New data released last week by Switzerland’s statistical record keeper has revealed that across Switzerland as of June 1st, the number of vacant properties stood at a record low of 51,974. This leaves the vacancy rate threatening to dip below one percent – indicating a housing shortage.
To no surprise, some of the significant shortages are concentrated within the business and diplomatic capitals of Zurich and Geneva.
However, the study also found that over 200 towns across the country are without a single vacant property, as city workers seek a quieter life in the countryside.
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Commuter spread
Close to Geneva, the towns of Presinge and Laconnex reported no vacant properties, as commuters travelled roughly 20 kilometres each day into the city to work.
The same can be said of the communities of Lonay and Vaux-sur-Morges, both within a 20 minute drive of Lausanne city centre.
Some 35 minutes away from Zurich, Schlatt bei Winterthur also reported no vacant properties.
Other concentrations of communities without vacant properties could be found in Aargau, and in Graubünden, both of which have concentrations of small and medium level businesses, as well as startups
Overall, over half of Switzerland’s cantons recorded a vacancy rate of less than one percent.
These included Valois, Vaud, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Land, Glarus, Appenzell Inner Rhodes, Graubünden, Lucerne, Uri and Schwyz.
At the bottom of the table, the canton of Zug reported a vacancy rate of 0.39 percent, while nearby Obwalden stood at 0.44 percent.
At the other end of the scale, Jura had the highest vacancy rate of 2.98 percent while Solothurn followed at 2.37 percent.
House hunters will have their best luck looking in the Jura towns of Valbirse (7.99 percent) Romont (7.38 percent) and Mourier (6.73 percent).
Lack of new builds
Much of the blame for the lack of vacant properties can be attributed to a slow down in the number of new properties built, in contrast to Switzerland’s surging population.
Over the past decade, Switzerland’s population has almost reached nine million.
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Meanwhile, fewer building permit applications are being submitted, due to perceptions of legal hurdles and community objections preventing them being accepted
As Ursina Kubli, Zurich Cantonal Bank’s Head of Real Estate Research prophetically stated in a 2023 study: “If construction activity is not turned around, we are heading straight for a housing shortage in Switzerland.”
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