The National Land Surveyor of Finland reports that Russian nationals made 298 real estate transactions last year.  Esa Ärölä, a senior specialist at the National Land Survey, says the uptick is due to family transactions. Russian nationals have been selling properties to their relatives, sometimes only a plot or part of a property. The average sum of these transactions is over $64,000.  The majority of property purchased by Russians is owned by those who already live in the region.  All non-European Union (EU) or non-European Economic Area buyers require a permit from the Ministry of Defence. Only one Russian citizen has been refused a permit.