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S U B S C R I B E
WRS stories about real estate
Why Geneva has higher rents than Zurich
Friday, 3 February, 2012
For many people living in Switzerland, the idea of a housing crisis is nothing new. But how do rents in Zurich compare to those in Geneva, Bern or in smaller towns in less populated cantons? According to comparis.ch, the winner of the most expensive average rent is Geneva. A Geneva flat advertised with four and a half rooms comes with an average monthly rent of 3,900 francs. That even beats Zurich by almost 1,000 francs. WRS’s Dave Goodman talks to a specialist in real estate economics, professor Philippe Thalmann from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne:
Friday, 3 February, 2012
For many people living in Switzerland, the idea of a housing crisis is nothing new. But how do rents in Zurich compare to those in Geneva, Bern or in smaller towns in less populated cantons? According to comparis.ch, the winner of the most expensive average rent is Geneva. A Geneva flat advertised with four and a half rooms comes with an average monthly rent of 3,900 francs. That even beats Zurich by almost 1,000 francs. WRS’s Dave Goodman talks to a specialist in real estate economics, professor Philippe Thalmann from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne:
Sparks fly over proposed tax break for home buyers
Friday, 3 February, 2012
This year voters may experience déjà vu. Twice in a just a matter of months they’ll be asked about tax incentives for people saving to buy a house. The first nationwide vote comes March 11. Supporters of the initiative say they want more Swiss people to be able to buy houses. But opponents call it a giveaway for the rich. WRS’s Jordan Davis reports:
Friday, 3 February, 2012
This year voters may experience déjà vu. Twice in a just a matter of months they’ll be asked about tax incentives for people saving to buy a house. The first nationwide vote comes March 11. Supporters of the initiative say they want more Swiss people to be able to buy houses. But opponents call it a giveaway for the rich. WRS’s Jordan Davis reports:
Strong franc not slowing holiday rentals
Wednesday, 4 January, 2012
Politicians, exporters and the tourism industry alike have complained the Swiss franc is over-valued. As a result, they say, the Swiss economy is on the verge of tipping into a recession. Federal statistics have shown a clear decline in hotel bookings from eurozone countries, helped only slightly by a boost in tourists from Asia, but there is some good news—in Switzerland’s holiday homes sector. WRS’s Tony Ganzer reports:
Wednesday, 4 January, 2012
Politicians, exporters and the tourism industry alike have complained the Swiss franc is over-valued. As a result, they say, the Swiss economy is on the verge of tipping into a recession. Federal statistics have shown a clear decline in hotel bookings from eurozone countries, helped only slightly by a boost in tourists from Asia, but there is some good news—in Switzerland’s holiday homes sector. WRS’s Tony Ganzer reports:
On the hunt for affordable housing
Tuesday, 13 December, 2011
We all know how difficult it can be to find a place to live in Switzerland, especially when you’re living in a big city. But that task is even harder when you’ve got a limited budget and demand is drastically outstripping supply. WRS’s Jo Fahy reports on how, despite Zurich’s plans to build cheaper apartments, it’s still very hard to get an affordable roof over your head:
Tuesday, 13 December, 2011
We all know how difficult it can be to find a place to live in Switzerland, especially when you’re living in a big city. But that task is even harder when you’ve got a limited budget and demand is drastically outstripping supply. WRS’s Jo Fahy reports on how, despite Zurich’s plans to build cheaper apartments, it’s still very hard to get an affordable roof over your head:
Economist: Soaring Zurich real estate prices fall short of bubble point
Tuesday, 24 May, 2011
Residents in the canton of Geneva are well aware of the housing shortage and a real estate bubble that’s threatening to develop. But in Zurich the property market is equally buoyant, raising questions about how sustainable the lofty prices are. In the Seefeld section next to Lake Zurich, for example, a new loft apartment of 192 square metres commands an asking price of 3.3 million francs. In her report on the situation, WRS’s Jo Fahy talks to one expert who says while Zurich prices are high, a crash is not yet imminent:
Tuesday, 24 May, 2011
Residents in the canton of Geneva are well aware of the housing shortage and a real estate bubble that’s threatening to develop. But in Zurich the property market is equally buoyant, raising questions about how sustainable the lofty prices are. In the Seefeld section next to Lake Zurich, for example, a new loft apartment of 192 square metres commands an asking price of 3.3 million francs. In her report on the situation, WRS’s Jo Fahy talks to one expert who says while Zurich prices are high, a crash is not yet imminent:
Vote to decide Geneva farmland housing battle
Tuesday, 10 May, 2011
This weekend voters in Geneva will determine the fate of 58 hectares of suburban farmland. The canton’s government wants the land for 3,000 desperately needed apartments. However, environmentalists say the fertile soil shouldn’t be paved over. But with a serious housing crisis, the battle over those 58 hectares could have wide implications for the development of the entire region. WRS’s Jordan Davis has more:
Tuesday, 10 May, 2011
This weekend voters in Geneva will determine the fate of 58 hectares of suburban farmland. The canton’s government wants the land for 3,000 desperately needed apartments. However, environmentalists say the fertile soil shouldn’t be paved over. But with a serious housing crisis, the battle over those 58 hectares could have wide implications for the development of the entire region. WRS’s Jordan Davis has more:
Population boom sparks housing worries
Wednesday, 30 March, 2011
Switzerland’s population is expected to reach 8.8 million by 2035, with growth mostly fueled by immigration. In its forecast for the next 25 years, the Federal Statistics Office says the canton of Vaud is growing fastest, with no end in sight for the boom in the Lake Geneva region. All this is fueling worries about how to house the extra people. WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports:
Wednesday, 30 March, 2011
Switzerland’s population is expected to reach 8.8 million by 2035, with growth mostly fueled by immigration. In its forecast for the next 25 years, the Federal Statistics Office says the canton of Vaud is growing fastest, with no end in sight for the boom in the Lake Geneva region. All this is fueling worries about how to house the extra people. WRS’s Lucas Chambers reports:
Money-laundering controls needed in Swiss real estate market, expert says
Monday, 28 February, 2011
Concerns linger over the the lack of adequate controls to prevent foreign criminals from using the Swiss property market for money-laundering purposes. Although tough “know your customer” rules were introduced in the banking sector, the regulations don’t cover real estate. Hard facts and figures are hard to come by, but one man who wants to see legal loopholes closed is money-laundering expert, Daniel Thelesklaf, director of the Basel institute for governance.He told WRS’s Vincent Landon why he’s concerned:
Monday, 28 February, 2011
Concerns linger over the the lack of adequate controls to prevent foreign criminals from using the Swiss property market for money-laundering purposes. Although tough “know your customer” rules were introduced in the banking sector, the regulations don’t cover real estate. Hard facts and figures are hard to come by, but one man who wants to see legal loopholes closed is money-laundering expert, Daniel Thelesklaf, director of the Basel institute for governance.He told WRS’s Vincent Landon why he’s concerned:
Zug mandates cheaper housing zones
Monday, 24 January, 2011
Finding an affordable place to live in Zug is tough. Low tax rates and a great location have made it an increasingly popular place to live, driving up prices. The city of Zug is now the first place in the country to introduce special zones for reasonably priced housing. WRS’s Jo Fahy reports:
Monday, 24 January, 2011
Finding an affordable place to live in Zug is tough. Low tax rates and a great location have made it an increasingly popular place to live, driving up prices. The city of Zug is now the first place in the country to introduce special zones for reasonably priced housing. WRS’s Jo Fahy reports:
It's the Law: Rental contracts
Monday, 6 December, 2010
For those who have managed to find a new place to live in this difficult housing environment, Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva has advice on what to look for when signing the lease:
Monday, 6 December, 2010
For those who have managed to find a new place to live in this difficult housing environment, Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva has advice on what to look for when signing the lease:
How to get your rent reduced
Thursday, 2 December, 2010
If you’re more familiar with a rental market where landlords can charge whatever they deem appropriate for a shoebox-sized cell with no windows, a nationwide rent reduction may come as a surprise. The Federal Office of Housing has decided that the single mortgage reference rate, which determines how much landlords can charge their tenants, should go down to 2.75 percent. Alex Helmick gets the details from WRS’s Jo Fahy:
Thursday, 2 December, 2010
If you’re more familiar with a rental market where landlords can charge whatever they deem appropriate for a shoebox-sized cell with no windows, a nationwide rent reduction may come as a surprise. The Federal Office of Housing has decided that the single mortgage reference rate, which determines how much landlords can charge their tenants, should go down to 2.75 percent. Alex Helmick gets the details from WRS’s Jo Fahy:
Family builds a recycled home
Thursday, 4 November, 2010
The Fuchs family may trump all of us when it comes to having an environmentally responsible lifestyle. The family in the village of Trachslau in canton Schwyz, has built an entire house out of stuff other people have thrown away. WRS’s Vincent Landon pays a visit:
Thursday, 4 November, 2010
The Fuchs family may trump all of us when it comes to having an environmentally responsible lifestyle. The family in the village of Trachslau in canton Schwyz, has built an entire house out of stuff other people have thrown away. WRS’s Vincent Landon pays a visit:
Real estate bubble fear is back
Monday, 1 November, 2010
The Swiss National Bank is warning of unsustainable property price rises in Geneva and Zurich. Maybe the monumental crashes in the United States, Ireland and Spain are making them nervous—or maybe they’re remembering the horrors of Switzerland’s very own property nightmare of the early ’90s. As crashes go, it was world class, with CHF 45 billion francs wiped off the banking sector’s bottom line—that’s 10 percent of gross domestic product. WRS’s Pete Forster spoke to Marco Salvi, real estate expert with the Zürcher Kantonal Bank and asked him about the impact of the 1992 crisis:
Monday, 1 November, 2010
The Swiss National Bank is warning of unsustainable property price rises in Geneva and Zurich. Maybe the monumental crashes in the United States, Ireland and Spain are making them nervous—or maybe they’re remembering the horrors of Switzerland’s very own property nightmare of the early ’90s. As crashes go, it was world class, with CHF 45 billion francs wiped off the banking sector’s bottom line—that’s 10 percent of gross domestic product. WRS’s Pete Forster spoke to Marco Salvi, real estate expert with the Zürcher Kantonal Bank and asked him about the impact of the 1992 crisis:
Student housing: Tents for rent?
Monday, 6 September, 2010
It’s front page news—students reduced to camping because they’ve been pushed out of the hot rental market across the country. Lucas Chambers explores the problem. Then Conor Lennon follows up with Basel-based Thomas Leibundgut, president of the committee on social affairs at the Association of Swiss Students, and Pascal Felber, who manages the housing office at Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich (ETHZ) and the University of Zurich.
Monday, 6 September, 2010
It’s front page news—students reduced to camping because they’ve been pushed out of the hot rental market across the country. Lucas Chambers explores the problem. Then Conor Lennon follows up with Basel-based Thomas Leibundgut, president of the committee on social affairs at the Association of Swiss Students, and Pascal Felber, who manages the housing office at Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich (ETHZ) and the University of Zurich.
