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Zurich property prices have almost doubled since 2007

A new report shows the increase in the cost of buying apartments in Switzerland over the last 11 years, with the country’s largest city affected by the largest increases.

Published: 16 October 2018 10:50 CEST
Zurich property prices have almost doubled since 2007
Zurich's old town at night. Photo credit: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

The price comparison firm Comparis and ETH Zurich have released a report showing the difference in Swiss property prices compared to 2007. In Zurich, it now costs almost double (a 97% increase) to buy an apartment, with the price per square metre now setting property owners back an average of 13,000 Swiss francs.

The analysis shows that there has been a lot of variation between different parts of Switzerland, but the areas with the biggest spikes tended to be near to lakes. Nine of the ten largest increases were seen in lake regions.

After Zurich, the biggest changes were experienced by Horgen district (+89%), the canton of Nidwalden (+82%) and the city of Neuchatel (+80%). The only place where prices fell was the district of Goms in Canton Valais, southern Switzerland (-2%).

The report also shows the difference in overall prices between different parts of Switzerland. At the other end of the spectrum from Zurich is Le Locle in Canton Neuchatel, where one square metre costs an average of 3,250 francs.

Over the last 12 months, the rate of increase has slowed, with several districts and municipalities recording lower prices than one year ago. It is unclear whether this deceleration will represent a long-term trend.

 

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PROPERTY

Where in Switzerland are most second homes located?

Whether mountain homes or other types of residences, some areas of Switzerland have more ‘holiday’ dwellings than others. Where is the highest number found?

Published: 3 May 2024 14:41 CEST
Where in Switzerland are most second homes located?

Many people associate the term ‘second home’ with chalets in the Swiss Alps.

And while many people do own properties there, which they use on weekends or during holidays, official data shows that many of these accommodations are located elsewhere as well.

This information comes from the Swiss Office for Spatial Development (ARE), which keeps track of the second-home situation throughout Switzerland.

But first: What are the rules on owning a second home?

Since Switzerland is a small country with a limited supply of land, the constructions priority is given to main residences, especially considering the acute housing shortage in many parts of the country.

For that reason, second homes can’t exceed 20 percent of any community’s overall housing stock.

Right now, “it is impossible to build second homes in 340 municipalities,” which had already reached this threshold, according to ARE. 

What are these areas?

At the end of 2023, these eight communities were added to the list of municipalities where construction of new second dwellings is no longer allowed:

  • Leissigen (BE)
  • Lauwil (BL)
  • Jussy (GE)
  • Pregny-Chambésy (GE)
  • Movelier (JU)
  • La Côte-aux-Fées (NE)
  • Démoret (VD)
  • Le Lieu (VD)

Where are most second homes located in Switzerland?

They are primarily concentrated in the southern part of the country, in traditionally tourist areas of Valais, Ticino, and Graubünden.

But a number of them are also located in other regions, like the Bernese Oberland and St. Gallen.

You can see each individual region on a map, here.

Note that in many of these areas, the proportion of holiday homes exceeds 50 percent.

That’s because the legislation limiting these properties to 20 percent went into effect in 2016, while many houses in tourist areas were built before that date. 

Does this mean you can no longer buy a second home in these communities?

No. You can purchase existing properties, but you can’t build new ones.

Also, if you happen to own a primary residence in these towns, you can’t all of a sudden decide to convert it into a holiday home.

This, in fact, has proven to be a problem in several cities, including Geneva, where primary residences have been transformed into holiday homes, which means they can no longer be rented out to permanent tenants.

This ‘transformation’ exacerbates the overall housing shortage.

Last but not least: does owning a second home in Switzerland allow you to live here full time?

Good try, but no.

Buying a home in Switzerland does not generally give any additional rights with regard to residency. 

If you are a EU citizen or national of EFTA (Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein) , then you will be able to live in Switzerland, as long as you have enough money to support yourself.

Non-EU / EFTA citizens will usually only be able to spend time in Switzerland under the 90/180 rule — which means a  maximum of 90 days in Switzerland out of 180 consecutive days.

READ ALSO: Can second-home owners extend their stay in Switzerland? 

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