Solgt til sveitsere for 135 mill.: – Nå løsnet det

Asmund Haare, a hotel entrepreneur and investor, has sold his beach property on Nesoya in Asker municipality for 135 million Norwegian kroner to Swiss buyers. The sale is reportedly confirmed by Budstikka and Dagens Næringsliv. Haare is satisfied with the binding agreement, as he states, "Jada, it's me. It's good. It's a very expensive property, and like these times, it's difficult to sell, especially to Norwegian buyers."

He confirms that there were both Norwegian and other interested parties. Haare confirms that the purchase price is guaranteed in Norwegian kroner. Haare bought the property for 41 million kroner in 2021 and demolished the existing building. He then built a much larger residence in the exclusive "Hamptons" style, characterized by a harmonious blend of classic aristocratic elegance and relaxed coastal luxury.

The style originated from the exclusive vacation homes on Long Island in the USA, but has become very popular in Norway for both single-family homes, villas, and mountain cabins with pools and spas to attract exclusive buyers. The building was completed in 2023. The market fell after a number of Norwegian entrepreneurs were forced abroad while international interest remained, according to Haare.

As reported by E24 earlier, the property was listed on the public market for 150 million kroner in spring 2025. Haare now receives less money, but the price remains unchanged, according to the investor. Haare, 77, is a hotel entrepreneur and real estate investor raised in Spydeberg in Østfold, best known for founding the First Hotels hotel chain in 1993.

He later built significant assets in the hotel and real estate sector through his investment company Flying Elephant. The hotel business was severely hit by the pandemic. Flying Elephant's group had a combined profit of around 780 million kroner in the period 2020-2024, and reported negative net worth at the end of 2024. The company has also indicated that the underlying real estate values are significantly higher than the reported values.

Haare has previously been listed with a fortune of over a billion kroner on Capital's list of Norway's richest (2021). He was listed with zero fortune in 2024, according to tax lists, down from 58.5 million kroner the previous year. Haare has four children. His two eldest, Simen Haare and Cathrine Haare Aldorino, have been involved in running the family business.

In 2023, the ownership distribution in Flying Elephant was reported as 74 percent to Asmund Haare and 13 percent to each of the two eldest children. The company has worked on moving from a traditional hotel business to a more focused family-owned investment structure. The article was written using an AI tool. This is confirmed by real estate broker Petter Hauge, who has handled the sale.

The property was advertised on the international luxury platform James Edition. "A lot happened over the summer, there were several contacts. It seemed like something loosened a bit, and we had many viewings right over the summer vacation," says Hauge to E24. He adds that the property was also off the market from late winter to early spring as it was used for filming the TV2 reality show "Spillet."

The buyers are a Swiss couple in early retirement who, like many Europeans, seek quieter summer retreats, popularly known as "coolcations." The Swiss buyers previously vacationed in France and prefer the milder climate for their summer getaway. The purchase price of 135 million kroner makes the property the most expensive ever sold on Nesoya, surpassing the previous record of 89 million kroner set by former Gustav Witzøe tycoon and lakemillionaire Thomas Jessen who bought Ole-Henrik Bjørges house.

Haare also has his sights on another unsold Nesoya property, with a price increase of 110 million kroner, aiming to set a new record. The investor sees himself moving to something smaller closer to Oslo but has not yet sold the property. Haare remains active, but plans to scale back and enjoy his days. He is still involved in his hotel company where he sits on the board, which is the largest operation.

He enjoys being involved. Haare is also involved in several early-stage technology companies. - Most are in the early stages, and it's always a bit difficult, but very interesting, concludes the investor.