Category: Business

Credit Suisse mortgage rate forecasts

The COVID-19 pandemic will keep Switzerland busy for a while, but is only likely to slow down the economic recovery temporarily. We expect economic growth of 2.5% for the current year. The growth is therefore weaker than in the previous year (4%). Switzerland is currently much less affected by rising inflation than the USA or the euro area. But the inflation rate in Germany is also likely to be above the average for the last two years. This remains within the target range of the Swiss National Bank. An increase in the key interest rate is therefore not to be expected until at least the end of 2023. The interest rates for SARON mortgages, which have replaced the previous Flex rollover mortgage (3-month Libor), are therefore likely to remain at their lows for the next 12 months. As a result of rising inflation and the start of a series of anticipated interest rate hikes in the US, Fix mortgage rates have risen significantly in recent weeks. In contrast to the SARON mortgages, we anticipate a further slight increase in interest rates for Fix mortgages by 5 to 30 basis points over the next 12 months. However, as before, the development is likely to be accompanied by ups and downs. Overall, interest rates will therefore remain at a historically very low level over the next 12 months.

January 2022
Sika expands scope for capital increases

Sika shareholders support expanding Sika’s scope for capital increases. The Zug-based group for specialty chemicals in the construction and automotive industries announced in a press release that they approved the increase in conditional capital from currently almost 15.6 million registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.01 each to almost 18.8 million registered shares with the same nominal value . Due to the pandemic, the corresponding vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting on January 25 was organized via an independent proxy.

In the same announcement, Sika also announces plans for a change in the Board of Directors. Gordona Landen is to be seated here at the next ordinary General Assembly on April 12. The Swedish citizen comes from HR administration and was most recently active in the management of the Adecco Group .

January 2022
REMNEX Investment Foundation plans capital increase

In the financial year that ended in September 2021, the REMNEX investment foundation generated an investment return of 12.5 percent, REMNEX AG informed in a press release. She attributes this success, among other things, to the acquisition of four properties “with an adequate risk/return profile”. REMNEX intends to further expand its Swiss Real Estate Commercial ECO investment group this year.

The company intends to carry out a capital increase from February 1st to March 4th. It should bring in around 50 million francs for the expansion of the real estate portfolio. “Very attractive acquisition objects” that come into question are already available, writes REMNEX.

REMNEX has just acquired a first new property, the company informs in a further announcement . Specifically, a commercial property was purchased in the Bernese Lyss. It shows a gross return of around 10 percent and a net return of 4.6 percent, according to the statement. No information is given there about the purchase price for the commercial property.

January 2022
Swiss Prime Site Solutions initiates second issue for funds

Just under two weeks ago, Swiss Prime Site Solutions announced the successful completion of the first issue for its real estate fund. The Swiss Prime Site group company is now preparing the second issue for the Swiss Prime Site Solutions Investment Fund Commercial. It is planned for March 2022 and should bring in around 145 million francs for the fund, the real estate company informed in a corresponding message .

The capital increase will be carried out “while preserving the subscription rights of the existing shareholders”, is further explained in the announcement. The subscription ratio is set at 1:1. Investors who commit to participating before the start of the subscription period or invest a large sum benefit from a discount on the issuing commission. Swiss Prime Site Solutions intends to communicate further details shortly before the capital increase.

The capital generated during the issue is to be used for the further expansion of the real estate fund. After the completion of the first issue, the portfolio of the Swiss Prime Site Solutions Investment Fund Commercial consisted of 13 properties. The focus of the fund is on "commercial real estate in economically good and established locations", explains Swiss Prime Site Solutions.

January 2022
Novavest records double-digit million profit

According to a statement by Novavest Real Estate AG , the value of the real estate company’s real estate portfolio rose from CHF 645.4 million to CHF 741.3 million as of the reporting date at the end of 2021. Novavest explains that the growth is made up of success from revaluations of CHF 21.8 million, the acquisition of four properties and investments in existing properties and new construction projects.

Rental entries increased year-on-year by 10 percent to CHF 26.7 million. The operating result at EBIT level increased year-on-year from CHF 22.9 million to CHF 39.1 million. Profit including revaluations is CHF 29.3 million, compared to CHF 17.8 million in the 2020 financial year. Excluding revaluations, profit in 2021 was CHF 11.7 million, up CHF 0.6 million on the previous year.

Novavest will publish the detailed annual report on February 22nd.

January 2022
Ina Invest completes acquisition of Ceres Group

Ina Invest has completely taken over the Ceres Group. The real estate company based in Opfikon is the majority owner of the Ceres Group based in Pratteln, according to a press release .

The heart of the acquisition is the Buss site at Pratteln station with the Bredella development project. The commercial and industrial park with an area of more than 80,000 square meters is to be converted into a city district with 70 percent residential space and 30 percent commercial space over the next 20 years. Ina Invest wants to build more than 1000 apartments there.

The transaction was announced on December 16, 2021. Part of the purchase price, about which confidentiality was agreed, was paid by Ina Invest in treasury shares. In addition, 886,656 titles were issued. After completion of the transaction, Ina Invest’s share capital will be around CHF 292,000, divided into 9.75 million registered shares.

January 2022
Westhive is expanding on the right bank of Lake Zurich

According to a press release , Westhive AG has a new station in Zollikon on the right side of Lake Zurich. The new presence will be operated jointly with Walde Immobilien AG , which is based there, as a seventh location. With the new presence, the range of flexible rentable office space for teams and companies that want to do business in the region is growing. The provider of office solutions thus has over 1,100 workstations with a complete service infrastructure.

The new location offers office space for two or three people and can be combined to form larger units. Workplaces on the upper floors are characterized by a “spectacular view of the lake and mountains,” it says.

The area also owes its attractiveness to a “generous garden with a shady arcade” for meetings outdoors. In addition, a bistro with a terrace can be used as an addition to the ten existing meeting rooms. A parking garage and the proximity to public transport also enhance the location.

Searchers can now express their interest in the new location. Westhive promises to continue its expansion course. Additional office space is planned in Stettbach in March and in Basel and Zug in late summer.

January 2022
Empa awards the use of airgel

The Airgel Architecture Award enters the second round. Since January 19th and until June 30th, Empa has been accepting examples of the use of aerogel in architecture, construction, renovation and monument preservation, the research institute informs in a press release . Architects, civil engineers and employees in design offices can apply for the prize. Architecture and civil engineering students are also invited to participate.

The exact conditions of participation can be found in the announcement or on the Airgel Architecture Awards website. “The prize recognizes the best examples of energy efficiency, unconventional solutions, translucent daylight lighting and high-performance building solutions using super-insulating airgel materials,” writes Empa. This year’s winners are to be announced on August 5th in Empa’s NEST building in Dübendorf.

The Airgel Architecture Award was launched in 2020 by Empa and the industrial partners Fixit , Agitec , Haga AG Naturbaustoffe and Hasit as well as the AdvaPor association. It should help to publicize the possibilities of airgel insulation materials in monument protection and in the renovation of buildings among architects and civil engineers. Five offices applied last year.

January 2022
Holcim and Bloomberg are looking for circular cities

The Zug-based building materials producer Holcim and the New York media company Bloomberg want to research together what makes cities role models for the circular economy and thus catalysts for sustainable growth. According to a press release , the two companies want to work together in this regard to identify good examples and place them in a global showcase. To this end, they announced the first Circular Cities Barometer.

According to Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch, the circular economy is “an opportunity of our time”. “My vision for the construction industry is to build more new things out of old ones, with recycled materials in every new building.” He wants to better understand how cities can be enabled for more circular economy.

This would require identifying key drivers that drive progress, as well as bottlenecks that need to be addressed, says Lauren Kiel, general manager for Bloomberg Green at Bloomberg Media. “By better understanding the structure of this important work, we can enable circular living for all.”

As cities grow, they are at the forefront of the transition from a linear to a circular economy, Holcim said. Cities had the “critical mass” to make a difference with widespread access to recyclable materials. “As our world builds the equivalent of New York City every month, the construction sector has a key role to play in the shift to a circular economy.”

January 2022
Sanitas Troesch takes over Fischer

Fischer AG has been part of Sanitas Troesch since January 7th. Both companies want to jointly expand the range of kitchens and household appliances, the Lucerne specialist for kitchens and household appliances and the Bernese provider of kitchen and bathroom furnishings inform in a joint statement . There is no information about the purchase price.

With the takeover, Sanitas Troesch wants to strengthen its own market position in Zurich and increase its expertise in the service and repair of household appliances. The Fischer family company has found a successor solution under the umbrella of Sanitas Troesch. According to her, Daniel Dubach, Managing Director Kriens of Element-Kitchen AG, which belongs to Sanitas Troesch, will take over the management of Fischer on April 1, 2022. The former owners Monika and Peter Fischer will accompany the integration until the end of 2022 as members of the management.

"We are very proud of what we have achieved together with our employees," Monika and Peter Fischer are quoted in the statement. "In Sanitas Troesch we have found a partner with whom we can be sure that the values and entrepreneurial tradition of Fischer will be continued and that our customers and employees are in good hands." For Patrick Maier, Fischer is "an excellent company that for Proximity to customers and high quality of service". With the takeover, the CEO of Sanitas Troesch wants to "strengthen our market position in Central Switzerland and in Zurich" and "benefit from the skills and expertise of Fischer's employees".

January 2022
Canton releases 2.5 million Swiss francs for Uri energy funding program

Residents of the canton of Uri can access a total of 2.5 million francs from the Energy Uri 2022 funding program this year. The government council recently passed this sum, according to a media release . This is intended to renovate and insulate buildings, replace old heating systems and finance photovoltaic systems and charging stations for e-cars.

Building owners can have the insulation of the roof and facade subsidized at 60 francs per square meter. According to the press release, this covers a large part of the total costs. Applicants who also opt for a photovoltaic system integrated into the façade or roof can receive an additional CHF 200 per square meter occupied by modules.

What is new in this funding period is that the plants must be designed for electricity production in the winter months. "The angle of the modules must be 60 to 90 degrees and thus optimized for the production of valuable winter electricity." The canton wants to increase the spread of photovoltaic systems in facades, "where the electricity production is higher in the winter months with the appropriate orientation". , contribute.

The funding program also provides for subsidies for consultations. After a free initial consultation at the Energy Office, interested parties can receive 700 francs for more detailed advice on the façade, roof, windows and other parts of the building envelope. The funding amount was increased by CHF 300 this year. Advice on replacing oil heating systems with more sustainable types of heating is CHF 350 for buildings with fewer than five apartments. Owners of six or more apartments receive a subsidy of CHF 700.

Owners of apartment buildings who want to equip at least ten parking spaces with charging options for electric cars will be supported with a flat-rate amount of CHF 2,000. This is intended to cover part of the cost of a load management system. This is necessary if several e-cars are to be charged at the same time.

The canton has been supporting energy-efficient refurbishments in buildings since 2000 with the funding programme. "In the last two years, the funding budget has been fully utilized, which can be seen as a success," says the press release. It proves that owners take their responsibility seriously and make a contribution to the energy transition and climate protection.

January 2022
Poenina and Burkhalter explore fusion in building technology

Poenina Holing AG from Opfikon and Burkhalter Holding AG from Zurich have announced the start of their merger negotiations in a press release . The aim is to get “a strong, local provider” on the way who “could design and install future-oriented building technology across trades”, it says.

According to the Federal Energy Strategy 2050, energy consumption in buildings is to be halved by upgrading the building services. The companies Poenina and Burkhalter, which specialize in building technology, want to contribute to reducing consumption by offering all building technology services from a single source in the future. This marks a "future-oriented offer in the field of building technology" and could make a contribution to the energy transition.

At the same time, both companies expect a growth spurt and the creation of additional jobs. With the presence of the Burkhalter Group throughout Switzerland, Poenina wants to open up new customer segments. Poenina plans to provide information on further plans at the balance sheet media conference on March 31.

January 2022
Holcim issues first sustainable bonds

Holcim has issued two bonds in Swiss francs that are geared towards sustainability and put climate protection at the heart of the financing strategy. The bonds raised CHF 325 million and CHF 100 million, with maturities in 2026 and 2032 and carrying an annual interest rate of 0.35 and 0.90 percent, respectively.

If Holcim does not achieve its climate target, investors are entitled to a higher coupon. "We are proud to be the first company to issue a sustainability-related bond on the Swiss franc market," CFO Géraldine Picaud is quoted as saying in a company statement. "The bond has attracted new ESG investors who have demonstrated their confidence in Holcim's financial strength, strategy and ability to achieve sustainability goals."

With the current transactions, Holcim is expanding its global leadership position in this area. To date, the company has concluded around 6.7 billion in sustainable financing agreements. This current transaction represents a significant step on the way to more than 40 percent sustainable financing contracts as part of "Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth".

This was Holcim's third transaction in the Swiss public bond market in the last ten months. They allowed the company to raise a total of 1.1 billion Swiss francs.

January 2022
Swiss Prime Site Solutions completes initial fund offering

The subscription period for the Swiss Prime Site Solutions Investment Fund Commercial began on November 1, 2021. By the deadline of December 10, 2021, the real estate fund had brought in a total of CHF 144.2 million, Swiss Prime Site Solutions announced in a statement . They are spread over a total of 1,441,705 fund shares.

The Swiss Prime Site group company uses the new equity to build up a real estate portfolio. The proceeds from the issue have already flowed completely into the purchase of real estate with a total value of 220 million, according to the statement. The first real estate fund from Swiss Prime Site Solutions has 13 properties to start with. The focus of the fund is on "commercial real estate in economically good and established locations", explains Swiss Prime Site Solutions.

January 2022
Sustainability drives real estate prices

The Swiss real estate market will remain attractive for investors in 2022, writes EY Switzerland in a statement on the real estate trend barometer 2022 from the consulting firm. According to the EY surveys, the real estate market is currently being determined by the three factors of sustainability, digitization and the pandemic. The vast majority of investors are also of the opinion that the overall investment volume will remain at the level of the previous year.

Last year, the pandemic increased the focus of investors on residential real estate. "This clear preference is also clearly evident for the year 2022, because the residential segment is still clearly favored over other types of use," says Tizian Scheidegger, Senior Consultant Real Estate Switzerland, in the statement. "Like last year, logistics and healthcare properties are also very popular."

Almost nine out of ten people surveyed for the study believe that sustainability criteria are decisive in the purchasing decisions of institutional investors. Three quarters of investors have observed price premiums for sustainable real estate. At the same time, more than nine out of ten respondents believe that the implementation of sustainability strategies in the real estate sector is still in its infancy. Just as many investors are in favor of creating CO2 balance sheets for buildings or real estate portfolios. 97 percent of investors attach great importance to an intelligent infrastructure with charging stations, connectivity and intelligent energy concepts.

January 2022
Michael Qamar expands the business in Switzerland for Capital Bay

Berlin, January 18, 2022 – The owner-managed Capital Bay Group, an internationally integrated asset manager, investment fund manager and cross-industry real estate developer, has appointed Michael Qamar (45) as Director of Business Development on January 1, 2022. He will drive business development in Switzerland and selected international markets and raise equity from institutional and semi-professional investors.
Michael Qamar has worked at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse in the areas of sales, marketing, business development and process optimization, among others, and has a total of 25 years of experience in the financial services and real estate sectors. Most recently, he built up investor relations for the European investor boutique 777 Capital, where he was responsible for capital raising, marketing and public relations.
"With an investment volume of more than 3.5 trillion euros, Switzerland offers diverse and attractive market opportunities for Capital Bay," says Rolf Engel, CFO of the Capital Bay Group. “For this reason, we are intensifying our relationships with Swiss investors and further expanding our international business. We are delighted to have gained an experienced expert in Michael Qamar.”
"I am pleased to be able to contribute my broad network, which I have built up over the past few years, as part of my new challenge at Capital Bay," says Michael Qamar, Director of Business Development at Capital Bay Group.
About Capital Bay Group
The Capital Bay Group is an owner-managed, independent investment, asset, property and facility manager for real estate of all types of use, which is integrated at all stages of the value chain. Overall, the Capital Bay Group manages real estate assets worth EUR 7 billion with a focus on Germany and neighboring European countries. Within the Capital Bay Group, the German Capital Bay GmbH takes over the transaction management, the development and the administration of real estate. The range of services includes the creation of building rights, the planning and implementation of new construction projects, the conversion and revitalization of existing properties as well as construction management with our own teams of experts and external partners. Capital Bay Fund Management Sarl, a fully regulated, independent alternative investment fund manager (AIFM) based in Luxembourg, serves national and international, institutional and semi-professional investors in all areas of real estate investments. The Capital Bay Group thus offers institutional and semi-professional investors the entire range of direct and indirect regulated and non-regulated real estate investments. In addition, the Capital Bay Group, with its exclusive cooperation partner, 360 Operator GmbH, has access to a platform for the operational management of operator properties. The portfolio of the internationally active 360 Operator GmbH includes over 70 properties with more than 10,000 units.
https://capitalbay.de/

January 2022
Steiner AG sells housing project in Suhr to Corpora

13 apartment buildings with a total of 146 apartments are to be built on Neumattweg Ost in Suhr. The superstructure is designed for use by different age groups and family sizes, Steiner AG informed in a press release . The real estate developer from Zurich has decided to sell the project to Corpora Immobilien AG from Aarau before it is actually implemented.

"With Corpora Immobilien AG, Aarau, we were able to sell this extensive project to an investor with development expertise and local roots, who will ensure the successful further development and realization of this attractive residential development," project manager Daniel F. Hauri is quoted as saying in the press release. No information is given there on the purchase price for the approximately 1.6 hectare area. Steiner cites an adjustment to the portfolio that was initiated last year as the reason for the sale.

January 2022
Architonic ArchDaily takes over Designboom

The ArchDaily online platform, founded in 2008, is geared towards the needs of architects and designers. Among other things, ArchDaily offers a database of innovative architectural programs and information on products and materials used by the industry. Around two years ago, ArchDaily merged with Architonic, which has been part of the NZZ Media Group since 2015. Launched in 2003, the platform offers a research tool for architects.

Architonic ArchDaily has now taken over the international online magazine Designboom, the NZZ media group informed in a statement . "Our companies are international market leaders and, thanks to the selective selection of their content, enjoy a high level of credibility in the industry," Stephan Bachmann is quoted as saying in the press release. According to the Architonic ArchDaily CEO, the three platforms "each cover specific interests in product, project and news content". Together they counted more than 270 million visits a year.

Even after the transaction, Architonic, ArchDaily and Designboom are to continue their independent branding. Legally, the companies Architonic ArchDaily and Designboom will be merged into the organization DAAily Platforms. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price for the takeover.

January 2022
Tender for the Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2022: CHF 100,000 for biodiversity in settlement areas

With the Biodiversity Prize, the Sophie and Karl Binding Foundation is looking for groundbreaking, inspiring projects in settlement areas that have brought about a high level of biological diversity. With the second call, she wants to find new role models that show how modern, densely built settlement areas can be combined with the promotion of native flora and fauna. In particular, solutions are sought that can also be transferred to other locations, are therefore scalable and have a broad impact. Projects that have produced innovative, integrative and effective solutions thanks to the involvement of different actors are particularly desirable.

Promoting health and quality of life with biodiversity
A lot can be done for biological diversity in the planning, construction and maintenance of properties and areas. Green spaces designed close to nature make a contribution to climate protection and adaptation, increase the attractiveness of the location, contribute to recreation and health promotion or stimulate social encounters. Approaches of this kind, which combine the promotion of biodiversity with an increase in the quality of life, are in demand.
Submit your groundbreaking project now at www.preis-biodiversitaet.ch !
The foundation and the six-member expert jury invite project teams from the areas of planning, construction, maintenance, authorities, organizations and project groups to submit projects they have already implemented to promote biodiversity in settlement areas. The prize is not intended for individuals or for projects on small areas of less than 5000 square meters.

All information on participation in the call for tenders is available on the website www.preis -biodiversitaet.ch. The project is entered using the online form. The closing date for entries is January 31, 2022.

January 2022
Apleona bundles businesses in Switzerland

The new company will be managed by Michael Rohner (CEO), Markus Faber (COO, Facility Management), Thomas Scheiber (COO, Facility Management) and Sabrina Hauser (COO, Real Estate Management). The legal merger will be completed in the spring of 2022.

According to CEO Michael Rohner, the merger strengthens Apleona’s market position in Switzerland: “By bundling the synergies of resources and know-how, we combine the best of facility management and real estate management, increase the depth of our own services and can thus offer our customers even more added value Offer.”

In the future, more than 1,400 employees will work for Apleona Schweiz AG at 13 locations in Switzerland.

January 2022
Sika posts record sales

Sika generated record sales of 9.24 billion Swiss francs in the 2021 financial year, the Zug-based group specializing in specialty chemicals in the construction and automotive industries, which is active around the world, reports in a press release. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to growth of 17.1 percent in local currencies. Organic growth is put at 15.1 percent year-on-year in the announcement. A number of acquisitions made during the reporting period contributed 2.0 percentage points to sales growth.

"As expected, the challenging year 2021 ended very successfully for Sika", CEO Thomas Hasler is quoted in the announcement. "We benefit from various growth platforms and are excellently positioned to achieve long-term success." Hasler expects government investment programs to further boost sales growth in the future. In addition, the CEO sees an enormous need for sustainable solutions in the construction industry.

In the year under review, Sika sales in the construction industry grew faster than the market, the press release further explains. Sika shows double-digit growth year-on-year in all regions of the world. The strongest growth in sales, at 21.0 percent, was in the Americas region. In the separately reported business with the automotive industry (Global Business segment), Sika returned to the growth zone in the reporting year after a decline in 2020. Specifically, growth of 4.3 percent was achieved in local currencies.

The group plans to communicate its detailed annual report for 2021 on February 18. In doing so, Sika expects to be able to report a disproportionately high increase in the operating result at EBIT level and an EBIT margin of 15 percent.

January 2022
Emanuel von Graffenried Appointed as Local Chair Romandie of ULI Switzerland

For more information, contact media@uli.org

ZÜRICH (XX JANUARY 2022) – The Urban Land Institute Switzerland (ULI) has announced the appointment of Emanuel von Graffenried, associate director at CBRE Building Consultancy in Lausanne, as Local Chair Romandie of ULI Switzerland who officially began his voluntary two-year term on 1 January 2022.

ULI is the world’s oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate experts, with more than 45,000 members globally and more than 4,000 members across Europe. ULI Switzerland involves over 100 leading real estate stakeholders from the private and public sectors representing all disciplines within the Swiss commercial and residential property market.

With the appointment of Emanuel von Graffenried the ULI Switzerland wants to strengthen its activities in the western part of Switzerland. In particular in the areas Lausanne, Geneve and Fribourg, a lot of urban development triggered by environmental and social issues are expected to impact the whole region. Professor Jürgen M. Volm, Chair of ULI Switzerland says: “Emanuel is highly passionate to establish ULI in the Romandie. He has a very strong network and can motivate young members to contribute in ULI’s Young Leader and NEXT programmes.”

Emanuel von Graffenried is an accomplished real estate industry expert with experience in real estate analysis, development strategy and project management. Before moving to CBRE, von Graffenried was Business Development Manager B2B, deputy head of partnermanagement at MoneyPark AG and before Managing Partner at Ateliers GEC SA. With a Master of Science in Architecture from EPFL and a federal degree from USPI Formation as Expert for Real Estate Valuation, he is member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS), member of REG A for professional architects and professional member of the SIA.

“I am very pleased to support the further growth of ULI Switzerland and to contribute with my network and expertise to further knowledge exchange within Switzerland and the whole DACH region. I am looking forward to having a positive impact and exchanging views on the future of the built environment and the sustainability of the Swiss building stock”, said von Graffenried.

Sabine Georgi, ULI DACH CEO, said: “Emanuel is a very engaging and motivating real estate expert. With his network in the western part of Switzerland he can accelerate the expansion of ULI Switzerland. His open and kind attitude enables him to connect real estate professionals of every age. ULI Switzerland has been expanding rapidly within the DACH region and we look forward to seeing the next stage of growth under Emanuel’s chairmanship.”

Since its founding in 2014, ULI Switzerland has successfully held over 30 events with more than 1,000 participants, including various formats such as roundtables, breakfasts, summer dinners and site tours, in addition to webinars. It also has an active Young Leaders group (for members aged under 35), which benefits from a mentoring programme enabling professionals at the beginning of their career to benefit from experience of renowned senior executives.

For more information about ULI Switzerland and its programme of events, visit switzerland.uli.org.

January 2022
Betterhomes has the most successful financial year

In 2021, Betterhomes had the most successful financial year since it was founded 16 years ago, the brokerage company from Zurich, which is active in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, informs in a message . According to her, Betterhomes brokered 3006 properties in Switzerland last year. In Germany there were 1687 placements. Both values represent new record values for Betterhomes.

The company attributes this success to its hybrid business model of technology and local expertise. "Due to the dried up market, all brokerage companies are in a challenging position when it comes to winning new brokerage contracts," Cyrill Lanz is quoted as saying in the press release. For the founder and CEO of the Betterhomes Group, a large personal network is the key to success for real estate agents. "That is why, in addition to our in-house technology, we have been relying on strong local sales with a large internal and external network since the company was founded."

Betterhomes has planned a technology platform for broker and customer software for this year. It should be launched in the first half of 2022. Based on this platform, Betterhomes plans to expand beyond the DACH region into other European countries in the second half of the year.

January 2022
Building cooperative receives 40,000 francs from the climate fund Stadtwerk Winterthur

The municipal energy supplier Stadtwerk Winterthur has given the building cooperative 40,000 francs more than housing from its climate fund. It wants to finance the pilot operation of a self-learning heating controller in two houses on the 2000-watt Hobelwerk area in Oberwinterthur, according to a media release .

The heating controller was developed by the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ) in Dübendorf. It is supposed to optimize the heating systems in a climate-friendly way, "by including solar power production on the roof, the interaction between main heating (heat pump) and peak load (pellet boiler) as well as the load on the power grid," the media release said. This offers knowledge for the climate-friendly use of energy with the lowest possible load on the power grid in buildings.

January 2022
Nova Property purchases for real estate funds

Nova Property Fund Management AG is expanding its Swiss Central City Real Estate Fund. The fund will be expanded by two residential properties and two residential and commercial properties in attractive locations in Zurich, Basel and St.Gallen, the company, which operates as fund management company, informed in a press release . The investment amount mentioned is 43 million francs. The transfer of ownership of the two properties in Zurich took place in mid-December of last year, that of the properties in Basel and St.Gallen on January 3 of this year.

All four properties together had a usable area of 2,400 square meters of living space and 660 square meters of commercial space, explains Nova Property. All properties are fully let and generate target rental income of 1.4 million francs per year. The Swiss Central City Real Estate Fund holds properties in central locations throughout Switzerland.

January 2022
A year to forget? Not for homeowners and tenants!

2021 is unlikely to be remembered as a bright year – the never-ending pandemic sends its regards. However, a reliable source of positive news has been the real estate market. Owners of condominiums were able to post an increase in value of 7.3 percent over the course of the year, while the increase in single-family houses was almost as high at 6.9 percent. This is shown by the evaluation of sales advertisements as part of the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index, which is collected by the Swiss Marketplace Group in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI.

The reason for the significant increases in value is probably not solely due to the changes in living requirements due to the pandemic. The economy is also developing solidly, immigration is continuing and the supply of land is becoming increasingly scarce. At the same time, consumer prices have risen sharply, which further increases the attractiveness of tangible assets such as home ownership as protection against inflation.

No bad news for tenants either
2021 also meant it with tenants: inside not bad. Anyone looking for a new apartment was able to benefit from a minimal decline in asking rents of 0.3 percent over the year on average. The fact that the rent trend tipped into the red is thanks to a veritable year-end spurt: In December, a nationwide drop of 0.9 percent was registered.

What will 2022 bring for the Swiss real estate market? “Under the current conditions, the new year should also come up with rising property prices. Whether the trend turns around is largely up to the monetary authorities: The American central bank (Fed) has announced that it will raise the key interest rate faster than planned. If the European (ECB) and Swiss monetary authorities (SNB) join in, prices would also fall in this country, ”says Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate, Swiss Marketplace Group.

January 2022
Implenia separates from Gravière de la Claie-aux-Moines

Implenia AG is selling its majority stake of 66.67 percent in Gravière de la Claie-aux-Moines SA ( GCM ). The construction and real estate company from Opfikon informs in a message that the stake will be sold to Walo Bertschinger SA Romandie as well as to Vigier Holding AG and H 2 M Participations SA. Shareholder Walo Bertschinger SA Romandie had previously held the remaining third of the GCM. Even after the entry of Vigier Holding AG and H 2 M Participations SA, the stake held by Walo Bertschinger SA Romandie will remain a minority stake, according to the announcement. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

“Implenia is selling its stake in GCM SA to suitable owners in order to continue to focus on the defined core portfolio and advance its asset-light strategy,” the company explains in the press release. As part of the corporate strategy, Implenia wants to concentrate on “integrated construction and real estate services in Switzerland and Germany as well as tunnel construction and related infrastructure projects in other markets”.

January 2022
Holcim takes over Malarkey Roofing in the USA

The global Zug-based building materials company Holcim has signed an agreement to take over Malarkey Roofing Products . Malarkey is a leader in the American residential roofing market, according to a press release . It is headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The transaction is valued at $ 1.35 billion and will be 100 percent cash-funded. Holcim expects to realize synergies of $ 40 million per year by year three.

Malarkey Roofing Products is forecast to have net sales of $ 600 million in 2022. According to the announcement, the company can point to double-digit growth in the highly profitable roof-top housing market in the USA with a volume of 19 billion dollars. Both companies have set themselves the goal of sustainable building.

“The acquisition of Malarkey Roofing Products is an excellent start for our ‘Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth’, with which we are expanding our Solutions & Products division and becoming one of the world’s leading providers of roofing systems,” Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch is quoted as saying. With Malarkey, Holcim is positioning itself as a full-range roofing provider. The strategy to accelerate green growth is to expand this area to 30 percent of the Group’s net sales by 2025.

Gregory Malarkey, President of Malarkey Roofing, founded in 1956, sees Holcim as the right partner. “For decades we have been looking for a company that aligns with our vision, shares our values and can help us accelerate our growth strategy.” Like Malarkey, Holcim also focuses heavily on promoting the circular economy and the transition to sustainable construction, Malarkey becomes further quoted.

January 2022
Stefan Metzger takes over at digitalswitzerland

According to a media release , Stefan Metzger will take over the management of digitalswitzerland from January 2022. The previous managing director, Nicolas Bürer, is stepping down at his own request. Bürer led the initiative for around five years. Last year he was also responsible for the operational merger with the ICTswitzerland association.

“I would like to thank Nicolas for his commitment to digitalswitzerland,” said President Sascha Zahnd. Bürer has “successfully further developed the initiative and transformed the once regional vision for Zurich into a nationwide and now even global movement,” he adds. According to Marc Walder, digitalswitzerland founder and Ringier CEO, digitalswitzerland has grown to become “the most relevant location initiative in Switzerland” under the leadership of Bürer.

With Metzger, digitalswitzerland is gaining “a proven expert in the field of digital transformation” with global experience, according to Walder. The press release describes Metzger as a digital expert. For 13 years he served the Swiss business of the global IT consulting firm Cognizant as Country Managing Director. Metzger has been committed to digitalswitzerland for a year and was also a member of the Executive Committee.

Diana Engetschwiler, head of the Swiss Digital Day launched five years ago, will also become the deputy managing director of digitalswitzerland from the beginning of 2022. She succeeds Sébastien Kulling, who is moving to the digitalswitzerland foundation as managing director.

The aim of digitalswitzerland is to position Switzerland as the world’s leading, digital innovation location. The initiative currently has 240 organizations among its partners.

January 2022
Building is getting more expensive

The construction price index rose by 2.7 percent between April and October of the current year. The price level in the construction industry has increased by 4.1 percent within a year. This is shown by figures from the Federal Statistical Office . As a media release shows, the additional costs in building construction and civil engineering are causing prices in the construction industry to rise compared to the previous half-year.

Property developers have to dig deeper into their pockets for the shell construction, from earthworks to windows and doors, in all major regions. The most noticeable increases in building construction costs are in the Swiss Plateau with 3.4 percent and in Central Switzerland with 3.2 percent price increases.

With the exception of Eastern Switzerland and Ticino, construction prices in civil engineering rose. In this sub-area of the construction industry, too, the regions Mittelland with 2.2 percent and Central Switzerland with 3.4 percent are most affected by the rising cost level. The price increases had the most pronounced effects on "smaller track construction" and somewhat less markedly on "fees".

January 2022