From Skanderborg Sø to Amager Fælled: Balder fulfills Bent and Annette's dream of getting closer to their family

Previously, Bent and Annette Clausen saw their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren about 5-6 times a year while living at opposite ends of the country. Now, they see them every two weeks, to the great delight of all of them. This has been made possible because the couple found a spacious Balder apartment in Ørestad and changed the view of Skanderborg Sø to Amager Fælled. It's a decision that the retired couple is happy about every single day.

If you see a man in his everyday clothes walking around Balder's property Elsehus in Ørestad and tidying things up, you can be almost certain that the man is named Bent Clausen. He used to work as a caretaker and finds it difficult to let go of his old role, even though he is now retired and living at the property.

"I tend to act as a caretaker. It's probably just part of my DNA after 20 years with the profession. However, there isn't much need for it on the property because, in my caretaker's eyes, everything is usually in perfect order. But if there's a bit of trash lying around, I pick it up. And if things are toppled over in the windy weather, I place them in upright position," Bent says.

He lives with his wife, Annette Clausen, in a four-room apartment on the third floor. They have lived there since December 2022 when they uprooted their life with a house and garden in Jutland and changed the scene to a busy retirement life in Copenhagen. They have not regretted a single day. The couple has gotten closer to their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.

Wide green spaces, grazing cows, and a blue sky
Bent and Annette's son, Martin, lives with his wife and their two children, aged 4 and 6, at Frederiksberg. The move from Jutland to Seeland has meant that the couple now sees their family every two weeks instead of 5-6 times a year.

"We are so happy that we have gotten closer to the family. It's easy for us to take the metro and be at their apartment in no time. It doesn't require the same planning as when we lived in Skanderborg. We can thank the excellent location of our new housing and the metro line for that," Annette says.

It was not entirely coincidental that it ended up being a Balder rental apartment in Ørestad:

"We knew that we wanted to live close to both the metro and shopping options but not right in the center of Copenhagen. We also wanted to be close to nature, which we certainly are, so we couldn't be happier. We live with Amager Fælled as our backyard and have the most beautiful view of green expanses, grazing cows, and plenty of sky. We enjoy weekly bike and walking trips at Fælleden and are happy to take our grandchildren with us," Annette explains.

Space for every need – and friends and family
Bent and Annette had only seen a total of three apartments before putting their signatures on the leasing contract. When they saw their current home in Ørestad, many things fell into place:

"In addition to the perfect location, the apartment is well-suited for our needs. There is plenty of space for guests in the kitchen-dining area, which we appreciate when we have family and friends visiting. There are many good storage options, which is nice when you move from a house filled with things from a lifetime. Besides the bedroom, there is a room for each of us. I've set up a sewing room, which is actually the best I've ever had. There's plenty of light and space for a height adjustable table," Annette says.

"And I've got myself a real 'man cave,' which is also furnished as a guest room. It's great to have when both grandchildren and friends from Jutland come to visit," Bent chimes in. 

The newly minted Copenhageners agree that the third-floor apartment meets all their requirements and provides a good opportunity to live their lives in fewer square meters than their house in Skanderborg.

"The natural light in the apartment is so lovely. It's something our guests also notice. And it's very quiet here both during the day and at night. We were actually a bit surprised when we moved in. You tend to think that there would be a lot of noise when you live in Copenhagen. But not here."

Many advantages with a rental apartment
The differences between living in a self-owned house and a rental apartment are many. For Bent and Annette, it's a significant advantage that they get help quickly when something needs fixing. And they don't have to do a lot of gardening:

"It's great that we no longer have to maintain a large garden. Now we can use our time to go to Copenhagen and explore the city. We weren't very good at that before. It's also nice that at Balder, you get good and quick assistance with operational matters if the need arises. All the employees we've been in contact with for viewings, moving in, and the time we've lived here have been both friendly and helpful," Annette says.

At Balder, we highly value good neighborly relations. Therefore, we organize local Balder gatherings at our properties and holiday events for all residents. Initiatives that please the couple:

"It's so nice to have events where you can meet your neighbors. We participated in a Balder gathering this summer and have signed up for Balder's upcoming Christmas event at the Experimentarium, where we'll take our grandchildren. This wouldn't have been possible if we hadn't made the big decision to move from Jutland to Copenhagen and get closer to our family," concludes Bent and Annette. 

If you're interested in moving into a Balder apartment like Bent and Annette, you can find our available rentals here.