immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: BWO

  • Swiss housing market continues to tighten

    Swiss housing market continues to tighten

    Die aktuelle Situation erinnert an die Jahre 2014 bis 2016, als eine längere Phase massiver Angebotsknappheit herrschte. Heute ist klar, dass kein kurzfristiger Ausgleich zu erwarten ist. Der Wohnungsbau bleibt auch in den kommenden Jahren hinter dem Wachstum der Haushalte zurück. Damit gehört die Schweiz erneut zu den europäischen Ländern, in denen sich die Wohnraumfrage zu einem zentralen Standortthema entwickelt.

    Belastung für Haushalte mit tiefer Kaufkraft
    Besonders stark trifft es Haushalte im unteren Einkommenssegment und des unteren Mittelstands. Während bestehende Mietverträge für rund 80 Prozent dieser Haushalte noch erschwinglich sind, zeigt sich auf dem aktuellen Markt ein deutlich anderes Bild. Nur gut 40 Prozent der neu angebotenen Wohnungen liegen in einem preislichen Rahmen, den diese Gruppen tragen können. In Regionen wie St. Moritz sowie in den urbanen Zentren und Agglomerationen fehlen passende Angebote nahezu vollständig.

    Wohnkosten steigen spürbar
    Ein Szenario aus dem Monitor verdeutlicht die Problematik. Würden alle Haushalte mit tiefer bis mittlerer Kaufkraft umziehen, stiege die durchschnittliche Wohnkostenbelastung von 29,1 auf 35,7 Prozent des Einkommens. Damit würde Wohnen für breite Teile der Bevölkerung klar zu einer finanziellen Überlastung. Bereits jetzt ist der Anteil der Mieterhaushalte, die ihre Wohnkosten nicht mehr im Budget halten können, von 2,6 auf 2,8 Prozent gestiegen. Noch moderat, aber mit klarer Tendenz nach oben.

    Fehlanreize auf der Angebotsseite
    Der Druck auf den Markt wird zusätzlich durch Investitionsmuster verschärft. Viele Investoren setzen auf Ersatzneubauten oder umfassende Sanierungen. Das stützt zwar die Bauwirtschaft, trägt aber kaum zur dringend nötigen Erweiterung des Bestands bei. Neue, bezahlbare Wohnungen kommen damit kaum auf den Markt. Entsprechend öffnet sich die Schere weiter zwischen günstigen Bestandes-Mieten und hohen Angebotsmieten, was die Verknappung zementiert.

    Bedeutung für Politik und Wirtschaft
    Die neue Analyse des BWO rückt die Frage der Wohnkosten im Verhältnis zum Einkommen in den Vordergrund. Für die kommenden Jahre bleibt absehbar, ohne strukturelle Ausweitung des Wohnungsangebots wird die Kluft zwischen Nachfrage und Angebot weiter wachsen. Für Wirtschaft, Gesellschaft und Immobilienbranche gehören damit innovative Wohn- und Baukonzepte ebenso zu den Schlüsselthemen wie regulatorische Anreize, um bezahlbaren Wohnraum effektiv zu sichern.

  • Housing and building land too scarce – cities want pre-emption rights

    Housing and building land too scarce – cities want pre-emption rights

    The aim of the survey was to understand the housing situation in the cities and urban municipalities and to gain up-to-date insights into housing policy activities. For this purpose, the consultancy firm Wüest Partner had asked the 130 members of the Association of Cities and Towns from November to December 2022. 59 cities took part in the survey.

    Too few affordable flats – even in smaller cities
    The survey confirms on the one hand that affordable housing is an important housing policy concern of the cities. On the other hand, it underlines the problem that is currently dominating the public debate: The supply of available housing is very scarce. Around two-thirds of the cities rate it as “far too small” or “somewhat too small”. In addition to housing offers in the lower price segment, there is also a lack of opportunities for home ownership.

    The lack of low-priced housing primarily affects households with children, especially single-parent households. The situation in the large cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants is perceived as particularly tense. But smaller cities also consider the housing supply in this segment to be insufficient.

    There isa lack of building land and it is too expensive
    68 per cent of the cities surveyed state that they give away land in building rights, linking this to conditions such as favourable rents. The aim is to create more affordable housing.

    More than 80 percent of the cities also state that they have too few building land reserves. Many would like to buy up more land. However, this is often unrealistic due to the high market prices. A good half cite the long and often complicated procedures as well as a lack of interest from private investors as factors that make it difficult to create affordable housing.

    There is a need for action
    60 percent of all cities surveyed see a “high” or “very high need for action” at the federal policy level. Around 70 per cent of the medium-sized and large cities share this view. As a possible solution, the respondents most frequently named a right of first refusal for building land and properties (80 per cent).

    Almost 70 per cent of the respondents also believe that rents can be reduced if the previous rent is made transparent when a tenant changes hands. The cities assess their own possibilities to influence the housing market as rather low. The cities see the greatest possibilities for exerting influence in the promotion of non-profit housing construction.

    The Association of Cities will use the findings of the report as an opportunity to formulate measures and demands. Furthermore, on 12 May, a round table chaired by Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin will address the issue of housing shortages. Among others, representatives of the cantons, cities and municipalities as well as the construction and real estate industry are invited.

  • The federal government, cooperatives and SBB are giving impetus to non-profit housing

    The federal government, cooperatives and SBB are giving impetus to non-profit housing

    Apartments are scarce in the larger Swiss cities. This applies in particular to inexpensive apartments. In order to enable more non-profit housing construction, especially in central urban locations, the Federal Housing Office (BWO), Swiss housing cooperatives and the SBB have jointly drawn up framework conditions for a model building rights contract. The BWO also represented the Swiss Housing Association. This protects the interests of both umbrella organizations for non-profit housing construction. The model building rights contract will come into effect in future when SBB hands over land with building rights to non-profit housing developers.

    “We welcome the fact that SBB is making areas available for non-profit housing construction with building rights. This contract ensures that the framework conditions are compatible with the funding criteria for non-profit housing construction,” says Martin Tschirren, director of the BWO.

    “SBB aims to offer around half of its apartments at low prices – either through their own apartments or by paying the building permit.” According to Alexander Muhm, Head of SBB Real Estate, the new contract is an important step in this direction.

    “We are pleased that we have reached an agreement, even if the building lease interest for non-profit housing will be at the upper price limit,” emphasizes Eva Herzog, President of the Swiss housing cooperative. “Now we will take the SBB at its word to give more areas of building rights to cooperatives.”

    Compromise lays a uniform basis for future projects
    The common regulation has the advantage for all partners that future building rights contracts with non-profit housing developers no longer have to be negotiated from scratch for each project, but can be implemented more easily and quickly on the basis of the framework conditions that have now been agreed. The SBB advertises every sale of SBB land in the building law in a competition. In close cooperation with cities and municipalities, it ensures that the best use is found for the respective location.

    In particular, the new agreement regulates the assessment and development of the building lease interest and ensures that the non-profit apartments within the meaning of the Housing Promotion Act (WFG) are also inexpensive in the long term. This is because the building lease interest is based on the so-called cost rent and corresponds to the cost limits of the BWO.

    The new model contract also takes account of the fact that the SBB, as the owner of the land, participates moderately in the increase in value of the areas, as required by the strategic goals of the federal government. As a state-owned company, SBB is bound by clearly formulated tasks and goals. The owner expects SBB to develop railway areas in a targeted manner and thus make a long-term contribution to a financially healthy railway system.

    The promotion of non-profit housing is a constitutional mandate of Swiss housing policy. The non-profit property developers – housing cooperatives, foundations or associations – orientate themselves towards the cost of rent and operate without the intention of making a profit. Your apartments are inexpensive in the long term. Many non-profit property developers offer their tenants various social services in addition to living space, thereby relieving the public sector. In addition, this type of housing promotes social mixing and generational diversity.
    SBB can look back on around 100 years of tradition in working with non-profit housing developers. This is based on the support of the railway workers’ building cooperatives, which were among the pioneers of cooperative housing construction.

  • SVIT Swiss Real Estate Forum 2022 – focus on digitization, disruption and flood of data

    SVIT Swiss Real Estate Forum 2022 – focus on digitization, disruption and flood of data

    After the official SVIT delegates’ meeting on Thursday morning, the strategy and innovation consultant Maks Giordano gave a lecture in the conference room of the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. He showed what happens and how one can react “when the future comes in exponential steps”. Giordano is convinced that after mobile communications and the World Wide Web, our industries are now being fundamentally changed again by the third wave of digital disruption and its exponential developments in technology. “In these times of hyper-innovation and hyper-growth, it is imperative that we all learn the necessary skills to manage this change,” he said.

    Comedy and political gossip
    Afterwards, comedian Kaya Yanar offered a “best of” of his previous work in the television and comedy scene, before the first panel discussion took place in the afternoon. SVIT Forum moderator Urs Gredig welcomed the politicians Hans Egloff (SVP, President HEV Switzerland) and Michael Töngi (Greens, Vice President of the Swiss Tenants’ Association) as well as Martin Tschirren , Director of the BWO Federal Office for Housing, on stage. Together they analyzed the current political and social mood with regard to a possible total revision of Swiss tenancy law, which dates back to 1990. In general, given the majority in the National Council, they only consider minor changes to be possible, even if Egloff and Töngi demanded fundamental modifications and partial revisions. Federal Office Director Tschirren pointed out that the housing shortage is threatening to worsen in the period ahead. This is primarily to be seen in the large cities and centers.

    The Federal Council sees a need for action on rents
    At the end of the first day of the SVIT Forum 2022, Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin , Head of the Federal Department of Economics, Education and Research and President of the Swiss Confederation in 2021, addressed a message of welcome to the SVIT delegates and guests. He emphasized the new meaning for living as a result of the corona pandemic. In view of home office and video conferencing from home, office workers in particular have now given more thought to their living situation. Today it is important to react to sharply rising housing and energy prices. In addition, the home ownership rate in Switzerland is again in reverse gear: While it was still 38.4 percent in 2015, it was only 36.4 percent in 2019, Parmelin quoted from the figures from the BFS and the Federal Office for Housing. He sees a “certain need for action” when it comes to structuring rents. Specifically, he was in a possible review of the site and neighborhood customary. There will soon be a group of experts to deal with this topic. Regarding the latest developments on the interest side, Parmelin said: “The Swiss National Bank is getting back to normal.”

    Boat ride and roller coaster
    The first day of the event was rounded off with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne on the MS Diamant. The second day of the SVIT Forum 2022 on Friday began with an impressive keynote speech by the former AMD boss and current start-up investor Carsten Maschmeyer , who described the ups and downs of his business career and shared his “success formula through opportunities and crises for a fulfilled life» revealed.

    Data rights of digitized service providers
    The second panel discussion, moderated by “Immobilia” editor Ivo Cathomen , dealt with the future of real estate service providers. He had invited Oliver Hofmann , CEO of Wincasa AG, Béatrice Schaeppi , head of the family company of the same name, and Severin Krebs , managing director of Pfannenstiel Immobilien AG, to the podium. The three company leaders described how digitization influences and determines the work of the manager in many ways today. They identified data sovereignty and data protection as well as the satisfaction of different customer needs and the recruitment of specialist staff as the most important construction sites for services in the real estate industry.

    The SVIT Swiss Real Estate Forum 2022 ended on Friday afternoon in the Verkehrshaus Luzern with a farewell by SVIT President Andreas Ingold and finally with a Thai stand-up lunch in the foyer, while the first major thunderstorm of the day fell outside.

  • Catalog recommends materials against urban heat islands

    Catalog recommends materials against urban heat islands

    The federal government has presented a reference work for new buildings and buildings to be renovated that shows the effect of building materials on the heat in urban and densely populated areas. It was created by the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland on behalf of the Federal Office for Housing ( BWO ).

    According to a media release by the BWO, the catalog compares materials for outdoor use such as floor coverings and facades and explains their effect on the outside temperature. It also takes into account other properties of the materials, such as how they reflect sunlight or how much water floor coverings allow to seep away.

    The BWO calls on planners, developers and house owners to consult this material catalog when choosing suitable materials. In addition, the Office invites the scientific community to further develop and research the topic. Because according to the latest climate scenarios, the average temperatures in Switzerland will be 2.5 to 4.5 degrees higher by 2060 than in the period from 1981 to 2010. This means that the buildings that are being built or renovated today will be the microclimate of tomorrow shape.

  • Catalog recommends materials against urban heat islands

    Catalog recommends materials against urban heat islands

    The federal government has presented a reference work for new buildings and buildings to be renovated that shows the effect of building materials on the heat in urban and densely populated areas. It was created by the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland on behalf of the Federal Office for Housing ( BWO ).

    According to a media release by the BWO, the catalog compares materials for outdoor use such as floor coverings and facades and explains their effect on the outside temperature. It also takes into account other properties of the materials, such as how they reflect sunlight or how much water floor coverings allow to seep away.

    The BWO calls on planners, developers and house owners to consult this material catalog when choosing suitable materials. In addition, the Office invites the scientific community to further develop and research the topic. Because according to the latest climate scenarios, the average temperatures in Switzerland will be 2.5 to 4.5 degrees higher by 2060 than in the period from 1981 to 2010. This means that the buildings that are being built or renovated today will be the microclimate of tomorrow shape.

  • The reference mortgage rate remains at 1.25 percent

    The reference mortgage rate remains at 1.25 percent

    The Federal Housing Office (BWO) has left the mortgage reference rate for tenancies unchanged at 1.25 percent. In a press release by the BWO, it is pointed out that this rate, which applies to rent structuring throughout Switzerland, has not been changed since March 3, 2020.

    The reference interest rate is determined on the basis of the quarterly average interest rate for domestic mortgage claims. This was determined on December 31, 2020. According to the BWO, the rate fell from 1.30 percent to 1.28 percent in the previous quarter. The reference interest rate applicable under rental law remains at 1.25 percent and remains at this level until the average interest rate falls below 1.13 percent or rises above 1.37 percent, explains the BWO. The rate is always given with a quarter percent accuracy.

    Since the rate remains unchanged, according to the BWO, there is no new lower or higher claim. If a rent in the individual contractual relationship is not based on the current reference interest rate of 1.25 percent, there is a right to a reduction. Changes in costs, for example in the case of maintenance costs, could also lead to an adjustment claim.