Tag: Wohneigentum

The dream of a family home in the country is becoming more and more of a dream

Das Einfamilienhaus erweist sich einmal mehr als Wohntraum Nummer 1 in der Schweiz. Bei Personen im Alter von 25 bis 30 Jahren ist der Wert mit 64 Prozent am höchsten. Stehen soll es auf dem Land. Ländliche Gegenden bleiben mit 48 Prozent Zustimmung auch in diesem Jahr die bevorzugte Wohnumgebung. 90 Prozent der Menschen, die auf dem Land leben, wollen auch in Zukunft dortbleiben. Bei der Stadtbevölkerung zeigt sich ein anderes Bild: Nur 65 Prozent der Befragten erachten die aktuelle Wohnumgebung als den bevorzugten Wohnort. Finanzielle Gründe sind die am meisten genannte Hürde (40%), die gegen einen Umzug spricht. Der Arbeitsweg bleibt trotz vermehrtem Home-Office der zweitwichtigste Hinderungsgrund.

Kosten und Aussenbereich dominieren bei der Wahl eines Zuhauses – nicht das Home-Office
Wichtigstes Kriterium bei der Wahl einer Wohnung resp. eines Hauses bleiben die Wohnkosten, gefolgt vom Aussenbereich. Neu abgefragte Kriterien wie das separate Zimmer für Home-Office oder ökologische Faktoren werden kaum als entscheidend genannt, aber von rund der Hälfte der Befragten zumindest als wichtiges Kriterium angesehen. Eine Lademöglichkeit fürs E-Auto, Service-Dienst-leistungen oder Luxuseinrichtung spielen bei der Wahl eines Zuhauses kaum eine Rolle.
Bezüglich der Lage soll die Traumimmobilie ruhig (66%) und naturnah (66%) stehen. Zudem ist eine gute Anbindung an den öffentlichen Verkehr (51%) gefragt. Hier hat sich im Vergleich zum Vorjahr wenig verändert. Die Nachbarschaft wird von 41 Prozent der Befragten als besonders wichtig angegeben und liegt damit neu auf Rang 4 – zwei Plätze höher als letztes Jahr. Und auch die Nähe zur medizinischen Versorgung gewinnt einen Platz auf Kosten der Nähe zur Kinderbetreuungsstätte oder der Schule.

Traum vom Eigenheim ungebrochen, scheitert aber meist an Angebot und Finanzierung
Knapp die Hälfte der Befragten (46%) träumt von einer (weiteren) eigenen Wohnimmobilie. Dabei hat sich der Wunsch bei den jüngeren Befragten im Vergleich zum Vorjahr noch einmal verstärkt. Besonders ausgeprägt ist er nach wie vor bei der heutigen Mieterschaft: 62 Prozent träumen davon, ein Eigenheim zu kaufen. Schwierigkeiten bereiten das knappe Angebot (58%) und die hohen Preise (49%). Hinzu kommen strenge Finanzierungskriterien, welche einer Überhitzung des Immobilienmarktes vorbeugen sollen, aber zunehmend in Kritik geraten. 50 Prozent der Befragten beurteilen die geltenden Kriterien als nicht mehr der heutigen Realität entsprechend und sagen, dass der Kauf auch mit weniger Einkommen möglich sein sollte. «Die Immobilienpreise sind im Vergleich zu den Löhnen überdurchschnittlich gestiegen, was mit den starren Finanzierungsregeln dazu führt, dass sich mittlerweile Neukäufer ihre erste Immobilie erst mit 44 Jahren leisten können. Jüngeren Familien und Paaren wird das Wohneigentum dadurch unter anderem auch systembedingt verwehrt», so Martin Tschopp, CEO von MoneyPark.

Landleben macht zufrieden, Eigentum noch zufriedener
Glücklich ist, wer bereits ein Eigenheim hat. Zwei Drittel der Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer geben an, sehr zufrieden zu sein, während es bei den Mieterinnen und Mietern nur ein Drittel ist. Die Zufriedenheit korreliert mit den Wohnkosten: Zwei Drittel der Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer wenden weniger als 20 Prozent ihres Einkommens fürs Wohnen auf, während dies bei den Mieterinnen und Mietern nur für einen Drittel gilt. Die Auswertung zeigt zudem, dass Bewohnerinnen und Bewohner ländlicher Regionen eine signifikant höhere Zufriedenheit mit der aktuellen Wohnsituation (58% sind sehr zufrieden) aufweisen als Agglomerations- und Stadtbewohnerinnen und -bewohner (45% resp. 41%). Zudem fällt in der Deutschschweiz (53%) die Zufriedenheit deutlich höher aus als in der Westschweiz (40%) – mit Höchstwerten in der Ostschweiz (61%) und Tiefstwerten in der Genferseeregion (39%).

Hohe Zufriedenzeit hält vom Verkauf ab
Wer ein Eigenheim besitzt, möchte dieses auch gerne behalten. Nur drei Prozent der befragten Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer möchten ihre Immobilie in den nächsten drei Jahren verkaufen. Weitere 15 Prozent planen den Verkauf in vier bis acht Jahren. Ein Blick auf die Altersgruppen zeigt, dass insbesondere Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer bis zum 40. Altersjahr (24%) und Pensionierte (23%) Verkaufsabsichten hegen. Was primär von einem Verkauf abhält, ist die Zufriedenheit mit der aktuellen Wohnsituation (73%). Auch der Wunsch, das Eigenheim in der Familie weiterzugeben (31%), die emotionale Verbundenheit (30%) und die Annahme, dass der Wert der Immobilie weiter steigen wird (16%), lassen die Befragten von einem Verkauf absehen.
Über ein Drittel der Befragten (37%) würde eine geerbte Immobilie vermieten und ein weiteres knappes Drittel (29%) würde sie selbst bewohnen. Für einen Verkauf würde sich nur ein knappes Fünftel (19%) entscheiden. «Dass Immobilien eine attraktive Kapitalanlage darstellen, hat sich auch bei Privatpersonen herumgesprochen. Dass deshalb geerbte Liegenschaften oft vermietet und nicht verkauft werden, führt zu einer zusätzlichen Verknappung des Angebots an Wohneigentum», so Dr. Roman H. Bolliger, CEO von alaCasa.ch.

Jede/r Zweite hat in den letzten beiden Jahren substanziell ins Eigenheim investiert
Seit dem Ausbruch der Corona-Pandemie anfangs 2020 hat knapp die Hälfte der befragten Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer (47%) mehr als CHF 10’000.- ins Eigenheim investiert. Jede fünfte Investition (20%) stand unter dem Einfluss der Pandemie. Entweder wurde investiert, weil das Eigenheim wichtiger geworden ist, oder weil aufgrund der Corona-Einschränkungen Geld gespart und so ins Eigenheim investiert werden konnte. Dass das private Draussen wichtiger geworden ist, zeigen sowohl die getätigten wie auch die geplanten Investitionen deutlich: In keinen anderen Bereich wurde häufiger investiert als in den eigenen Garten respektive Aussenbereich (32%). Bäder (28%) und Küchen (27%) belegen die Plätze 2 und 3, dicht gefolgt von Maler- und Gipserarbeiten (26%) sowie neuen Bodenbelägen (25%). Und es geht weiter: 54 Prozent der Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer planen in den nächsten drei Jahren substanziell in ihr Zuhause zu investieren. Die Bedeutung der Pandemie nimmt dabei ab: Nur für sieben Prozent der geplanten Investitionen ist sie der Auslöser. Dabei zeigt sich bei Solaranlagen eine starke Zunahme von 9 auf 17 Prozent. Auch Ladestationen für Elektroautos, Fassadenrenovationen, neue Fenster und Türen sowie Investitionen in Heizung, Lüftung und Klima werden vermehrt geplant.
«Investitionen ins eigene Zuhause sind ein ausgezeichnetes Beispiel dafür, weshalb der ganzheitliche Blick auf Eigenheim, Versicherung und Vorsorge so wichtig ist. Investitionen können den Wert einer Liegenschaft steigern oder einfach Freude machen. Im Fall von werterhaltenden Arbeiten lassen sich zudem Steuervorteile realisieren, da diese Kosten abzugsfähig sind. So oder so ist der investierte Betrag aber nicht mehr bar verfügbar. Das gilt es beispielsweise bei der Pensionsplanung zu bedenken. Und natürlich empfehlen wir nach jeder grösseren Investition, die Versicherung zu überprüfen – egal, ob bei einer Photovoltaik-Anlage oder bei einer neuen Gartenlaube», so Ralph Jeitziner, Leiter Vertrieb Schweiz, Helvetia Versicherungen.

Grüne Hypotheken werden als attraktiv angesehen, aber es fehlt an Wissen
Es bleibt abzuwarten, ob die aktuell vieldiskutierte Abhängigkeit von fossilen Brennstoffen zu einem weiteren Investitionsschub in energetische Massnahmen führen wird. Heute profitieren nur sieben Prozent der befragten Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer von einer grünen Hypothek oder einem entsprechenden Abschlag bei den Hypothekarzinsen. Knapp ein Fünftel der befragten Eigentümerinnen und Eigentümer (18%) weiss nicht, ob das Eigenheim die Kriterien für eine grüne Hypothek erfüllt. Nur elf Prozent geben an, dass sich ihre Immobilie qualifiziert. Von ihnen und von all jenen, die bereits eine grüne Hypothek haben, würden 63 Prozent bei einer Verlängerung (wiederum) eine grüne Hypothek wählen.

Über die Wohntraumstudie
Die Wohntraumstudie von MoneyPark, alaCasa und Helvetia Versicherungen ist die grösste unabhängige Untersuchung zur Zufriedenheit und zu den Wünschen der Schweizer Bevölkerung bezüglich ihrer Wohnsituation. Seit 2015 geht die Studie einmal im Jahr der Frage nach, wie die «Wohnträume» in der Schweiz konkret aussehen. Befragt wurden 1’001 Personen mit Wohnsitz in der Schweiz mittels repräsentativer Online-Umfrage im Februar 2022.
Die integrale Studie finden Sie unter www.moneypark.ch/wohntraumstudie

Kontakt
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press@moneypark.ch
044 200 75 65

Über MoneyPark
MoneyPark ist der führende Spezialist für Hypotheken und Immobilien in der Schweiz und beschäftigt über 300 Mitarbeitende. Das junge Fintech bietet mit der Kombination aus persönlicher Beratung und wegweisender Technologie umfassende und massgeschneiderte Hypotheken- und Immobilienlösungen. Dabei unterstützt MoneyPark seine Kundinnen und Kunden mit unabhängiger Expertise – von der Suche über die Finanzierung, während der Eigentumsphase und beim Verkauf von Immobilien. Für die Finanzierung hält MoneyPark mit Hypothekar- und Vorsorgeangeboten von mehr als 150 Anbietern, darunter Banken, Versicherungen und Pensionskassen, die grösste Finanzierungsauswahl an einem Ort bereit. Die unabhängige Beratung erfolgt entweder in einer der schweizweit mehr als 20 Filialen oder ortsunabhängig via Telefon oder online. Institutionellen Investoren bietet MoneyPark ganzheitliche Hypothekarlösungen dank einem Setup aus leistungsfähigem Vertrieb und effizienter Portfoliobewirtschaftung.

Über alaCasa.ch
alaCasa.ch ist ein unabhängiges Expertennetzwerk für Wohnimmobilien und engagiert sich seit über 20 Jahren für eine hohe Dienstleistungsqualität rund ums Wohneigentum. Partner von alaCasa.ch sind professionelle Immobilienexperten für Eigentumswohnungen und Einfamilienhäuser. Sie zeichnen sich aus durch eine fundierte Ausbildung und eine langjährige Berufserfahrung. Dadurch können sie ihre Kunden kompetent und sicher bei Fragen rund um ihre Liegenschaft unterstützen. alaCasa-Partner sind unabhängig, etabliert und verfügen über eine tadellose Reputation.

Über Helvetia
Helvetia Versicherungen mit Sitz in St. Gallen hat sich seit 1858 zu einer erfolgreichen internationalen Versicherungsgruppe mit über 12 000 Mitarbeitenden und mehr als 7 Millionen Kundinnen und Kunden entwickelt. In der Schweiz ist Helvetia die führende Schweizer Allbranchenversicherung. Seit jeher ermöglicht sie ihren Kundinnen und Kunden, Chancen wahrzunehmen und Risiken einzugehen – Helvetia ist für sie da, wenn es darauf ankommt. Helvetia ist als beste Partnerin überall dort präsent, wo Absicherungsbedürfnisse entstehen, mit Versicherungs-, Vorsorge- und Anlagelösungen aus einer Hand sowie einfachen Produkten und Prozessen. Mit ImmoWorld bietet Helvetia ihren Kundinnen und Kunden eine umfassende Immobilienplattform kombiniert mit persönlicher Beratung in allen finanziellen Belangen rund um Suche, Kauf, Besitz und Verkauf eines Eigenheims. Dabei behalten die Expertinnen und Experten stets auch Versicherung und Vorsorge im Blick.

June 2022
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 .

May 2022
Home ownership: the mix of digitization and physical presence is crucial

Do you remember the time when there was no internet? In Switzerland, the Internet boom began in 1995 – on September 16, 1996, the Internet became affordable for the general public, since access was possible throughout Switzerland at local telephone rates. The USA, especially American Internet startups, paved the way to the Internet age worldwide – Amazon was founded in 1994, Ebay in 1995 and Google in 1998.
Activities in areas such as e-commerce, e-banking and various market and information platforms quickly followed in Switzerland. The marketplace for rental apartments and home ownership was digitized early on: the market leaders Immoscout24 and Homegate were founded in 1997 and 2001 respectively. In recent years, countless other platforms and services related to the real estate market have joined the online marketplaces for renting and selling real estate: sharing platforms such as Airbnb, housing portals where landlords look for tenants, real estate platforms for institutional investors, platforms for crowdsourcing and peer-to-peer financing, and many more.
The search for real estate takes place virtually
Digital platforms are an essential part of the housing market – and there is hardly anyone who does not first visit the websites or apps of the various providers when looking for a rental apartment or a home. Efficient search engines provide valuable information on offers and prices; increasingly better 360-degree videos offer virtual tours, and chatbots answer the most pressing questions. User trust in many of these digital platforms is high, not least because false information is immediately exposed by the community.
These digital services provide a quick and easy market overview from the sofa; if a new property that meets certain criteria comes onto the market, the interested party will be notified immediately. But while the search for real estate has been almost completely and successfully relocated to the virtual space, most tenants still want to see the potential new apartment in person – and when buying, selling and maintaining residential property, hardly anything works without a physical presence. Digitization is reaching its limits.
With the help of digital assistants, a property profile can be created quickly and easily with the year of construction, net living space, property type, location, etc. and the current condition of the building can be determined. Based on such a profile, individual modernization assistants even provide concrete recommendations as to exactly what should be replaced or modernized and when, including a range of the corresponding renovation costs. Platforms can also provide a lot of suggestions and information in the area of energy-efficient renovation, for example on savings in electricity consumption or possible subsidies for heating systems based on renewable energy.
Physical presence is required for investment decisions
However, when it comes to assessing the "look and feel" of a property, physical presence on site is essential. The definitive assessment of the condition of a building and the decision as to which renovation materials are really necessary can only be made on site – and together with experienced experts. The choice of the right craftsmen also takes place physically, at least in a second step, since they also have to inspect the property personally in order to be able to create concrete offers.
In addition, many financial institutions require a "physical" appraisal prepared by a special appraiser for the financing of a home. Since real estate is not fungible, every transaction is different – and specialists should also be consulted for the negotiation and conclusion of a real estate transaction.
Digital home ownership platforms can provide a lot of benefits and cover many needs related to the purchase, maintenance or sale of a property. But it doesn't work without people. Only the mix of digitization and physical presence – as well as the support of appropriate experts – leads to the best result.

April 2022
Second homes make the highest jump in price

The prices of single-family houses increased in 2021 compared to the previous year by an average of 9 percent to CHF 1.42 million. The prices of condominiums rose by an average of 8.3 percent to CHF 0.91 million. This is shown by the figures from the Home Market Price Analysis presented annually by the real estate marketplace Homegate and the Swiss Real Estate Institute of the Zurich School of Economics (HWZ). As stated in a media release , this is the highest price dynamic for residential property in ten years.

For second homes, prices rose by 35 percent compared to the previous year. “The price increases for first homes are amazing,” says Peter Ilg, head of the Swiss Real Estate Institute. “But in the case of second homes, a market has been created due to the strict limitation on supply by the second home initiative that is ideal for real estate speculation.”

Condominiums are still the most expensive in the Zurich region, single-family homes in the Lake Geneva region. The sharp rise in prices seems to be leading to fewer sales transactions, at least for single-family homes. They fell by 10 percent.

There are major differences between the regions at the community level: With the same budget of 3.1 million francs, for which there was a house in Erlenbach ZH, you could buy a good six single-family houses in Brugg AG. The lowest average prices for condominiums were paid in the municipality of Sainte-Croix VD at CHF 0.28 million, the highest in Zumikon ZH at CHF 2.37 million.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

January 2022
Zurich homes fetch record prices

"Zurich's home prices are skyrocketing," writes the Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ) in its real estate barometer for the fourth quarter of 2021 . According to the analysts at ZKB, prices for residential property in the Canton of Zurich rose by an average of 9.3 percent year-on-year to new record levels. The analysts account for the highest increase of 11.3 percent for residential property in the lake communities and the city of Zurich.

Rents also achieved “the highest overall annual growth since the end of 2014” in the reporting period, the barometer continues. The analysts attribute this to the currently falling figures for vacant apartments “in combination with robust immigration”. In the city of Zurich, on the other hand, “the centers lost their attractiveness during the pandemic”. Here, rents increased by only 0.5 percent year-on-year.

The analysts also cite the long approval period for the construction of apartment buildings as a background for the developments. The approval period for major projects has almost doubled since 2001 from 183 to 324 days. "High-density construction often generates areas of friction and often leads to lengthy appeals and delays," the analysts explain. As a result, the implementation of many major projects is no longer decided in the Zurich building department, but in court. Ultimately, however, "in most cases a solution" can be found.

January 2022
Two Geneva fintechs are joining forces to make it easier to buy home ownership in Switzerland

Reduce the equity required for the mortgage loan
While interest rates are at an all-time low, prices are rising. When it comes to granting a mortgage loan, the requirement for at least 20% equity capital is the main obstacle to home ownership. Today, only 40% of households in Switzerland are homeowners. Of the 60% of tenants, 21% would like to own a property, whereas only 3% are able to do so.
For this reason Evahomes.ch offers financially strong people an alternative income solution that meets the regulatory requirements. The latter only require 10% equity to become a home owner. As with a classic acquisition, the bank can finance the property up to 80%, while the purchaser covers at least 10% of the purchase price with his assets. The remaining equity is provided by qualified Swiss investors with an annual return of 3 to 7%, depending on the risk profile of the overall situation of the buyer.
The solution enables home ownership with less equity and thus opens up this perspective to more people in Switzerland. The company e-Potek saw Evahomes.ch's innovative proposal as an opportunity to expand its mandate to facilitate access to mortgage credit.
"Some of our customers borrow money from their families to supplement their equity. Evahomes.ch represents a solution with an interesting tax advantage for those people who do not want or cannot rely on their relatives", explains Yannis Eggert, Director at e -Potek.
Accompany and facilitate the buying process for future buyers
The chosen financing solution can be optimized through the partnership with e-Potek. e-Potek enables future buyers to determine the best financing conditions from all lenders on the market and to benefit from tailor-made professional support in the areas of mortgage financing, retirement provision and real estate taxation from the beginning to the end of the project. "Thanks to the partnership with e-Potek, we can expand our service to more households. This is in line with our mandate to lower the entry barriers for new homeowners in Switzerland as much as possible," added Tafsir Bâ, CEO of Evahomes.ch.
The buyer then pays a monthly amount, which depends on the theoretical rental yield of the property, the duration of the contract, the personal circumstances of the buyer and the investment profile. At the end of the contract, the equity is built up and the rent is reduced to the usual mortgage interest. Potential buyers with sufficient equity can also opt for this alternative if they want to have cash at their disposal.
Opportunity for returns for investors
In an economic climate in which savings returns are close to 0% and real estate returns are around 3%, indirect real estate investment via Evahomes.ch is a real opportunity. E-Potek has raised an initial fundraising of CHF 7 on behalf of Evahomes.ch .5 million and the two companies are already considering one
further fundraising. For investors lending their equity to future buyers, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to
Investing in the Swiss real estate market at competitive returns.
"We have been approached by many private investors who want to invest and participate in fundraising and have not been able to meet that demand. So far, fundraising has been aimed primarily at a select few qualified investors who have been looking to invest in this type of opportunity for several years However, in view of the great demand from future buyers who would like to apply for a loan at Evahomes.ch, we believe that we can make the investment opportunity available to the general public very quickly, "says Yannis Eggert, Director at e-Potek.
Via Evahomes.ch
Evahomes.ch was founded in 2020 to make it easier for people with sufficient income and reduced equity to buy their own home without having to pay more than the monthly amount of a traditional rent. This unique offer in Switzerland is 100% digital and enables cheap online financing via the Evahomes.ch platform.
www.evahomes.ch
About e-Potek
The company e-Potek, founded in 2018, has set itself the goal of making applying for a mortgage loan easier, more transparent and faster. Through its online platform combined with the specialist knowledge of its team of experts in the field of mortgage financing, pension provision and real estate taxation, the company supports future buyers in the implementation of their real estate projects. e-Potek currently employs around 15 people and has two branches in western Switzerland (Geneva and Lausanne). The growing company is preparing to open new branches and expand in German-speaking Switzerland.
www.e-potek.ch
Media contacts: Voxia communication
Hertha Baumann: +41 43 344 98 49 – hertha.baumann@voxia.ch

December 2021
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.

December 2021
Home ownership is becoming more expensive

According to a statement from the Federal Statistical Office ( FSO ), the Swiss residential property price index closed at 107.8 points in the third quarter of 2021. Compared to the previous quarter, this corresponds to growth of 2.4 percent. In a year-on-year comparison, the analysts of the FSO measured an increase in prices of 6.9 percent. The base value of the index was set at 100 points in the fourth quarter of 2019.

With the changes compared to the previous quarter, the analysts identify higher prices for single-family houses in the reporting quarter for all types of municipalities. The strongest increase of 3.4 percent was observed in single-family houses in urban communities in a small agglomeration or outside an agglomeration. On average, prices rose by 2.4 percent.

The prices for condominiums rose by an average of 2.3 percent in the same period. The price increase of 4.4 percent was most pronounced in urban communities within large agglomerations. In urban communities of small agglomerations or outside of agglomerations, however, the analysts observed an average decline in prices for condominiums of 0.5 percent.

November 2021
Houzy launches energy calculator

Houzy now also offers an energy calculator on its platform as a further aid for property owners. According to a press release , this can be used to determine the energy efficiency of a building. In this way, Houzy promotes sustainable renovation measures as well as transparency for property owners and prospective buyers.

In addition, the energy calculator simulates the influence of energetic measures on energy consumption, heating costs and CO2 emissions. He takes into account the investment costs and calculates both the funding and the long-term savings potential. In four steps you can find out how facade insulation, insulated windows or a heat pump influence energy efficiency.

October 2021
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.

August 2021
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.

August 2021
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.

July 2021
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.

April 2021
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.

April 2021
Rental prices drop slightly in March

The prices for rents fell in March compared to the previous month by 0.4 percent. This short-term development is only reflected in the national averages. In the most expensive and densely populated regions, rents rose in March, according to the latest data from the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index. In the long term, too, prices have increased on average.

Tenants in the Lake Geneva region had to pay 0.2 percent more in March, and even 0.9 percent in the greater Zurich region. According to a press release, rents in north-western Switzerland also rose by 0.3 percent, in eastern Switzerland by 0.2 percent and in Ticino by 1.9 percent. In Central Switzerland, on the other hand, rents fell by 1.2 percent. Over the year as a whole, rental prices rose by an average of 0.6 percent for the country.

In the case of home ownership, prices have also developed differently, depending on the type of residence. While those interested in condominiums benefited from an average of 0.4 percent lower prices in March, buyers of single-family homes had to add 1 percent.

In the past twelve months, home prices even rose by a record 7.2 percent. While the square meter cost 6398 francs in March 2020, it was 6857 francs in March of this year.

In the case of condominiums, the plus of 3 percent was somewhat more moderate. Here, the price per square meter rose from 7,366 francs in March 2020 to 7,587 francs in March 2021.

The data of the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index is created in real time on the basis of advertisements on the real estate platform ImmoScout24 and in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI AG .

April 2021
Home ownership achieves new record prices

The prices for owner-occupied residential property rose to new highs at the end of 2020, informs Raiffeisen Switzerland in a report on the study “ Real Estate Switzerland Q1 / Q2 ”. Specifically, the analysts of the banking group observed an increase in the prices of single-family houses by 2.9 percent and of condominiums by 3.1 percent year-on-year. They expect home ownership prices to continue to rise this year as well. Martin Neff, chief economist at Raiffeisen Switzerland, is quoted in the press release: "For households that meet the affordability guidelines and equity requirements, the purchase of home ownership is and will remain an economically sensible decision from a purely cost perspective".

In the office space market, the pandemic has not yet led to falling prices either, the announcement further explains. "The test is still ahead of this market, because it is characterized by long-term rental agreements and changes to flexible working models do not take place overnight," says Neff. In the case of upcoming construction projects, however, “fundamental questions about the usefulness of a project and its chances in the post-Corona reality should be asked,” recommends the Raiffeisen chief economist.

In the niche market of residential communities (WG), however, the study authors identified clear traces of the pandemic. "The demand for rooms in shared apartments in this dynamically reacting market has literally collapsed, as our analysis of the data from the largest platform wgzimmer.ch shows," explains Neff. The proportion of Swiss people who share their apartment with one or more flatmates increased from 1.5 to 2.7 percent within ten years by 2018.

March 2021
HSLU erklärt neues Modell für Wohneigentum

In der Schweiz lebt der Grossteil der Bevölkerung in Mietwohnungen. Nur 40 Prozent besitzen Immobilien. Laut einer Medienmitteilung der HSLU ist dieser Anteil niedriger als in jedem anderen Land in Westeuropa. Der Grund seien die fehlenden Eigenmittel und die hohen Baukosten.

Die HSLU stellt nun ein neues Eigentumsmodell vor. Dabei wird eine Immobilie nur für eine festgelegte Zeit gekauft. Wenn von einer Lebensdauer der Immobilie von 100 Jahren ausgegangen wird und das Wohneigentum auf eine Zeit von 30 Jahren beschränkt ist, zahlt die Käuferin oder der Käufer nur 30 Prozent des totalen Wertes der Immobilie. Wegen der verkürzten Nutzungsdauer werden entsprechende Wohnobjekte auch mit einer tieferen Hypothek belegt. Laut der HSLU fallen die Kosten für Wohneigentum auf Zeit insgesamt um rund 15 Prozent tiefer aus als die Kosten der Miete über den selben Zeitraum. Nach Ansicht der Hochschule hat das Modell auch für Investoren Vorteile. Wenn das Wohnobjekt nach Ablauf der festgelegten Zeitdauer zurück zum Investor geht, kann er die Immobilie marktfähig sanieren.

Insgesamt stösst das Modell laut HSLU sowohl bei Investoren als auch bei bei potenziellen Bewohnerinnen und Bewohnern auf hohe Akzeptanz. Dennoch gibt es bisher in Europa nur ein Objekt, bei dem Wohnungen mit dem Wohneigentum-auf-Zeit-Modell erworben werden können – dieses befindet sich in Bern. Die HSLU hat nun ein Handbuch erarbeitet, das aufzeigt, wie Investoren und Wohneigentümer von diesem Modell profitieren können.

January 2021