immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: immobilien

  • Kompotoi is a finalist in the Swiss Excellence Product Award

    Kompotoi is a finalist in the Swiss Excellence Product Award

    Kompotoi is among the six finalists for the Swiss Excellence Product Award 2021 . Swiss Excellence has now announced this. The Zurich start-up convinced the jury with its mobile and sustainability-focused composting toilets. The award ceremony will take place on September 16 in the Technopark Winterthur. With the Swiss Excellence Product Award, the Swiss Excellence Foundation claims to make a contribution to promoting entrepreneurship and Switzerland as a technology and innovation location.

    Kompotoi says it offers a “beautiful, user-friendly and sustainable alternative” to conventional toilets. They are “absolutely odor-free” and are made from wood “by hand in Switzerland”. You can get by without plastic, chemicals, electricity and flushing water. “We have developed a better solution than the conventional one for the mobile toilet area. It’s simple and obvious. That is why customers are enthusiastic about our product, ”said Kompotoi in his presentation for the Green Business Award , for which the company has also been nominated.

    Instead, the collected residues are converted into stable humus soil using a combined process technology of fermentation and composting. “One kilo of compost stores an average of 0.2 kg of CO2,” said Kompotoi when asked about the environmental benefits of their product. “Kompotoi produced around 100 tons of compost in 2019, that’s around 20,000 kilograms of stored CO2. If all mobile toilets in Switzerland were operated as compost toilets, 13,200 tons of CO2 could be sustainably stored in the soil. “

    Kompotoi rents out its wooden toilets for larger festivals, for example. The company is also planning systems in the public sector or for single and multi-family houses. Kompotoi also sells toilet solutions for garden houses, hunting lodges and alpine huts.

    With Kompotoi, two more start-ups are competing for the Swiss Excellence Product Award: Hivewatch and Smartbreed . Three companies have also been nominated in the SME category: Advanced Osteotomy Tools – AOT AG , Qumea and Rheonics . All start-up finalists are already supported with a three-year coaching from the start-up sponsor genisuisse .

  • Avobis launches real estate platform

    Avobis launches real estate platform

    Avobis is launching a new real estate platform. Property Captain should cover the entire spectrum from the search to financing, insurance and maintenance to the valuation, purchase or sale of properties, the Zurich-based real estate and mortgage service provider informs in a message . The platform uses artificial intelligence for this purpose. “Property Captain is pursuing the vision of matching the four million residential properties with the individual dream homes of the Swiss population and thus improving satisfaction with the living situation”, Avobis Co-CEO Patrick Schmid is quoted in the press release.

    The new Avobis subsidiary is designed as an open platform with an independent network of partners. Around 120 financing partners and 150 brokerage companies were already involved in the launch, Avobis informs. The group was able to win Bank CIC (Schweiz) AG as an innovation partner.

    Avobis will bundle all of its own offers for private customers, in particular the corresponding mortgage services, in the new Property Captain Tech AG, is further explained in the announcement. Myriam Reinle is to take over the management of the Proptech. In the press release, Avobis refers to Reinle’s many years of experience in managing online marketplaces and tech start-ups. The designated head of Property Captain was active in the real estate industry for ImmoStreet and Homegate , a company belonging to the TX Group.

  • Canton of Zurich gets its own top-level domain

    Canton of Zurich gets its own top-level domain

    The canton of Zurich has secured the administration of the top-level domain .zuerich. The Internet extension will be available to companies and organizations based in the canton from August 30, the cantonal office for economy and labor ( AWA ) informs in a message . With .zuerich, “the canton wants to position the largest economic area in Switzerland clearly and unmistakably in the digital space and in international competition between locations,” explains the AWA.

    About .zuerich, companies could “benefit from the excellent reputation of the Zurich brand”, according to thewebsite set up by the canton for the new top-level domain. According to her, the canton of Zurich provides “the greatest economic output and added value in Switzerland”. A .zuerich Internet extension thus strengthens one’s own brand and at the same time indicates that it is anchored in the economic area.

    As the registry operator, the canton is responsible for the quality and security of the top-level domain. Sales and support are the responsibility of a number of accredited domain providers. A list of providers and all other information required for registration is provided on the website set up by the canton.

  • FHNW trains in geodata analysis

    FHNW trains in geodata analysis

    The FHNW University of Architecture, Building and Geomantics will be offering a certificate course in spatial data analytics at its location in Olten from January. This is intended to enable specialists from the fields of data science, transport, logistics, spatial planning as well as natural and environmental sciences to digitally plan the cities of the future and evaluate the data from infrastructures. The university is responding to a need in the construction and planning industry, according to its media release .

    The Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) Spatial Data Analytics is intended to impart the knowledge required to model, process and interpret geodata in a targeted manner in 16 course days and in cooperation with experts from the field. For this purpose, “a balanced mix of lectures, case studies, group work and practical exercises” is planned, according to the FHNW. In addition, time blocks are planned for self-study.

    “The question of where spatially measurable events take place is no longer sufficient,” says Prof. Dr. Pia Bereuter quoted in the communication. “In the future, we also need to understand why these happen. This requires well-founded analysis processes that are integrated into the digitization strategy of companies or organizations. “This expertise represents the basis for decisions with spatial reference” in almost every industry “.

  • Sika sells industrial coatings business in Europe

    Sika sells industrial coatings business in Europe

    According to a press release, Sika has made the strategic decision to sell its European industrial coatings business based in Vaihingen near Stuttgart, Germany. The buyer is the American Sherwin-Williams Company , the world’s leading supplier of industrial paints and coatings. In contrast, this business offers Sika “little potential for synergies” at group level. The division is therefore “a niche business within the Sika Group”.

    The portfolio includes corrosion and fire protection coatings, which are mainly sold in Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Austria. This offers Sherwin-Williams, whose core competencies include industrial coatings, “an important strategic opportunity to promote growth and expand its market position in Europe”.

    It was “very important” for Sika to “find a suitable strategic owner who will continue to invest in the further development of products and the further training of employees”, regional manager EMEA, Ivo Schädler, is quoted in the press release. “Within this organization, the Industrial Coatings division and its employees have the ideal prerequisites to develop their full potential.”

  • Coop expands Marktgass Bern

    Coop expands Marktgass Bern

    The branch of the Coop Group Marktgass Bern has a total sales area of 2100 square meters, informs the retail cooperative from Basel in a message . Since May, customers have been able to use the upper floor with a supermarket, a beauty island, a vinotheque and a beer and beverage world. Now the ground floor of the listed building has also been completely converted. Here Coop has set up a coffee bar with its own roastery, a bakery, a kiosk and various services.

    "The result is a piece of jewelry that leaves nothing to be desired and enriches the shopping offer in the city center," File Gjokaj is quoted in the press release. The managing director of the Marktgass Bern branch also points out the open kitchen area in the coffee bar: “A lot is homemade and prepared right in front of the customer's eyes.” All products are available both to take away and for consumption on site.

    In the future, “in the Coop Marktgass Bern, shopping will also meet movement”, the announcement further explains. A fitness update will be available in the basement in September. Around 1,400 square meters of space are available for this.

  • Valuu extends to personal loans

    Valuu extends to personal loans

    Valuu is now also offering digital comparison options for personal loans, informs the owner of the comparison platform, PostFinance , in a message . The corresponding process was developed together with customers and lenders, it says there. Testing and lending are initially the responsibility of Migros Bank, BANK-now, Cembra Money Bank, eny Finance and good finance.

    "As a pioneer in the Swiss market, Valuu offers its customers an independent direct comparison for personal loans", Thomas Jakob, Chief Business Unit Officer Platform Business at PostFinance, is quoted in the press release. "As is already known from the mortgage business, customers can transparently compare individual offers and then apply for them directly online – thus saving time and money."

    PostFinance will continue to optimize Valuu in the future and incorporate new lenders for mortgages and personal loans, according to the announcement. In the long term, the company is pursuing the goal of developing Valuu "into the leading Swiss comparison and conclusion platform in the areas of finance, insurance and provision".

  • Lumineo installs translucent concrete for Vinci

    Lumineo installs translucent concrete for Vinci

    Lumineo , a young company from the Jura, has been invited to design part of the prestigious entrance hall in the new Vinci headquarters with its innovative material. Lumineo built an 80 square meter wall made of translucent concrete for the largest construction company in Europe and the fifth largest in the world. The material used is called Lumistone. It is an in-house development of the Porrentruy-based company.

    According to a press release , this is the largest wall the Lumineo Group has ever built with this material. Lumistone looks like concrete. Animated images can be projected through this wall using LEDs. The way to the successful development of this translucent material was "as hard as concrete", according to Lumineo on its website. Countless layers of fiberglass would have had to be poured into the concrete "before the recipe was discovered".

    In addition, this is a curved wall, "which means that the structure had to be processed differently," Lumineo CEO and one of the project managers, Aurélie Pezzotta, is quoted as saying. In mid-June she was a guest of the new Femmes Fondatrices series of events in the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area , Jura location . Pezzotta is happy to have completed this building, because "the nights have been very short in the past few months".

    A wall in the reception area of the world's leading construction company could only be an advantage for the Lumineo Group. “Lots of architects and project managers will come by here,” so it is a great showcase for the company. Now Lumineo wants to develop further on a national level and hire more employees.

  • Mobiliar and Raiffeisen launch platform for home ownership

    Mobiliar and Raiffeisen launch platform for home ownership

    Mobiliar and Raiffeisen founded the Liiva joint venture at the beginning of the year. This is now starting with a digital home ownership platform of the same name. Users should be supported with all homeowner needs, according to a media release .

    Specifically, Liiva offers various digital tools. For example, it helps when buying a home by clearly displaying suitable advertisements on the largest real estate marketplaces. The platform also offers homeowners, for example, support in assessing the market value, assessing the current condition of the building and in renovations. Functions related to the sale of real estate are also to be activated soon.

    "We want to digitally mirror the customer proximity of our parent companies and make life noticeably easier for both existing and future homeowners," said Phil Lojacono, CEO of Liiva, in the press release. Lojacono is also the founder of the Zurich fintech company Advanon, which was taken over by CreditGate24.

    The Mobiliar and Raiffeisen want to stir up the traditional real estate market with Liiva and drive the digitization of the industry, it is said. They each have a 50 percent stake in the Zurich-based joint venture. The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Philipp Ries, who also works as Head of EMEA Assistant Distribution Partnership at Google in Zurich. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the holiday provider Hapimag.

  • Graubünden promotes recyclable building materials

    Graubünden promotes recyclable building materials

    Graubünden wants to increase the demand for recycled building materials. As the Canton now tells , he has to this end, together with the Association of Grisons concrete and gravel industry developed a brochure. It is intended to show project developers and building owners the possibilities of using recycled building materials.

    Every year around 250,000 cubic meters of mineral construction waste are delivered to the 42 processing stations in the canton of Graubünden. That corresponds roughly to the volume of 1,300 single-family houses. As the canton further explains in its announcement, concrete demolition is already being recycled and used in new concrete structures.

    However, mixed demolition and road pavement are often not returned to equivalent circular applications, but are used loosely, for example in foundations or deposited in landfills. That is neither ecologically nor economically sensible. That is why the message passed by the government on the Green Deal Action Plan provides for measures to close material cycles and to increase the recycling of building materials.

    What is often missing is the demand for these recovered building materials. In terms of price, they would be on par with the primary materials. They also offer the added value of a sustainable use of resources. However, it is often overlooked that building materials are also polluted with CO2. The brochure now presented shows "for all conceivable applications in civil engineering which recycling products can be used".

  • Menziken gives the green light for the Unity housing estate

    Menziken gives the green light for the Unity housing estate

    The building permit for the new housing estate called Unity in the municipality of Menziken has become legally binding. Steiner AG can then start construction work.

    As the Zurich developer as well as a total or general contractor notifies , six apartment buildings with 47 condominiums and 51 parking spaces will be created close to the station as a whole. The canton-protected Villa Zur Eintracht, which was built in 1811/12, will blend in harmoniously with the overall situation.

    Steiner is thus making a contribution to the promotion of affordable housing. A functional design can be built in a cost-optimized manner. Among other things, uniform windows in all buildings, minimized living space and standardized wet rooms in all apartments contribute to this.

  • Lucerne University of Applied Sciences is dedicated to climate-friendly building

    Lucerne University of Applied Sciences is dedicated to climate-friendly building

    The study “Ready for Climate Change?” By the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) aims to sensitize building owners to building climate-friendly. But it should also help buyers and tenants to evaluate a property.

    The study suggests that in the future not only heating, but also cooling concepts will have to be taken into account. "The architecture of Switzerland is still too focused on making apartments pleasant and energy-efficient in winter", Gianrico Settembrini from the Institute for Building Technology and Energy at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences is quoted in a media release. The decisive factor, however, is that buildings are planned with future climate data and not, as is the case today, with data based on past values.

    The building stock consumes around 40 percent of Switzerland's final energy requirements, the HSLU continues. This must be further reduced. However, if the increased use of air conditioning equipment were necessary, this value could instead increase even further. "The use of cooling or air conditioning devices should be avoided, technical solutions may only be used when the passive options have been exhausted," says Adrian Grossenbacher from the Federal Office of Energy . It provided financial support for this study.

    In total, the study team identified eleven parameters that have an impact on energy consumption as well as the thermal and visual comfort of a living space. These parameters, such as the properties of the windows, sun protection and shading elements, were simulated in a reference building in Basel-Binningen, which is typical for the Mittelland.

    The HSLU provides guidelines for planners online for download . In order to accelerate the precipitation of available knowledge in the new architecture, the university will bring experts up to date with the three-day advanced training course “Building in Climate Change – Effective Measures for Builders and Planners” in September.

  • Implenia is back in the black

    Implenia is back in the black

    According to a message from Implenia , the construction and real estate company from Dietlikon generated total sales of 1.88 billion francs in the first half of 2021. Compared to the same period in the previous year, this corresponds to a decrease of 2.2 percent. The focus on projects with higher margins is mentioned in the communication as a background. Despite the stricter criteria, Implenia's order backlog rose by 7.3 percent year-on-year to CHF 6.6 billion.

    Implenia reports an operating result (EBIT) of 40.0 million francs in the reporting semester. Excluding the profit contribution generated by the spin-off Ina Invest, an EBIT of 3.7 million francs was achieved in the first half of the previous year. In 2020 as a whole, Implenia posted an operating loss of 146.8 million francs.

    In the previous year, the company initiated a comprehensive transformation process. Business areas that are not part of the core business or are unprofitable are being cut back and risk management is being improved. Implenia has already implemented a number of adjustments to its portfolio. The announcement mentions, among other things, the divestments of business areas in Germany, Austria and Norway.

    "The operational measures taken have the first positive effects on the results," André Wyss is quoted in the press release. The Implenia CEO sees his company "well positioned to become an integrated, multinational leading provider of construction and real estate services". Implenia is aiming for an EBIT of more than 100 million francs for the current year as a whole.

  • CKW buys Elektro Basilisk AG

    CKW buys Elektro Basilisk AG

    CKW AG is growing in German-speaking Switzerland: the Lucerne-based specialist for integrated energy and building technology solutions has bought the Basel electrical company Elektro Basilisk AG . As CKW reports , with this targeted addition, it is optimally expanding its own portfolio. At the same time, it supports the strategy of expanding the building technology business, and especially solar. "Elektro Basilisk AG optimally complements the competencies within the CKW Group both geographically and thematically," Thomas Gisler, head of the electrical business unit at CKW, is quoted as saying.

    The company Basilisk, founded in 1997, offers all services related to electrical and telematics installations, repair services and solar technology. Almost 40 employees work for the company. Like the managing directors, you will remain in the company.

    According to its own information, the CKW Group supplies over 200,000 end customers in the cantons of Lucerne, Schwyz and Uri with electricity. It also offers products and services across Switzerland in the areas of IT infrastructure and communication, electrical engineering and energy technology. CKW employs more than 1900 people.

  • Homeownership prices continue to rise

    Homeownership prices continue to rise

    The Swiss real estate market continues to pick up. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office , the Swiss residential property index rose by 2.2 percent in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the previous quarter. At the end of June it stood at 105.3 points. The value of 100 was reached in the fourth quarter of 2019. Compared to the second quarter of the previous year, inflation was 4.7 percent.

    In all types of municipalities nationwide, prices for both single-family houses and condominiums rose compared to the previous quarter, with single-family homes by 2.6 percent and condominiums by 1.8 percent. The increase in single-family houses with an increase of 4.6 percent was particularly pronounced in rural communities. Condominium prices rose the most in the intermediate communities, by 2.9 percent.

  • Ina Invest has made millions in profit

    Ina Invest has made millions in profit

    Ina Invest closed the first half of 2021 with an operating result (EBIT) of CHF 3.1 million, the Implenia spin-off set up in spring 2020 informs in a message . The real estate company shows a net profit of 2.9 million francs.

    In the previous semester, a loss of just under 2 million francs was incurred. For 2020 as a whole, Ina Invest had already achieved a net profit of 3.9 million francs. With the result “again above expectations”, the company is building on “the successful previous year”, according to the announcement.

    The revaluation of investment properties achieved a profit of 3.8 million francs in the half-year under review. The total value of the real estate portfolio increased by CHF 19 million to CHF 385 million. Ina Invest explains that all of the properties currently being realized are on schedule. In the announcement, the real estate company highlights the tender high-rise in Winterthur. Here, 31 of the 39 apartments have already been sold or reserved.

    Ina Invest also acquired another property with a market value of more than 60 million francs in the six months under review. This means that the company has already exceeded its acquisition target for the year as a whole, the press release explains. Since the transfer of ownership will not take place until the current semester, the purchase will not yet affect the result in the half-year under review.

  • Novavest is growing profitably

    Novavest is growing profitably

    According to a notification from Novavest Real Estate AG , the value of the real estate company's real estate portfolio as of June 30th of this year was CHF 664.3 million. At the end of 2020, the value was 645.4 million francs. The growth was generated primarily through investments in investment properties and projects, explains Novavest. Revaluations contributed CHF 6.3 million to the portfolio's increase in value.

    Rental entries increased by 8 percent year-on-year to CHF 12.6 million. Around 62 percent of rental income is currently generated by residential properties, informs Novavest. The net return on investment properties was unchanged at 3.7 percent in the reporting semester. Compared to the end of 2020, the vacancy rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 4.3 percent.

    The income was offset by direct expenses for rented properties amounting to CHF 2.0 million. Overall, Novavest's expenses increased by 6 percent year-on-year to CHF 4.4 million. The bottom line was an operating result at EBIT level of 14.5 million francs. In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to an increase of 29 percent. At 10.6 million francs, net profit including revaluations was 30 percent higher than in the same period of the previous year.

  • Homes have only limited protection against inflation

    Homes have only limited protection against inflation

    Raiffeisen Switzerland has examined the connection between inflation and the development of the real estate market. In their current report “ Real Estate Switzerland ”, the bank's economists come to the conclusion that the real value of real estate is a myth. The price development over the past 50 years shows that home prices do not automatically rise with inflation rates. "Only in the very long term does the home actually protect against inflation," Raiffeisen chief economist Martin Neff is quoted in a media release.

    In contrast, even the biggest economic and social crisis in recent history, the COVID-19 pandemic, could not throw the Swiss rental housing market off course. “Even if inflation were to rise sharply in this country, we can still expect falling asking rents,” said Neff. In the opinion of the authors, any rising interest rates should not harm professional real estate investors.

    Raiffeisen sees an accelerated structural change in the stationary retail trade. Because "it is rather unlikely that non-food retailers or restaurateurs will scramble for space that is becoming empty after the experience of the last few months".

    The Raiffeisen economists paid particular attention to the “little-screened market” for building land. Buildable land is very scarce in Switzerland. At the same time, free parcels for homes and rental apartments are in great demand in the current low interest rate environment. That has caused prices to rise by almost 70 percent since 2016. Only in tourist communities have the large building land reserves and the law on second homes led to price declines. In contrast, construction prices rose only slightly.

  • UBS warns of overheating in the home market

    UBS warns of overheating in the home market

    According to a release from UBS , the UBS Swiss Real Estate Bubble Index, which is compiled every quarter by the Zurich-based bank, rose from 1.78 to 1.90 points in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the previous quarter. It remains in the risk zone between 1.0 and 2.0 points, explain the analysts of the Zurich big bank in the announcement. As drivers, they have seen sustained high price increases for home prices and accelerated growth in household debt for home purchase.

    Specifically, house prices in the quarter under review were an average of 5.4 percent higher than in the same period of the previous year. Mortgage volumes rose by almost 3 percent over the same period. Here an acceleration of the increase "should be interpreted as a clear warning signal", the analysts write.

    In contrast, the analysts recorded a year-on-year decline of 3.2 percent in asking rents. According to them, the unbroken high demand for residential property for the purpose of renting is primarily due to the expectation of further increases in prices on the residential property market. In individual regions in the cantons of Geneva and Zurich, the analysts have already identified a risk of overheating.

    In general, "the imbalances in the home market" are likely to be "significantly higher than before the crisis" after the effects of the pandemic have been overcome, they predict in the press release. At the same time, they assume that the economic recovery will prevent the index from rising into the bubble zone starting at 2 points.

  • Swiss Prime Investment Foundation achieves high returns

    Swiss Prime Investment Foundation achieves high returns

    The investment group SPA Real Estate Switzerland of the asset manager Swiss Prime Investment Foundation in Olten ( SPA ) closed the first half of 2021 with an investment return of 3.28 percent. In the same period of 2020, the return was 1.66 percent, according to a media release .

    The market value of the real estate portfolio also increased significantly: from 2.31 billion francs in the first half of 2020 to over 2.8 billion francs in the first half of 2021. This is due to transactions and investments. SPA added four properties worth CHF 118 million to the investment group's portfolio, including a retirement center in Bern and five apartment buildings in Schüpfheim LU.

    “The overall portfolio has shown a strong appreciation of CHF 33.8 million net due to the positive developments in new construction projects and marketing success,” the press release continues. The vacancy rate has also fallen from 4.17 to 3.34 percent.

    The investment group SPA Living + Europe, which was launched in 2020, also closed the first six months of this year successfully with a 4.4 percent return after the first transaction. The profit results from the purchase of five retirement and care properties in Germany.

  • New perovskite solar cells pass the lead test

    New perovskite solar cells pass the lead test

    A research group from the University of Life Sciences ( HLS ) of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) gives the all-clear: their tests show that the lead contained in the new perovskite solar cells is just as little washed out as all other functional metals, even if there is any weather damage. The cells were able to withstand rainwater and hail tests without the metal concentration in the rainwater increasing noticeably.

    The prerequisite for a low environmental risk is that the solar cells are packed according to commercial standards. But "even with poor packaging, only 5 to 10 percent of the total lead content in rainwater was measured over several months," HLS doctoral student Felix Schmidt is quoted in a report by the FHNW. “We currently see little cause for concern with regard to the possible environmental impacts of lead.” However, this sensitive topic must be communicated transparently with regard to the social acceptance of this technology.

    Permoskite solar cells are considered to be the future of photovoltaics. Tremendous advances in research have increased their efficiency from initially 3 to almost 30 percent in the past few years. It is thus just above that of traditional silicon cells.

    Perovskite is the collective term for new materials, the crystal structure of which is similar to the natural mineral, also known as perovskite. Perovskites absorb light particularly efficiently and conduct the electricity generated well. They are both inexpensive and easy to manufacture and process. Among other things, two national research programs are running in Switzerland. They are designed to encourage the rapid adoption of this disruptive technology.

    Now you have to think about “what will happen to the solar cells at the end of their lifespan”, continues Schmidt. "That is why we are currently developing ways to completely extract lead from old cells and use it again in new cells."

  • Buildings insurance canton Zurich leaves index unchanged

    Buildings insurance canton Zurich leaves index unchanged

    The Zurich index of residential construction prices, which is collected annually, rose by 1.1 percent to 1057.7 points between April 2020 and April 2021, explains the building insurance of the Canton of Zurich ( GVZ ) in a message . The independent public company will nevertheless keep its insurance index based on the construction price level unchanged at 1025 points in 2022.

    The GVZ last adjusted its insurance index to 1025 points in 2009, the communication further explains. At the same time, the insurance values of the buildings in the canton of Zurich were revised. “The long-term constancy of the index is desirable from an actuarial point of view because it has a positive impact on premium stability,” explains the company.

    In general, the GVZ insures buildings at their new value, the message goes on to say. Property owners can, however, have a new appraisal carried out at any time. This is particularly useful after value-adding investments in order to avoid a possible underfunding of the insurance cover for the property.

  • Rents remain unchanged

    Rents remain unchanged

    The monthly rent index compiled by the digital real estate marketplace homegate.ch from TX Group in cooperation with Zürcher Kantonalbank closed unchanged at 115.4 points in July compared to June, explains homegate.ch in a corresponding message . In contrast, an increase in rental prices of around 0.7 percent has been observed over the past twelve months. In the individual cantons and cities, the index analysts observed different developments on a monthly basis.

    In the cantons of Geneva and Zug, asking rents in July were 2.5 and 3.5 percent lower than in June. In the cantons of Obwalden and Graubünden, however, they increased by around 1 percent each. “Given these fluctuations, when looking for a property it can be worthwhile to look outside the box and compare offers well over time,” said Fabian Korn from Homegate in the press release. In most of the other cantons, only minor changes in rental prices were observed.

    In terms of cities, the analysts highlight the city of Geneva with a decline of 2.15 percent in July. At the other end of the scale is Lugano, with asking rents up 0.7 percent compared to June. The communication provides an interactive overview of developments in the cantons and metropolises.

    When recording the rental price changes for the rental index, the rental prices are corrected for different quality, location and size of the apartments, is explained in the communication. This makes it possible to record the actual rental price development.

  • House prices keep rising

    House prices keep rising

    At least with the tenants, July is showing its mercy, ImmoScout24 introduces a report on the current Swiss Real Estate Offer Index. It is created monthly by the real estate platform and the real estate consultancy IAZI AG . According to the latest surveys, the rental prices advertised in July fell by an average of 0.6 percent compared to June. The analysts write that the average rental price has fallen to roughly the level at the beginning of the year.

    However, you have observed different developments depending on the region. In central Switzerland and the Lake Geneva region, rents were 0.3 percent lower than in the previous month. In the canton of Zurich and the Central Plateau, no major change compared to June was registered in July. In eastern Switzerland, north-western Switzerland and Ticino, however, rents rose by between 0.3 and 2.3 percent compared to June.

    The prices for single-family houses rose by another 1.5 percent in July compared to June, the press release explains. "Over the past twelve months, the advertised values for single-family houses have even risen by 9.4 percent and are almost reaching the double-digit growth rate," Martin Waeber, COO of Scout24, is quoted there. "Anyone who wants to buy their own home needs an increasingly thick financial cushion – and due to the scarce supply, a good dose of luck."

    The Scout24 group belongs to the insurance group Mobiliar and the media group Ringier . In addition to the real estate platform ImmoScout24, the network of online marketplaces operates the platforms AutoScout24, FinanceScout24, MotoScout24, the classified ads platform Anibis and the marketer Scout24 Advertising.

  • Cantonal banks join emonitor

    Cantonal banks join emonitor

    St.Galler Kantonalbank ( SGKB ), Graubündner Kantonalbank ( GKB ) and Luzerner Kantonalbank AG ( LUKB ) are the new majority shareholders of Proptech emonitor AG . The investment takes place through the company BES Holding AG, which was founded by the three banks.

    Proptech emonitor, based in St.Gallen, digitizes rental and sales processes for real estate. According to a joint press release by the three banks, the aim of all those involved is to establish close cooperation between emonitor AG and the real estate portal newhome.ch . In doing so, they want to gradually expand the network around real estate and living.

    Together with 14 other cantonal banks and other important players in the Swiss real estate industry, SGKB, GKB and LUKB are the owners of newhome.ch, which was founded in 2013. According to the information, they intend to win additional cantonal banks to participate in emonitor in the coming months.

    The cooperation with the cantonal banks enables emonitor to further expand the ecosystem around the issues of housing and real estate in Switzerland, says co-founder and CEO Daniel Baur: "The cantonal banks are the ideal partners for us because they have a high level of trust in the population and enjoy in the real estate market. "

    Enrico Lardelli, member of the management of GKB and new board of directors of emonitor AG, also emphasizes the importance of this strategic partnership for the living ecosystem. Accordingly, the participation of his bank has a "long-term, strategic character".

  • The trend is towards longer-term mortgages

    The trend is towards longer-term mortgages

    The Swiss are increasingly tending towards longer-term mortgages. Ten years ago the five-year fixed-rate mortgage was the first choice, but now more and more people are opting for ten-year loan agreements to build or buy a property. This is the conclusion of the comparison and mediation service MoneyPark, according to a press release .

    A total of 55 percent of the brokered mortgage volume was concluded for ten years in 2020. A further 24 percent of the brokered contracts have been fixed for an even longer term, reports the company based in Freienbach. The proportion of these long-term mortgage products has doubled since 2016. The interest rate averaged a “record low” 0.92 percent.

    The reason for the trend towards longer terms are better options for comparing the products for external financing of a property. The market is also becoming more transparent and more competitive because professional intermediaries such as MoneyPark, in addition to banks, are giving new providers such as insurance companies and pension funds access. "In the past, banks preferred to sell shorter terms, also because, in relative terms, the 'risk-return ratio' is better than with longer terms", Stefan Heitmann, CEO and founder of MoneyPark, is quoted in the press release.

    Furthermore, the current low interest rate environment favors the choice of a long-term fixed-rate mortgage, as the interest rate differences between the terms are small.

  • Pandemic stimulates housing market

    Pandemic stimulates housing market

    The number of advertisements for rental apartments on Swiss real estate portals increased by around 13 percent year-on-year between April 2020 and March 2021, writes SVIT Switzerland in a statement on the current online housing index (OWI). It is prepared every six months by the Association of the Real Estate Industry in cooperation with the Swiss Real Estate Institute . In the current OWI, the analysts registered around 513,000 advertisements for rental apartments.

    The average period for which an apartment has to be offered until it is rented has simultaneously been reduced by two to 32 days, the analysts further explain in the press release. For them, the shortened advertising time and the increasing number of advertisements are a sign of increasing demand on the rental housing market with a simultaneous decrease in rental periods. "It can be assumed that the pandemic was the trigger for many tenants to review and adjust their own living situation," the message says.

    In 21 of 26 cantons, the analysts observed a year-on-year decrease in advertising time. The advertising times in French-speaking Switzerland have hardly changed, while in German-speaking Switzerland they have decreased in all cantons. The canton of Zug currently has the shortest advertising time at 14 days. Ticino ranks at the other end of the scale. Here, apartments have to be advertised on average for almost two months before they can be rented.

    In the cities, the analysts observed a “sharp rise” in advertisements for rental apartments in the reporting period. After 3.5 percent in the previous year, the number of advertisements in the “Corona year” in the twelve cities examined increased by 32 percent. However, because the average length of advertising has barely increased, the analysts assume that there will be relocations within the cities. "The much-cited urban escape" could not be proven with the figures, it says in the message.

  • Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    The city of Winterthur originally intended to acquire the Ob dem See holiday home in Davos Wolfgang from the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and then to sell it together with an adjacent, city-owned playground, the city administration of Winterthur informed in a message . In the context of an invitation to tender, however, a buyer could be found who would purchase both pieces of land individually and who would complete the purchase in the land registry immediately after the public notarization. The holiday colony Sonnenschein AG, founded especially for the purchase, wants to continue operating the property as a holiday colony.

    The company from Freienbach was able to prevail against two competitors in the corresponding tender, the message also states. The purchase price mentioned there is 2.54 million francs for the holiday home property belonging to the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and 1.16 million francs for the adjacent playground.

    The holiday colony association will donate around 1 million francs to the city of Winterthur from its sales proceeds. The city administration explains that the donation is earmarked and will be used by the city of Winterthur for a newly established children and youth fund. The funds of the fund are intended for children and young people living in the city of Winterthur.

  • Karsten Hell is leaving the Steiner Group

    Karsten Hell is leaving the Steiner Group

    Steiner AG initiated a company transformation in spring 2021, the Zurich-based general and general contractor explains in a press release . The business model was geared towards the further expansion of the company's own project portfolio and the addition of participation models and investment vehicles such as the Steiner Investment Foundation. In addition, Steiner wants to launch digital products for the real estate market in the future.

    As part of the company's transformation, Karsten Hell offered the board of directors his resignation as CEO, Steiner informs. Hell joined Steiner in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and has headed the company as CEO since July 2018. The outgoing CEO will remain with the company as an advisor to the board of directors, writes Steiner.

    Hell's successor will be Ajay Sirohi with immediate effect. The graduate economist and mathematician joined the Steiner Group in 2011 as Chief Financial Officer. Sirohi previously held the same position for various multinational companies.

    With Michael Schiltknecht , Sirohi will also join Steiner AG's previous Head of Real Estate Development as Co-CEO. Schiltknecht joined Steiner in 2007 as head of real estate development. The two new company directors should “continue to pursue the specified strategy and ensure the sustainable development of the company”, says the announcement.

  • Partners Group acquires Australian Travelodge hotels

    Partners Group acquires Australian Travelodge hotels

    The Partners Group creates a hospitality mainstay in Australia. In partnership with the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC and the Australian hotel operator Salter Brothers , it is acquiring the Travelodge hotel portfolio. According to a press release from Partners Group, it is the largest portfolio of its kind in Australia and is spread across major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It offers a good starting point for further expansion.

    "This portfolio represents an excellent opportunity to acquire well-located investments" and at the same time benefit from the price discounts caused by the pandemic, says Rahul Ghai, Managing Director Private Real Estate of the Partners Group. "We particularly like this portfolio because it offers initial returns with the potential for further returns through transformative value creation strategies."

    On the one hand, the portfolio will benefit from a nationwide campaign launched this year to stimulate domestic tourism. On the other hand, the new partners are working on a plan that is supposed to improve the occupancy of the hotels through a new brand image and selective upgrading. In addition, the owners are thinking of expanding visibility by expanding loyalty and reward programs through a wider sales channel.

    Partners Group executive Euan Kennedy sees "some signs of steady economic recovery" in Australia. Rising vaccination rates are “a good omen for increasing room occupancy by domestic and foreign travelers in the course of our investment. We look forward to working with our experienced business and capital partners on this exciting opportunity. "