The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Pandemic pushes Swiss house prices higher

People on a terrace
Consumer prices have risen sharply in Switzerland, increasing the attractiveness of tangible assets such as residential property © Keystone / Christian Beutler

The value of residential property in Switzerland continued to rise strongly in 2021 in the wake of Covid-19. Property prices are likely to rise further this year, according to an analysis.

Owners of freeholder apartments saw an increase in value of 7.3% over the course of the year. The increase for single-family houses was almost as high at 6.9%, revealed the Swiss Real Estate Offer IndexExternal link, published on Tuesday. This is compiled by the Swiss Marketplace Group /ImmoScout24 in cooperation with real estate consultancy IAZI.

The reasons given for this are the pandemic-related change in housing needs and solid economic development. In addition, immigration is continuing, and the supply of land is becoming increasingly scarce, the report said. At the same time, consumer prices have risen sharply. This further increases the attractiveness of tangible assets such as residential property.

Homeowners were not the only potential winners last year, ImmoScout24 added. Tenants looking for somewhere to live could benefit from an average decline in asking rents of at least 0.3% across the country.

The overall trend for rent to be reduced was due to a “real year-end spurt”. In December alone a drop of 0.9% was registered nationwide.

More

Going up

In the new year property prices are likely to continue to rise, according to ImmoScout24. Whether the trend reverses depends on the monetary authorities, it said.

The US Federal Reserve has announced that it will raise the key interest rate faster than planned. Should the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB) follow suit, price declines are to be expected in Switzerland, said Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate at the Swiss Marketplace Group. However, such a move by the SNB is currently considered very unlikely by the market.

More

Popular Stories

News

Switzerland "more than ready" to host Ukraine summit

More

Switzerland ‘more than ready’ to host Ukraine summit

This content was published on Switzerland is more than ready to host a summit between Russia and Ukraine, says Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, highlighting Switzerland's expertise in this area.

Read more: Switzerland ‘more than ready’ to host Ukraine summit
Travailsuisse demands an average wage increase of two per cent

More

Swiss union federation demands average wage increase of 2%

This content was published on The employees' umbrella organisation Travailsuisse is demanding an average wage increase of two percent for all employees in the coming year. This would cover the rising cost of living and make up for wage shortfalls in recent years.

Read more: Swiss union federation demands average wage increase of 2%
Volunteering increases your own well-being according to survey

More

Volunteering found to increase well-being

This content was published on Volunteering can have a positive effect on mental health. According to a survey conducted in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, people who volunteer for others also strengthen themselves.

Read more: Volunteering found to increase well-being
Twint has more than six million users by the middle of the year

More

More than six million use Twint in Switzerland

This content was published on Twint is being used more and more frequently to make purchases at the till or transfer money to friends using a smartphone. By the middle of the year, the payment app already had more than six million users in Switzerland.

Read more: More than six million use Twint in Switzerland
Zelensky-Putin meeting: Macron pleads for Geneva

More

Zelensky-Putin meeting: Macron argues for Geneva

This content was published on The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin should take place in Europe, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. He is calling for it to be held in Geneva.

Read more: Zelensky-Putin meeting: Macron argues for Geneva

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR