immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Umzug

  • Removal service provider expands its offering in the greater Zurich area

    Removal service provider expands its offering in the greater Zurich area

    The Schwyz-based removal service provider Optimal Umzug GmbH from Lachen is strengthening its range of services for the greater Zurich area. In future, the company will take care of all the steps involved in a move for private individuals and companies. The reason for focussing on the greater Zurich area is the increased demand there for comprehensive removal services, the company explains in a press release. These range from classic furniture transport to the dismantling and assembly of furniture, packing and unpacking services, removal and final cleaning with an acceptance guarantee and professional disposal and clearing out. A furniture lift and special transport services, such as for pianos, are also available on request.

    The press release particularly emphasises the offer of personal advice and fair pricing with no hidden costs. If the company is commissioned to provide individual services or to carry out an all-round move, it guarantees a free on-site inspection to assess the volume of the move. A non-binding offer is then made on this basis.

    The management of Optimal Umzug GmbH sees the company’s strength in its comprehensive range of services in particular: “Many of our customers appreciate the fact that we provide everything from a single source. Our aim is to make removals as pleasant as possible. Especially in a dynamic region like Zurich, a reliable partner is crucial.”

    With its headquarters in Lachen, however, the company remains regionally anchored and continues to offer its services in Lachen, Glarus, Rapperswil and the surrounding area.

  • New study on residential mobility

    New study on residential mobility

    The desire for a new living environment is particularly strong among the so-called best agers, the 45 to 79-year-olds. The departure of children or the transition into retirement creates new freedom. However, suitable housing offers that do justice to this phase of life are rare. Many best agers therefore remain in apartments that no longer suit their needs. Digital exchange platforms, neutral housing advice or targeted information events could help to realize these relocation wishes, but such offers are still lacking across the board.

    Challenges for young families
    Younger generations are also affected. The desire to move into their own home is widespread among young families. However, high property prices, a shortage of supply and strict financing requirements make this dream a distant prospect for many. For young adults in particular, home ownership remains virtually unaffordable.

    Innovative models as a way out
    The study highlights alternative models such as installment plan, small-scale home ownership, temporary home ownership or building lease solutions. These concepts could open up new perspectives. Making home ownership possible with an easier entry point or better aligning the transition to a home with the stage of life. However, these models are not yet widespread in Switzerland, are often still unknown or are not easy to implement legally.

    Impetus from politics and business needed
    New impetus from politics and business is needed to change this. Municipal housing strategies, targeted funding programs and pilot projects could help to increase residential mobility. Equally important are innovative financing models that also give lower-income households and young families access to suitable housing.

    Central role of the municipalities
    The municipalities play a key role here. They could specifically establish new forms of housing and advisory services that make it easier for people to change their housing situation. In this way, living space can be better utilized and adapted to growing demand, a decisive factor for sustainable residential development. The “Housing Study Series” thus provides important findings and concrete starting points for all players in the housing industry. It is clear that residential mobility is more than just an individual need. It is a key factor for sustainable housing development in Switzerland.

  • Manor moves into the Jelmoli building

    Manor moves into the Jelmoli building

    In February 2023, Swiss Prime Site decided to remodel and sustainably develop the Jelmoli building. The aim is to adapt the retail space to current market requirements and make the building fit for the future. In Manor, Swiss Prime Site has now found a long-term tenant that will ensure the long-term attractiveness of the building and the lower Bahnhofstrasse.

    An inspiring shopping experience in the heart of Zurich
    Manor will rent around 13,000 square metres of space and is expected to take over the ground floor, basement and first floor in 2027. Manor will open a flagship store here, which will be directly accessible from Sihlstrasse and Seidengasse. Roland Armbruster, CEO of Manor, promises an inspiring shopping experience with a varied and curated product range in the areas of fashion, beauty, home and living. A diverse range of restaurants will round off the shopping experience.

    New office space and restaurants
    Following the renovation, the upper floors of the Jelmoli building will offer around 20,000 m² of office space, providing a new top address in Zurich city centre. This office space will be complemented by a wide range of catering and leisure facilities. The newly designed roof terrace will provide additional space for catering outlets.

    Partnership between Swiss Prime Site and Manor
    The long-term rental agreement between Swiss Prime Site and Manor is a significant step for both companies. Manor will also contribute to the investments for the remodelling in order to create attractive retail space. Existing tenancy agreements, in particular with the Holmes Place fitness club, will remain in place during and after the renovation. Holmes Place will continue to offer its services to customers during the renovation phase. With Manor and Holmes Place, around half of the space has therefore already been let before the start of construction.

    A unique meeting place for Zurich
    René Zahnd, CEO of Swiss Prime Site, emphasises: “Our primary goal was to preserve the Jelmoli building as a unique destination and open meeting place. With the arrival of the Manor department stores’ group and its long-standing tradition, the Jelmoli building will be filled with new life for Zurich and the Zurich population and will shine beyond the city limits.”

    The largest department stores’ group in Switzerland
    Manor, the largest department stores’ group in Switzerland, is represented in all parts of the country and employs around 7,500 people. The Manor Group comprises 59 Manor department stores, 27 Manor Food supermarkets and 23 Manora restaurants. The company pursues an omnichannel strategy that combines online shops and services. Manor is sustainably profitable and is part of Maus Frères Holding, which also owns leading lifestyle brands such as Lacoste.

    The repositioning of the Jelmoli building with the arrival of Manor marks an important step for the future of Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse and emphasises the importance of Swiss Prime Site in sustainable urban development.

  • Opening date announced for new building of Baden Cantonal Hospital

    Opening date announced for new building of Baden Cantonal Hospital

    Baden Cantonal Hospital(KSB) has announced the opening date for its new building. According to a press release, the new KSB will officially open on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, with the main move taking place the following weekend. The new building took six and a half years to complete. With a usable area of 76,215 square metres, it will offer around 30 percent more space than the building in which the KSB has been housed since 1978.

    The move will be completed in five days. A total of 4571 cubic metres of medical technology and other goods will be moved, according to the KSB press release. This corresponds to the load of 76 lorries of 40 tonnes each. The project is divided into three phases, according to the press release. In the preliminary move, material will be moved so that the doctors and nurses in the new building can start work immediately. During the main move, the intensive care unit, the monitoring ward, neonatology and the emergency department will take priority. Hospital operations will continue as normal.

    The new building will actually be ready sooner. But the KSB management deliberately chose February as the date for the move. “Theoretically, the new building would be ready for occupation as early as next autumn,” KSB CEO Adrian Schmitter is quoted as saying. However, moving before the autumn holidays would have been tight. This is because the building still has to undergo numerous complex tests beforehand. In addition, all operating licences must be obtained.

    As the KSB is always very busy between October and January and many patients with infectious diseases are treated during the flu epidemics, it was decided to use the time window with fewer patients from the end of February for the move. Details on the new KSB building can be found in KSB magazine 02-2024.

  • New ways of dealing with grey energy and housing allocation

    New ways of dealing with grey energy and housing allocation

    The property sector faces the challenge of reducing its carbon footprint. While institutional investors have already made progress, Fredy Hasenmaile points out that the next step is to consider grey energy – the energy used to construct properties and their materials. Previous efforts have focused mainly on the operational phase of properties, but including grey energy in the calculations could revolutionise the understanding of sustainability in construction.

    In his analysis, Hasenmaile also points to a problematic misallocation of living space in Switzerland, caused by the current tenancy law, which leads to a large discrepancy between asking rents and existing rents. Older households in particular remain in flats that are too large, as moving to smaller units is financially unattractive. This leads to inefficient utilisation of living space and an increasing housing shortage.

    The study by Raiffeisen Switzerland identifies enormous potential for improving the allocation of living space: if flats were distributed in such a way that each household had just one more room than people, 170,000 flats could be saved. This would not only alleviate the problem of housing shortages, but would also save considerable amounts of grey energy.

    In view of the expected increase in new rents and the resulting increase in disincentives, which also lead to vacancies and low tenant mobility, Hasenmaile appeals to the need to address the causes of this misallocation under tenancy law and to find innovative solutions for a more effective transfer of living space.

  • Residents of Eastern Switzerland would reduce living space

    Residents of Eastern Switzerland would reduce living space

    Nikola Vukovic and Raphael Dietrich have developed options for easing the housing market in Eastern Switzerland in their final thesis for the Master’s degree programme in Real Estate Management at OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule. “The Swiss population lives too generously,” Vukovic and Dietrich are quoted as saying in a corresponding OST press release. However, according to the findings of the two researchers, many residents of Eastern Switzerland would be prepared to reduce their living space.

    Specifically, 43 per cent of 379 participants in a survey as part of the master’s thesis stated that they could do without living space. A guest room or a hobby room were particularly frequently rated as unnecessary. However, alternatives are needed, “such as a central guest room that would be easy to rent in the flat block,” explains Vukovic.

    The Master’s students have also identified a high level of willingness among the population to move into a smaller flat. However, the problem here is that there are not enough small flats available, according to the press release. The price can also be an obstacle: “Nobody would give up a four-room flat for 1,000 francs for a smaller flat that costs the same or more,” says Vukovic.

    Urban centres could be eased by moving to more rural regions. In the survey, around 95 per cent of respondents indicated a willingness to do so. “However, the respondents would not move without conditions,” explains Dietrich. “Incentives would have to be created to encourage people to move away from urban centres.”

  • Location found for Rorschach outpatient centre

    Location found for Rorschach outpatient centre

    The town of Rorschach, the canton of St.Gallen and the Spitalanlagegesellschaft des Kantonsspitals St.Gallen have reached an agreement on the construction of a new outpatient centre. After a long search, a suitable property has now been found. According to a press release, the complex in the Neuseeland/Rorschacherberg area – directly on the border with Rorschach – will be fully operational from the end of 2024. Until then, outpatient service providers with a focus on oncology outpatient clinics, gastroenterology and cardiology will be relocated to the new site. Outpatient consultations will also be offered by the Clinics for General, Visceral, Endocrine and Transplant Surgery, Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Urology and the Clinic for Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery.

    As there would be insufficient space for haemodialysis at the new outpatient clinic, the decision-makers have decided to integrate these treatments into the haemodialysis unit at the St.Gallen site. According to the press release, this will take place by the end of the first quarter of 2024.

    The Radiology Network of the Clinic for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at St.Gallen Cantonal Hospital in Rorschach offers a comprehensive range of radiological diagnostic services at the Regatron Centre. In addition to the existing MR and PET-CT examinations, computerised tomography and fully digital conventional X-ray diagnostics are now also offered.

    The Cantonal Hospital of St.Gallen is currently still using the property of the former Rorschach Hospital. The use of this building from 2025 is still open and is still being discussed by the canton, the town of Rorschach and the hospital investment company of the cantonal hospital.

  • Relocatees are looking for a long-term home

    Relocatees are looking for a long-term home

    Extending a family is the most common reason for moving in Switzerland, explains the Zurich University of Applied Sciences(ZHAW) in a press release. It has investigated the relocation behaviour of the Swiss population in a study conducted jointly with the Federal Office of Housing, the Fédération Romande Immobilière, the Swiss Homeowners’ Association and Raiffeisen Switzerland. According to the results, around 45 percent of 1094 respondents in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland are currently considering a move.

    “In general, housing satisfaction is high among the Swiss population,” co-project leader Holger Hohgardt of the Institute of Wealth and Asset Management at ZHAW is quoted as saying in the statement. According to the study’s findings, people are kept at their place of residence in particular by their spatial and social environment. “People in Switzerland move on average 5 to 6 times in their lifetime and want a long-term home,” Hohgardt explains.

    An increase in living space or a change from renting to owning their own home were most frequently cited as reasons for a change by respondents who were willing to move. Behind the desire for more living space is often starting a family or expanding. Conversely, the departure of children or retirement are rarely associated with a move. Only a minority is prepared to give up home ownership. According to co-project leader Selina Lehner from the ZHAW School of Management and Law, the respondents probably find it difficult “to part with what they already have, even though they recognise that their housing needs have changed”.

  • Smaller rental apartments save resources

    Smaller rental apartments save resources

    According to a press release , three scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ) have tried to find out what is behind the ever increasing space requirements of tenants. The background to this is that residential construction is not only the second largest source of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Switzerland, right after traffic.

    The researchers at the Laboratory on Human-Environment Relations in Urban Systems ( HERUS ) at EPFL have therefore launched a survey among tenants. In Switzerland they make up 60 percent of the apartment occupancy. The responses from 968 tenants showed, among other things, that 40 percent of them moved into a larger apartment, although their household size had decreased. Only 25 percent would be willing to downsize under the same circumstances.

    The researchers summarized the following main obstacles to downsizing: the large living space serves as a status symbol, the bond with the current apartment and the neighborhood as well as the fear of loss of privacy.

    They propose several solutions: financial incentives to move and a sufficient supply of small apartments in city centers. In addition, there should be apartments of different sizes in the same building so that tenants can move without losing contact with friends and neighbors.

    They also recommend giving tenants who want to downsize, priority over other potential tenants. In addition, the current approach to privacy in the entire building should be reconsidered, says Anna Pagani from HERUS, for example "by providing workshops and music rooms that can be used by tenants".

  • Swiss keep moving

    Swiss keep moving

    Almost 20 percent of the population moved within the last 18 months, homegate.ch informed in a message. This rate has been observed over the last year and a half, it says there. The pandemic did not reduce the attractiveness of a move. The digital real estate marketplace from TX Group is based on a relocation study it carried out.

    According to the results of the study, Switzerland is still “a land of tenants”, the communication further explains. Over seven out of ten people moved into a rented apartment. Homgate.ch observed moving in together with the partner, professional reasons and dissatisfaction with the current apartment as the most common reasons for moving. The most important criteria for the selection of the new domicile were mentioned by those questioned for the study of the price, the number of rooms and the location. Accessibility, old buildings or the Minergie standard, on the other hand, were only important to a minority in the single-digit range.

    The pandemic had "no lasting effects on moving behavior," writes homegate.ch. However, two thirds of those surveyed claimed that the pandemic had an impact on their relocation plans. The communication specifically mentions problems with viewings and postponing a planned move. In addition, 12 percent of those moving because of the lockdown moved to their partner.

  • Walde & Partner moves into new company headquarters

    Walde & Partner moves into new company headquarters

    As of next spring, Walde & Partner will move into "the striking office building of EBP Schweiz AG at Zollikerstrasse 65 in Zollikon", as it is called in a media release . The real estate company is looking for a new tenant from the second half of 2021 onwards for the previous headquarters on Alten Landstrasse in Zollikon. The move takes place because the demand for Walde & Partner's services is increasing sharply, according to a media release.

    The new company headquarters offers space for around 100 workplaces and is to be developed into a competence center for real estate. "Today, interdisciplinary services are in demand in the development and marketing of real estate – both in the development and in the purchase and sale of investment properties and owner-occupied residential property", Gerhard Walde, Chairman of the Board of Directors, is quoted in the press release.

    For this purpose, all corporate divisions will also be merged at the new headquarters. The investment property and new construction divisions were most recently active in other locations. 60 people are currently active for Walde & Partner, 40 of them will be working at the new company headquarters in the future. "But the employees from the Baden, Lucerne, Sursee, Thalwil and Uster locations will also often be found here," says Gerhard Walde.