Every three months the rate of interest used to set Swiss rents is reviewed. If it goes down some renters have the right to request a decrease in rent. This time it remained at 1.50%. The last time it dropped was 1 June 2017 when it fell to its lowest level since 2008. The rate […]
House prices down in Verbier but up in some other Swiss resorts
A recent report published by UBS shows real estate price changes in european mountain resorts. Over the last year, Verbier (-3.2%) and Crans Montana (-3.0%) experienced the largest price declines, while Saas Fee (+14.3%) and St. Moritz (+7.4%) climbed the most. Prices rises in the Jungfrau region (+4.8%) Gstaad (+1.5%), Flims/Laax (+2.8%), Andermatt (+1.5%), Zermatt […]
Geneva’s mega apartment project now underway – 1,000 apartments and 2,500 jobs
Last week, work started on a project to construct 1,000 apartments in Geneva. The project known as the Quartier de l’Etang will unfold over an 11 hectare site in Vernier, not far from Geneva airport. The video above shows the commencement ceremony and a computer animation of the completed project. The man behind it, Claude […]
Geneva wants to limit Airbnb rentals to 60 days a year
The canton wants the platform to place limits on its use to put the brakes on commercial operators. The 60 day limit was set by Geneva’s State Council. Antonio Hodgers, State councillor in charge of housing told Tribune de Genève that renting on the platform had become a real business for some and that this […]
Swiss real estate risk falls two quarters in a row, says UBS
The UBS Swiss Real Estate Bubble Index declined in the last quarter of 2017, the second quarterly decline in a row. Prices are considered balanced when the index reaches zero. Between zero and 1 is considered a price boom, between 1 and 2 is considered at risk and above 2 a bubble. At the end […]
Swiss fact: nearly half of Swiss rental properties owned by individuals
If you rent a home in Switzerland it is more likely to belong to an individual than a big real estate company or pension fund. In 2017, 49% of residential rental properties in Switzerland were owned by individuals, according to Statistics published by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. The highest rate of rental home ownership […]
Swiss rents could fall 10%, says UBS
In a report published today entitled: rents losing altitude, UBS says asking rents for apartments will probably drop by up to 10% over the next three years. Competition in the rental market is getting even fiercer. By mid-2017, 2.4% of all rental apartments were vacant. This level was last exceeded in 1998, when 2.8% of […]
Nearly two thirds of Swiss annoyed by their neighbours
64% of those surveyed in a recently published study, say they are bothered by their neighbours. Some are driven to take legal action while others pack up and leave. Noise was the most widespread complaint. 28% complained of this. Loud conversations, noisy children, banging, loud music and parties were the most frequent noise problems. Other […]
Housing in Zurich and Geneva only moderately overvalued, says UBS
The UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index 2017 describes housing in Zurich and Geneva as only moderately overvalued. The two Swiss cities rank 6th (Geneva) and 9th (Zurich) in a list of 20 selected global cities. The top eight: Toronto, Stockholm, Munich, Vancouver, Sydney, London, Hong Kong and Amsterdam are all classified as bubble risk. […]
Geneva and Lausanne remain Switzerland’s toughest home markets
Home vacancy rates in Switzerland’s main cities have all risen over the last few years, bringing some hope to those looking for a place to live. The latest 2017 data confirm this trend. Over the last five years vacancy rates have risen by between 18% and 49% in the main cities of Zurich (+32%), Bern […]
