If you visit Oslo go see an apartment for sale

People in Oslo (and Norway) care more about houses than any other place I know of. Conversations about where to buy for future price growth, how and what to renovate, how to "win" a "bidding war, and related topics are common.

My guess is that this has to do with low transaction costs for selling and buying a place, that there is no tax on gains on your primary residence, tax incentives for loans, and a history of rapid price growth.

If you visit Oslo and want to better understand it, you should look at house listing, and consider going to a viewing. The first step is to visit https://www.finn.no/, an online marktplaces that lists houses. You don't need an account to browse the listings or to sign up for a viewing. Here is a link to the map view where you can see apartments for sale. Find one that has a "visning"(viewing) on a time and date that is convenient and sign up for the shared viewing. Most viewings have several people attending, and they're followed by a competitive bidding round the day after. It is common for popular apartments to be sold over the asking price. Notice the quality of the average listing, photos are generally great, and it is not uncommon to pay an interior stylist to help make the interior more appealing.