Swiss move house five times on average

Swiss people move house on average five times in their lifetime Keystone-SDA

Swiss residents move home five times on average during their lives, and despite a housing shortage, only about half spend more than three months searching for a new place.

These are the two main findings of a survey conducted by the property portal Newhome, which interviewed 1,273 Swiss residents aged between 18 and 79.

On average, people moved house 4.9 times in their lifetime. One-third moved a maximum of twice, 41% between three and five times, and 32% over five times. Unsurprisingly, the proportion of those who have never moved house or have done so only once is particularly high amongst those under 29.

Buying a property was the main reason for moving for one in three people. Twenty-four per cent cited a change in their relationship status and 27% a change in family circumstances as the reason for their most recent move. It is less common to look for new accommodation due to a new job or education (19%).

The survey also reveals some regional differences. For example, it is easier to find a home in canton Ticino in southern Switzerland than elsewhere – 35% took less than a month. Nationally, however, one in ten had to search for over a year, a figure that rises to 18% among 45–59-year-olds.

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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.