services nearby
- Proximity to Oslo - get there in 25 minutes by bus
The best of both worlds
Although Torill and Henning also looked at other areas in Lørenskog, they fell for Skårer Vest. The move took place in August 2018, and since then they have lived here, in quiet and attractive surroundings, with hiking trails and parks right outside their door.
"Here, we have everything we need within walking distance: restaurants, convenience store, post office and the Triaden shopping mall with hairdresser, gym and a number of shops. "I drive a lot less now than before," says Torill.
When the couple visit friends and family in Oslo, they just hop on the bus.
"Now Ruter has started up bus departures to Oslo every ten minutes, and the bus ride only takes 25 minutes. I work at Fornebu, and it only takes me half an hour by car to get to the office," says Henning.
As the chair of the owners association, he has been in contact with many of his neighbours. The area is home to elderly people, families with children and adults with children who have left home.
"We have really lovely neighbours. I have the impression that everyone living here cares about the local community - and that’s important! And even though there’s a lot of people living here, there's a quiet and pleasant atmosphere."
The benefits of apartment living
Torill and Henning first met in 2005, and both have lived in their own houses before. Although a detached house has many advantages, the couple believe that apartment still trumps house.
"In a newly-built apartment, everything works as it should and it's all nice and new. You also avoid a lot of the maintenance work that comes with living in a house," says Torill.
“It’s modern architecture and very well designed here,” adds Henning.
Although Torill loves gardens and flowers, she doesn't like the work that comes with them as much. That’s why it suits her perfectly that at Skårer she has access to green spaces, that are maintained by others, right outside her door.
“We also have a house in Spain that we like to visit for long periods of time, which makes it difficult for us to have a garden at home,” she says.
"I think it’s really great to skip mowing the grass, cutting the hedge and clearing the snow. When I lived in a house, the outside seating area was what I appreciated the most, which we also have here at Skårer. Here, we have a lovely balcony with sunshine almost all day. We spend a lot of time out there during the summer months, chatting and relaxing," says Henning.
No thanks to a house - prefer to stay in Lørenskog
A five-minute viewing may not be much, but often you just know when something is right. That gut feeling turned out to be right for Torill and Henning.
Now, after a year and a half, they are absolutely sure that they have landed in the right place. A while ago, the couple had the opportunity to take over Henning’s father’s house at Bekkelaget, but the desire to stay in Lørenskog was stronger than any wish to return to Oslo.
"More and more people are moving here to Skårer Vest, and it’s really nice to live in a flourishing area. Living in an apartment suits us perfectly, and we are very happy," say Torill and Henning.
"Everyone who comes here has such a positive attitude. One of the benefits of living in a growing area is that you can help develop it. We’re really excited about that!"