European property prices pick up pace Pandemic-induced surge in house prices raises fears of new bubble Reuters May 11, 2021 Shoppers wear face masks on Oxford Street in London after face coverings became mandatory in shops and supermarkets in Britain. PHOTO: AFP BERLIN/ STOCKHOLM: If Sweden’s government gets its way, Bromma airport on the western edge of Stockholm will shut down and be used to build around 30,000 new homes, helping to ease a housing shortage that has sent prices in the capital soaring. Sweden is not alone in seeking innovative ways to boost the supply of housing and, ultimately, reduce a build-up of mortgage debt that threatens the wider economy.