Tag: preise

  • Housing prices develop differently

    Housing prices develop differently

    Anyone looking to buy a condominium had to spend slightly more in July than in the previous month. Specifically, prices for condominiums rose by an average of 0.6 per cent, SMG Swiss Marketplace Group(SMG) reported in a press release on the current Swiss Real Estate Offer Index. The SMG Swiss Marketplace Group combines the digital marketplaces of TX Group, Ringier and Mobiliar.

    By contrast, prices for single-family homes fell by an average of 1.1 per cent in July compared to June. This puts the price level at roughly the same level as at the end of 2023, according to the press release. “For many potential buyers, a single-family home is still difficult to afford despite the recent decline,” Martin Waeber is quoted as saying. According to the Managing Director Real Estate at SMG, buying a condominium with a smaller living space is therefore the only alternative for many. According to Waeber, this is leading to a shift in demand with an impact on the prices of both types of residential property.

    SMG’s property experts observed a 2.2 per cent decline in asking rents across Switzerland in July compared to June. At 3.7 per cent, this was most pronounced in Ticino. Central Switzerland and the greater Zurich region followed with declines of 3.2 per cent each. The smallest decline in asking rents was recorded in north-western Switzerland with an average of 0.5 per cent.

  • How a Switzerland of 10 million can succeed

    How a Switzerland of 10 million can succeed

    Lardi emphasised the need for better framework conditions to counteract the housing shortage. He presented four key demands. Energy-efficient refurbishments and adding storeys can create additional floor space without taking up new space. It is not about skyscrapers, but about moderate increases in the height of existing buildings. Conversion of office space into residential space, as the strict separation between residential and work zones is outdated. Mixed zones could reduce traffic congestion and create living space. Misregulations in rental housing law and tax privileges lead to an unfair distribution of living space. Liberalisation could free up older living space and stabilise prices. Objections and lengthy authorisation procedures are the biggest obstacles. These would have to be streamlined in order to create new living space more quickly.

    Important referendum
    The construction of new living space also requires the continuous renewal of the transport infrastructure. The strategic development programme for motorways is of central importance here. This proposal, which includes six major projects to eliminate bottlenecks, will be put to the vote in November 2024. The Swiss Association of Master Builders is in favour of voting yes to the proposal and is calling for an efficient mobility offering that combines all modes of transport. Lardi also emphasised the importance of the new environmental protection law, which adapts noise protection criteria and enables the construction of flats that were previously blocked for noise protection reasons.

    Illustrious guest appearances
    One of the highlights of the event was the presentation by Bertrand Piccard, who emphasised the role of the construction industry in the fight against climate change. Economist Martin Neff explained how a growing population influences a country’s prosperity and how more living space can be created by reducing regulations. Civil engineer Pirmin Muff presented practical implementation approaches for the construction industry. Cantonal Councillor Martin Neukom delivered the welcoming address from the host Canton of Zurich.

    HGC anniversary and construction party
    The major event, moderated by Mascha Santschi, concluded with a networking aperitif, dinner and the legendary construction party. Musical entertainment was provided by 21-year-old singer Joya Marleen from St. Gallen, one of the rising stars of the Swiss music scene.

  • PropTech start-up secures three prizes in June 2024

    PropTech start-up secures three prizes in June 2024

    Optiml has won three prestigious awards just over two months after launching its NetZero investment and renovation planning solution for the property industry in June 2024, according to its press release. The company, based in Technopark Zurich, was honoured in Berlin with the ZIA PropTech of the Year Award from the German Property Federation (ZIA), under the patronage of CBRE, the world’s largest real estate services and investment company based in Dallas, Texas. Optiml also received a W.A. De Vigier Award from the Solothurn foundation of the same name. And it came second in the ICT category of the Venture Startup Competition.

    “With its NetZero investment and renovation planning, Optiml offers a digital solution for one of the most pressing pains of our real estate decade,” said ZIA Awards jury chairwoman Prof. Dr Verena Rock at the award ceremony, according to a statement from the ZIA. “With this solution, budgets, cash flows and returns can finally be digitally mapped at asset and portfolio level during energy-efficient refurbishment.”

    The refurbishment and decarbonisation software from the spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, founded in 2022, is based on years of research in the ETH Sustainability and Technology Group(SusTec). It uses science-based optimisation algorithms and artificial intelligence.

    According to Evan Petkov, CEO and co-founder of Optiml, the awards confirm “that the industry has never seen anything comparable for renovation or decarbonisation plans”. Optiml now wants to convince the DACH region and then Europe of its software.

  • Price increase for holiday flats in the Alps

    Price increase for holiday flats in the Alps

    Prices for holiday flats in the Alpine tourist region were 4 per cent higher in the first quarter of 2024 than in the same quarter of the previous year, UBS reports in a press release on its “Alpine Property Focus 2024″ study. With prices of at least CHF 21,500 per square metre for a second home in the high-end segment, Verbier has replaced the previous leader Engadin/St. Moritz GR. There, holiday flats in the high-end segment are available from CHF 21,200 per square metre. Zermatt VS completes the trio of the most expensive destinations with prices per square metre starting at CHF 19,900.

    The experts at the Zurich-based major bank attribute the price increase to a generally high demand for holidays in mountain destinations. Fully booked hotels at peak times increase the willingness to pay for a holiday home. The price level is also being supported by the strong demand for property and weak new construction activity.

    However, property experts expect prices for second homes to stagnate this year. “At present, there is much to suggest that the current price boom will not continue,” says Maciej Skoczek, property economist at UBS CIO GWM and lead author of the study, in the press release. “The economic downturn will dampen demand for second homes. Prospective buyers are likely to scrutinise the asking prices more critically.” In the medium term, UBS believes that demand will be supported by the affluent members of the baby boomer generation and from abroad.

  • Reaction of the Swiss interest rate markets to global and local inflation trends

    Reaction of the Swiss interest rate markets to global and local inflation trends

    In April of this year, the inflation rate in Switzerland surprisingly rose from 1.04% to 1.37%. This increase, which is reflected in almost all sub-indices, nevertheless remains below the critical level of 2.00%. This development indicates that inflation remains manageable and does not require any drastic measures. The Swiss National Bank had already expected a moderate rise in inflation and now appears to have been confirmed that this rise will not be permanent.

    Influence of global interest rate policy on Switzerland
    The latest US inflation data has brought calm not only to international markets, but also to the Swiss interest rate markets. The positive reaction to the US data has lowered interest rate swap rates in Switzerland and indicates that a rate cut in June is almost certain. The SNB’s monetary policy decisions depend heavily on how the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Federal Reserve (Fed) adjust their interest rates. Current developments show a synchronisation of interest rate policy at a global level, which influences the Swiss franc and inflation forecasts.

    Future expectations and monetary policy forecasts
    The SNB remains committed to the possibility of lowering the key interest rate by 25 basis points, with a potential further reduction by the end of the year, depending on the actions of the ECB and the Fed. These adjustments are essential to stabilise the Swiss franc in the context of global currency dynamics and prevent excessive appreciation, which could weigh on the export economy. Despite the current inflation expectations and the weaker position of the franc, the SNB remains proactive and adaptable in its monetary policy strategy.

  • Property market shows slight easing

    Property market shows slight easing

    Prices for single-family homes fell by 1.0 per cent in February compared to January, according to the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group(SMG) in a press release on the current Swiss Real Estate Offer Index. This means that the significant rise in prices at the beginning of the year has been reversed, write the SMG experts. The SMG Swiss Marketplace Group combines the digital marketplaces of TX Group, Ringier and Mobiliar.

    Over the last twelve months, prices for single-family homes have remained relatively stable with only a slight increase of 0.1 per cent. SMG’s experts have also registered a stabilisation in the market for condominiums. A zero round was observed here in February. Following significantly stronger increases in previous years, prices have risen by an average of just 2.9 per cent across Switzerland over the last twelve months.

    Asking rents for flats fell by an average of 0.6 per cent across Switzerland in February compared to January. Within the regions, asking rents were lower than in the previous month, particularly in Central Switzerland, the greater Zurich region, Ticino and Eastern Switzerland. In contrast, asking rents in the Central Plateau and the Lake Geneva region rose slightly.

    “After several months of increases, February brought a ray of hope for flat seekers”, Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, is quoted as saying in the press release. According to him, this is partly due to the planned maintenance of the reference interest rate under rental law at its current level.

  • Einschätzung des Zinsmarktes durch Avobis

    Einschätzung des Zinsmarktes durch Avobis

    Die aktuellen Daten zur Inflation zeigen eine Kerninflation von 1,50%, was als positives Zeichen gesehen wird. Miet- und Energiekosten tragen wesentlich zu den jüngsten monatlichen Anstiegen bei, wobei Mieten sowohl im Quartals- als auch im Jahresvergleich gestiegen sind. Zukünftige Auswirkungen von Mietpreisanpassungen, die durch den im Juni 2023 aktualisierten hypothekarischen Referenzzinssatz verursacht wurden, werden ab November sichtbar sein.

    Das Bundesamt für Wohnungswesen hat bestätigt, dass der Referenzzinssatz im September bei 1,50% bleibt. Dennoch könnte eine Erhöhung des Durchschnittszinssatzes auf über 1,625% im Dezember zu weiteren Mietpreisanstiegen und damit zu Inflationsspitzen im kommenden Jahr führen.

    Die verzögerten Auswirkungen der Geldpolitik werden zunehmend spürbar, insbesondere auf dem Arbeitsmarkt der Schweiz, wo die Arbeitslosigkeit allmählich ansteigt und die Zahl der offenen Stellen abnimmt.

    Die Quartalsdaten für das zweite Quartal zeigen im Vergleich zum starken ersten Quartal (+0,90%) nur ein geringes Wachstum von 0,02%. Die SECO erwartet dennoch ein positives Wirtschaftswachstum für das Jahr 2023 und einen kontinuierlichen Rückgang der Inflation. Diese Trends untermauern die Erwartung, dass keine weiteren Zinsanpassungen durch die SNB erforderlich sind.

    Die Swapkurve hat sich im Vergleich zum letzten Monat abgeflacht und zeigt weiterhin eine gewölbte Struktur. Die kurzfristigen Swapsätze deuten auf eine geringe Chance für eine Zinserhöhung im September hin.

    Prognose von Avobis
    Es erscheint sehr wahrscheinlich, dass die SNB den Leitzins in der kommenden Sitzung am 21. September unverändert lassen wird. Der Einfluss von Mietpreissteigerungen auf die Inflation bleibt eine Variable, die genau beobachtet werden sollte. Falls bis zum Jahresende keine besorgniserregenden Inflationsanstiege festgestellt werden, könnte die Zinskurve eine inverse Struktur annehmen.

  • Prices for residential property rise despite interest rate turnaround

    Prices for residential property rise despite interest rate turnaround

    The market for owner-occupied residential property remains unaffected by the turnaround in interest rates, Raiffeisen Switzerland informs in a release on the current transaction price index of the cooperative banking group. According to the index, prices for single-family homes in the second quarter of 2023 were 1.3 per cent higher than in the previous quarter. A year-on-year increase of 6.1 per cent was observed. Prices for condominiums increased by 1.2 per cent quarter-on-quarter and 5.1 per cent year-on-year.

    “In the power struggle between thin supply and higher financing costs due to interest rates, the supply shortage currently continues to hold the upper hand,” Fredy Hasenmaile, chief economist at Raiffeisen Switzerland, is quoted as saying in the statement. The experts of the banking group have observed the greatest increase in central Switzerland. Here, prices for single-family homes increased by 18.8 per cent year-on-year. At the same time, prices for condominiums rose by 11.3 per cent. The smallest increases were recorded for single-family homes in Bern (+3.4 per cent) and northwestern Switzerland (+3.3 per cent). For condominiums, the smallest increase of 1.4 percent was observed in the Zurich region.

    Prices for single-family homes went up more in urban municipalities than in other types of municipalities, at 7.3 per cent. For condominiums, tourist communities led the way with a year-on-year increase of 7.9 per cent.

  • UBS sees holiday flats at a turning point

    UBS sees holiday flats at a turning point

    The prices for holiday flats in Switzerland have risen by an average of 7 per cent year-on-year in 2022, UBS informs in a press release on its current “UBS Alpine Property Focus“. The real estate experts of the big bank have identified the biggest jumps with increases of 15 to 20 percent in the destinations of Arosa, Hoch-Ybrig, Flims/Laax and Engelberg. With prices of around 20,500 Swiss francs per square metre, the Engadin/St.Moritz destination currently leads the ranking of the most expensive second homes in the upscale segment.

    Since autumn 2022, however, experts have observed a slowdown in the price increase. According to Maciej Skoczek, real estate economist at UBS CIO GWM and lead author of the study, it will continue in the coming quarters. “A period of stagnating prices is on the horizon,” Skoczek predicts.

    According to UBS’s findings, the demand drivers from the pandemic years have now lost their power. “Hybrid working, coupled with a relocation of the primary residence to the Alpine region” was only used during the pandemic, and the holidays shifted to the home country will be replaced by trips abroad again when the restrictions are lifted.

    The pandemic left behind around 20 per cent higher prices for two-flats, UBS writes. According to their surveys, the total cost of buying an average flat has also risen to twice the cost of 2019 due to higher interest rates. “Some holiday home owners will consider selling to realise capital gains while escaping the increased costs,” Skoczek says.

  • Property prices in the mountain region are on the rise

    Property prices in the mountain region are on the rise

    The ZWG, which was passed in 2015, has now largely halted the construction of new second homes in mountain areas, the Federal Office for Spatial Development(ARE) informs in a press release. In cooperation with the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the ARE regularly monitors the effects of the law. According to the current monitoring, the impact of the ZWG on the construction industry and the hotel industry in the mountain region is low.

    “On the other hand, it has become difficult for locals and workers in the mountain area to find affordable housing,” writes the ARE. However, the experts at the Federal Office do not attribute this exclusively to the ZWG. Rather, the low interest rate environment and the possibility of working independently of location have also increased the demand for second homes. As a result, the supply overhang of second homes identified in the first monitoring in 2021 has disappeared in many places. Instead, an increasing number of so-called old-law flats that are free for use are being put on the market as second homes.

    The difficulties for the resident population, newcomers and employees to find affordable housing have led to “displacement and migration”, explains the ARE. Older people tend to move to more central valley communities, employed people to communities with affordable housing and the possibility to commute to work. Municipalities can restrict the conversion of primary to secondary residences with requirements for the creation of affordable housing. The Federal Office of Housing supports municipalities in an active housing location policy with the guide “Attractive Housing in Mountain Areas“.

  • Buying and renting more expensive in March

    Buying and renting more expensive in March

    As the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index compiled by the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI shows, condominiums were advertised at 1.0 per cent higher values in March. Single-family homes also saw an increase, albeit smaller, of 0.3 per cent. The number of single-family homes and condominiums advertised has increased in recent months, which would generally indicate an improvement in the tight property market. “However, we see that sellers of owner-occupied homes continue to assume a stronger willingness to pay for the time being, as the current increase in asking prices shows,” says Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate, SMG Swiss Marketplace Group.

    Flat hunters must expect higher rents
    As of the general moving-in date at the end of March, the average asking rents in the country have risen by 0.8 percent. Within one year, there has been an impressive increase of 4.6 percent. However, there are large regional differences in the development of rents: The strongest increase was in central Switzerland (2.2 per cent), especially due to the price drivers Zug and Lucerne. The increases in eastern Switzerland (1.1 per cent), the greater Zurich region (1.0 per cent) and the Lake Geneva region (0.9 per cent) are somewhat more moderate. There was hardly any change in the Central Plateau (0.1 per cent), while asking rents fell slightly in Northwestern Switzerland (-0.3 per cent) and Ticino (-0.3 per cent).

    Particularly in the three large regions of Zurich, Central Switzerland and Lake Geneva, further price increases are to be expected in the coming months due to the existing housing shortage, ongoing immigration and the decision on the reference interest rate expected in June.

  • OST power line and catalyst win innovation award

    OST power line and catalyst win innovation award

    The 19th Innovation Awards of the Foundation for the Promotion and Support of Technology-Oriented Entrepreneurship Rapperswil(Futur) go to two student projects of the University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland. Since the autumn semester 2008, the foundation has been offering an innovation prize among the students of the OST – University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland in Rapperswil. The prize is awarded and supports particularly innovative concepts that can later be marketed.

    The main prize of 10,000 Swiss francs goes to the air-insulated power line called Hivoduct. It was developed by students led by Prof. Dr. Michael Schueller at the Institute of Energy Technology. “With it, we were able to develop a low-loss, invisibly laid and easily installed solution for the urgently needed expansion of power grids and for energy-intensive industries,” Schueller is quoted as saying in a media release from the University of Applied Sciences. According to the information, the Hivoduct cable is already in use in a pilot project in Zurich’s Seefeld and in a high-current facility in Germany. The SBB wants to use it in a transformer station.

    The catalyst SelfCat, which regenerates itself, was awarded the recognition prize of 6000 Swiss francs. It was developed by the Advanced Materials and Processes group led by Prof. Dr. Andre Heel. According to project leader Heel, all that is needed to restore the catalytic converter to its original state is to aerate it briefly at high temperature. It can be adapted to numerous processes and therefore plays an important role in exhaust gas purification and in the production of sustainable synthetic energy sources.

  • Swiss real estate market – turnaround in interest rates, so what?

    Swiss real estate market – turnaround in interest rates, so what?

    After years of oversupply, the signs on the rental housing market are now clearly pointing to a shortage. Although demand will continue to exceed the supply of housing in the future, the real estate industry has so far not reacted with higher housing production. As long as rents do not rise sharply, there will be no incentive to expand residential construction in the current market environment. “The remaining vacancy reserves will soon be exhausted. Because the demand from immigration, individualization and demographic aging continues to increase,

    while at the same time fewer and fewer new homes are being built. Significant increases in asking rents are therefore only a matter of time and the topic will move up the political agenda,” says Neff.

    Densification progresses slowly
    It's getting tighter and tighter in Switzerland. The new buildings in this country are getting taller, the apartments in them are getting smaller and more and more people live in the residential zones. So the scarce land is being used more and more economically. However, because land use per person continues to rise and more and more people are living in Switzerland, the pace of densification is far from sufficient to stop urban sprawl. “High hurdles stand in the way of the faster densification demanded by spatial planning. The construction costs of projects with higher density are significantly higher than for a new building on a green field. In addition, strict, inflexible and inconsistent building and zoning regulations limit, complicate or make densification efforts impossible. A very liberal objection practice increases the planning effort for projects with high consolidation potential and leads to ever greater administrative effort," says Martin Neff. For example, the average time from the submission of a building application to the granting of a building permit for buildings with more than three apartments has increased significantly in the last 20 years from 92 days to 150 days.

    Bursting bubbles in the virtual world
    Trading in digital assets based on blockchain technology has experienced a real hype in the course of the cryptocurrency boom. In the meantime, land and real estate can also be purchased in the digital world, the so-called metaverse. The more attractive a piece of digital soil is, the more people will pay for it. The relative attractiveness is strongly defined by how many players are in the vicinity of the property on average. The market for digital real estate has experienced enormous price increases. At the beginning of January 2021, for example, in one of the best-known Mataverses "The Sandbox", the average plot of land was still being traded for less than 150 US dollars. By the end of the year, the price had risen to over $16,000, an increase in value of almost 11,000 percent. By the end of June 2022, prices had collapsed to $2,500. Such a bubble formation with subsequent bursting has been observed in many Metaverse projects in recent months. Among other things, this is favored by the fact that many projects are tied to cryptocurrencies for technical reasons, the future of which cannot yet be estimated either. "Due to the extreme volatility, the obvious tendency to bubble and the questionable intentions of many providers, virtual real estate remains primarily a playing field for speculators who are very willing to take risks," says Martin Neff.

    The “Immobilien Schweiz” study offers a detailed quarterly assessment of the Swiss real estate market. The current study and further information are available at raiffeisen.ch/casa.

  • Housing is becoming noticeably more expensive for everyone

    Housing is becoming noticeably more expensive for everyone

    The increased interest burden has so far had no effect on the demand for one's own four walls. According to a press release on immoscout24.ch , those interested in buying their own homes are “still in a buying mood”. The data presented there is based on the Real Estate Offer Index . It is collected by the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group in cooperation with the real estate consulting company IAZI . Immoscout24.ch is an SMG marketplace.

    According to this, the price expectations on the supplier side have not reduced despite the increase in the key interest rate by 0.5 percentage points. Detached houses cost 2 percent more, condominiums were advertised within a month at 0.7 percent higher prices. "With the increased interest burden and the general increase in costs for maintenance and investments, living in your own home is becoming noticeably more expensive," Martin Waeber is quoted as saying by SMG. Accordingly, a slowdown in price development is likely.

    Advertised rental prices also increased slightly last month by 0.3 percent. In addition, the significantly higher oil and gas prices would lead to "significantly higher expenses".

    Demand for investment properties could fall among institutional investors. This may result in reduced construction activity and thus a shortage in the supply of rental apartments. It remains to be seen how asking rents will develop in the long term.

  • Home prices continue to rise

    Home prices continue to rise

    The prices for residential property continued to rise in April, according to the Freiburg real estate marketplace ImmoScout24 , which belongs to the Zurich SMG Swiss Marketplace Group . According to the latest Swiss Real Estate Offer Index compiled by the group in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI , prices for single-family homes rose by 0.6 percent in April compared to March. An increase of 8.3 percent was measured over the last twelve months.

    Condominium prices rose even more sharply in April, up 1.4 percent month-on-month. Compared to April 2021, the analysts of the index have observed a price increase of 8.1 percent. In April, however, rents throughout Switzerland remained almost unchanged in both a monthly and year-on-year comparison. A slight decline in asking rents in the greater Zurich region offset increases in eastern Switzerland, north-western Switzerland and Ticino.

    For the future, the analysts are assuming a weakening of the price dynamics for residential property. “De facto, mortgage interest rates have been rising for several months, making real estate financing more expensive,” explains Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate, SMG Swiss Marketplace Group, in the press release. “The more these costs rise, the more likely it is that prices will calm down.” The SMG Swiss Marketplace Group combines the digital marketplaces of TX Group , Ringier and Mobiliar .

  • Investors are lining up in front of first-class properties

    Investors are lining up in front of first-class properties

    Wer heute eine Immobilie an bester Lage erstehen will, braucht viel Geld und Geduld. Vor Büro- und Wohngebäuden mit hervorragender Erschliessung bilden sich heute lange virtuelle Schlangen von Investoren, die ihre Mittel möglichst sicher anlegen wollen. Bieterverfahren treiben die Preise auf neue Höchstwerte: In der Zürcher Goldküsten-Gemeinde Zumikon etwa erwarb ein Käufer kürzlich ein nicht mehr benötigtes, nur eine Minute neben einer ÖV-Station gelegenes Feuerwehrgebäude mit einigen Wohnungen für rund CHF 21 Mio. 37 Interessenten hatten sich beworben, der Endpreis lag fast zweieinhalb Mal so hoch wie der von der Gemeinde aufgrund einer professionellen Schätzung vorgegebene Mindestpreis von CHF 8.7 Mio. Im Fokus der Anleger standen 2021 vor allem sogenannte Core-Objekte: “Als risikoarme Anlageklasse sind erstklassige Immobilien nach wie vor ohne Alternative”, begründet Yonas Mulugeta, CEO von CSL Immobilien, diese in den Zentren beobachtbare Entwicklung.

    Die Preisentwicklung führte 2021 dazu, dass die Netto-Anfangsrenditen in den meisten Segmenten des Investmentmarkts weiter auf neue Tiefstwerte sanken – dies, obwohl die meisten Investoren eher eine Seitwärtsbewegung erwartet hatten. Wohnliegenschaften erstklassiger Güte rentierten im Landesschnitt mit 1.85% (Vorjahr 2.1%). Noch stärker sanken die Renditen für Top-Büroobjekte: Diese fielen mit 1.9% (Vorjahr 2.35%) sogar knapp auf das Niveau der Wohnimmobilien.

    Ein Grund dafür: Investoren, die im Wohnmarkt nicht mehr zum Zug kamen, wichen in den Büromarkt aus. Auf Interesse stiessen 2021 auch Gewerbe- und Logistikimmobilien – dies als eine weitere Ausweichbewegung von Investoren, die vom boomenden Onlinehandel profitieren wollen.

    Leere Büros in der Peripherie

    Auch die Unternehmen fokussierten ihre Nachfrage 2021 noch stärker auf zentrale Standorte. Der grössere Teil der in den vergangenen sechs Monaten verfügbaren Büroflächen von 2.43 Mio. m2 (Vorjahr 2.26 Mio. m2) entfiel deshalb auf Liegenschaften ausserhalb der städtischen Zentren. Im Wirtschaftsraum Zürich waren in den vergangenen sechs Monaten rund 910’000 m2 Bürofläche inseriert (Vorjahr 812’000 m2). Damit ist das Angebot innerhalb eines Jahres um 12% gestiegen – ähnlich stark wie in den Wirtschaftsräumen Bern (+14%) und Genf (+12%).

    Der Fokus der Unternehmen auf zentrale Bürostandorte ist insbesondere auch auf die Pandemie zurückzuführen. Viele Mitarbeitende haben sich an das Homeoffice gewöhnt. Um sie zumindest teilweise zurück ins Büro zu holen und dort einen neuen Alltag zu etablieren, muss dieses attraktiv sein. Neben der zentralen Lage mit guter Verkehrsanbindung gehört dazu ein ansprechendes Interieur, das Kreativität und Teamprozesse fördert. Unternehmen, die dies nicht bieten können, haben auf dem Arbeitsmarkt einen Nachteil.

    Eigenheimpreise flächendeckend gestiegen

    Auch im Wohnmarkt machte sich die Pandemie bemerkbar: Das Zuhause gewann an Bedeutung. Gleichzeitig löste das Homeoffice in vielen Haushalten ein Platzproblem aus. Dies führte zu einer steigenden Nachfrage – insbesondere im Eigentumssegment, das weiterhin vom attraktiven Finanzierungsumfeld profitiert. Auf der Angebotsseite kam nur wenig Neues hinzu. Die Folge waren fast flächendeckend steigende Preise für Eigenheime. Dieser Trend dürfte sich 2022 fortsetzen – die Hypothekarzinsen bleiben auf tiefem Niveau, auch wenn sie zuletzt leicht gestiegen sind.

    Im Mietwohnungssegment wirkte sich die gestiegene Nachfrage insbesondere strukturell aus: Gesucht waren 2021 vor allem grössere Objekte, während das Interesse an 1- bis 2.5-Zimmer-Wohnungen an vielen Lagen spürbar abnahm. Die Erfahrung von CSL Immobilien im Markt zeigt: Paare beziehen heute kaum mehr eine 2.5-Zimmer-Wohnung, sondern suchen mindestens eine Wohnung mit 3.5, lieber noch mit 4.5 Zimmern. Dies zeigt sich auch in den Zahlen: Im Kanton Zürich stieg der Anteil der 1- bis 2.5-Zimmer-Wohnungen unter den leerstehenden Wohnungen 2021 auf 27%, ein Jahr zuvor lag dieser noch bei 22%.

    Die Leerstandsquote im Wohnmarkt sank 2021 aufgrund der grossen Nachfrage über das ganze Land gesehen auf 1.54% (Vorjahr 1.72%).

    Allerdings zeigt die Quote grosse regionale Unterschiede. Im Vergleich der grössten Agglomerationen weist Zug mit 0.4% den tiefsten Wert auf, Olten-Zofingen mit 3.8% den höchsten. Im Kanton Zürich lag die Leerstandsquote 2021 bei 0.72% (Vorjahr 0.91%). In der Stadt Zürich stieg die Leerstandsquote 2021 zwar minimal an, zeigte aber mit 0.17% (Vorjahr 0.15%) immer noch einen äusserst ausgetrockneten Markt.

  • Immigration influences rents in metropolitan areas

    Immigration influences rents in metropolitan areas

    "The gap in apartment rental prices in the Swiss metropolises is widening," Comparis introduces a statement on a study on rental price developments over the past five years. The online comparison service evaluated more than 683,000 advertisements from 2017 to 2021 for them. According to the results, the average rents in the ten largest Swiss cities developed in opposite directions. "The main reason for the development is the migration away from the smaller towns to the large centers," Comparis real estate expert Leo Hug is quoted as saying in the press release.

    In major cities such as Geneva, Zurich and Lucerne, rental prices rose sharply over the reporting period. With an increase in the median price from CHF 3,360 to CHF 3,500, Geneva recorded the highest growth for 4.5-room apartments. The average rental price for 3.5-room apartments also increased the most in Geneva, from CHF 2,410 to CHF 2,640. The prices for 2-room apartments rose the most in Lucerne in the reporting period, by 4.8 percent to CHF 1,300. Currently, however, you have to dig the deepest into your pocket in Zurich at CHF 1,650 for a 2-room apartment.

    The Comparis analysts observed the most significant declines in median rents in Lugano. Here, the average rental price for large apartments fell from 1,900 to 1,700 francs, for medium-sized apartments from 1,650 to 1,450 francs and for small apartments from 1,295 to 1,150 francs. At CHF 985, a 2-room apartment is currently the cheapest to rent in Biel.

    The analysts give the median as the mean rent. In contrast to the calculated average, the median represents the mean value across all rental prices.

  • Apartment rents and prices rise towards the end of the year

    Apartment rents and prices rise towards the end of the year

    A stiff breeze was blowing against those looking for accommodation in November. With an increase of 1.5 percent, the rents advertised have increased significantly across Switzerland. This difference is put into perspective, however, by looking at the longer-term development: over the past twelve months, the change is much more moderate at 1.0 percent. This is shown by the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index, which is collected by ImmoScout24 in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI AG.

    The drivers of the rent increase in November are the Greater Zurich Region and the Central Plateau, each with an increase of 0.6 percent. Due to their market size, they have a disproportionately large impact on the Switzerland-wide rent index. Rents have also risen in Central Switzerland (0.6 percent) and in Eastern Switzerland (0.4 percent). Virtually no changes can be observed in northwestern Switzerland (0.2 percent) and in the Lake Geneva region (0.0 percent), while rents in Ticino have fallen (−0.4 percent).

    More expensive condominiums, stable house prices
    Those who want to buy a condominium were faced with 0.6 percent higher prices in November than in the previous month. This means that the national average price per square meter is currently around 8030 francs. For a typical apartment with 110 m² of living space, 880,000 francs are required. The asking prices for single-family houses (0.1 percent) hardly changed in November, which corresponds to a square meter price of around 7130 francs. A typical house with 160 m² of living space is advertised for 1,140,000 francs.

    «The new corona wave should temporarily support the trend of rising property prices, since in the fragile economic environment hardly any rate hikes on the part of the central banks are to be expected. The duration of this policy, however, depends heavily on the further development of consumer prices, which have recently risen significantly, ”says Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate, Swiss Marketplace Group.

  • Homeownership is becoming unaffordable

    Homeownership is becoming unaffordable

    In the years since 1990, the home ownership rate has risen steadily. Now it is going back for the first time, writes Raiffeisen Switzerland in a report on the study ” The dream of having one’s own four walls ” by Raiffeisen Economic Research. “Real estate prices are still rising, but in the completely dry market, the extremely high prices and the high regulatory hurdles of the vast majority of Swiss are blocking the dream of their own four walls”, Martin Neff, chief economist at Raiffeisen Switzerland, is quoted there. “Only prices are booming on the home market today.”

    According to the authors of the study, the rising prices are due, among other things, to the highly expansive monetary policy of the central banks. At the same time, they reject the speculation that the real estate bubble will soon burst. “The prevailing price level and the strong upward momentum can still be justified fundamentally and are not driven by speculation,” says Neff. “Even if the home market has now expanded significantly, this bubble will not burst.”

    The authors of the study do not expect any relaxation in the home market in the near future. Neff therefore calls for “an open, unbiased public discussion about the future of Swiss home ownership”. According to the chief economist of Raiffeisen Switzerland, the increasing exclusion of large groups of the population from home ownership “without strong political will and the acceptance of certain systemic risks and societal costs” cannot be broken.

  • Prices on the Aargau property market are soaring

    Prices on the Aargau property market are soaring

    The Aargau Real Estate Barometer published by the Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB) shows a sustained strong increase in cantonal real estate prices. The report on developments over the past twelve months names low interest rates and scarce building land reserves as the main drivers behind this development. Together with the robust economic development in the aftermath of the Corona crisis, this led to the “boom” in prices.

    The AKB real estate barometer shows the development of the residential property market and also provides information on rents, vacancies and yields. The entire document can be downloaded from the AKB website.

    Regarding regional development, the barometer says that price growth on the Aargau property market cannot be “slowed down”. In the past few months, the development has even picked up speed significantly. Single-family houses would be selling 5.4 percent higher than a year ago. The increase in condominiums is also 4.7 percent within a year.

    Considering all 243 communities in the market area, according to the barometer, the purchase of a typical property with 140 square meters of living space, 450 square meters of land and garage space can be expected to cost between CHF 800,000 and CHF 900,000. However, the range of prices is considerable. In coveted locations such as Baden, Rheinfelden and Aarau, the same property is sometimes traded for well over a million francs.

    Apartment rents throughout Switzerland remained unchanged within a year, as the evaluation of the published advertisements showed. In the same period, landlords in the Northwestern Switzerland region increased their asking prices slightly by 1.4 percent.

  • Investors expect record prices for residential property

    Investors expect record prices for residential property

    The players in the real estate market are confident about the future. The mood has brightened significantly compared to the pandemic year 2020, writes KPMG in a message on the consulting company’s current Swiss Real Estate Sentiment Index. In the case of residential property in particular, the respondents assume that prices will rise sharply. The corresponding sub-index has reached a new high of 119.2 points, according to the announcement.

    KPMG analysts explain that the supply of residential real estate is becoming more and more scarce. Here the sub-index fell from 108.0 points in the previous year to 137.1 points. Price increases and shortages show that “market participants regard the residential segment as the clearly preferred real estate investment even more than before”.

    When it comes to prices for office space, the market players are expecting only a slight drop in prices. Compared to the previous year, the expected decline in prices has weakened, the announcement explains. “The users have already adjusted to the new conditions, which is why the focus is currently not on reducing space,” Beat Seger, partner and real estate expert at KPMG, is quoted there. Only in the case of retail space do the respondents continue to assume that prices will fall significantly.

    From a regional perspective, the market players for the Zurich and Lake Geneva regions are expecting significantly higher prices on the property market. Slight price drops are expected in Eastern Switzerland. As in previous years, expectations for Ticino remain clearly negative.

  • Homeownership achieves record prices

    Homeownership achieves record prices

    Those who want to live in their own four walls have to dig deeper into their pockets. The prices for owner-occupied residential property rose to new record levels in the second quarter, informs Raiffeisen Switzerland in a statement on the current transaction index of the cooperative banking group. "Despite the rampant pandemic and historical economic upheavals, the desire for home ownership remains strong," Martin Neff is quoted as saying. For the chief economist at Raiffeisen Switzerland, the “unchecked price increases” are signs of a “very tight supply” demand for residential property.

    The prices for single-family homes in the second quarter of 2021 were 2.1 percent above those of the previous quarter, the announcement further explains. In a year-on-year comparison, prices rose by 6.1 percent. An increase of 2.4 percent compared to the previous quarter was observed for condominiums. In a year-on-year comparison, prices were 4.9 percent higher.

    In terms of regions, the analysts at Raiffeisen Switzerland recorded the highest year-on-year increase in single-family homes with 11.3 percent in the Lake Geneva region. In Eastern Switzerland and Central Switzerland, too, prices were more than 9 percent higher than in the same quarter of the previous year. The prices for condominiums rose within the year by 7.9 and 7.0 percent respectively in the regions of southern Switzerland and Bern. Far higher prices than in the previous year were achieved for condominiums, especially in tourist communities.

  • Homeownership prices are rising sharply

    Homeownership prices are rising sharply

    In 2020, home ownership prices rose by 5 percent across Switzerland and by 4 percent in the canton of Zurich. Ursina Kubli, Head of Real Estate Research at Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ), sees one reason for this in the low mortgage interest rates. They are an important financial incentive to buy your own home, she is quoted in a ZKB press release , which summarizes the current issue of the ZKB specialist magazine " Immobilien aktuell ". On the other hand, the supply is scarce, "because the construction industry is still concentrating on rental apartments, while many older people willing to sell are hesitant to sell them." And thirdly, the personal living situation has become increasingly important in the pandemic.

    Despite the precarious economic situation and the corresponding uncertain prospects for the labor market, there are still many willing to buy when there is a shortage of supply. This allows the conclusion that the wage segments relevant for the home sector have so far been little affected by the economic slowdown.

    Because people over the age of 60 currently own more than half of all single-family houses and condominiums and even more than 80 percent of multi-family houses in the canton of Zurich, the ZKB expects an additional supply on the real estate market in the coming years and decades. Gaining more living space by reallocating vacant office space is attractive, but often proves to be a "resinous niche strategy" due to regulatory hurdles.

    As a result of the pandemic, the micro-location of a property is becoming increasingly important. Sunlight is one of the most important factors. Thanks to extensive computing power at 100 million geographical points, the ZKB real estate research team succeeded for the first time in evaluating the actual duration of sunshine at a wide variety of places. One result: the city of Zurich is clearly surpassed by other Swiss cities in the winter months.