Stable home prices, mixed rental development

As the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index compiled by the SMG Swiss Marketplace Group in collaboration with the property consultancy IAZI shows, condominiums were advertised at 0,4% higher values in March. Within a year, this represents a price increase of 2,3%.

Regardless of this, anyone intending to purchase residential property is likely to focus on buying a condominium rather than a detached house for two reasons. First, the number of condominiums available throughout Switzerland is significantly greater than that of single-family homes. Second, the purchase prices per property are lower and, therefore, easier to finance.

Single-family homes also recorded a slight increase of 0,3% in March. In contrast to condominiums, however, the asking prices for this form of housing remained practically identical to a year ago. This suggests that sellers do not currently expect to be able to push through further price increases.

Inconsistent developments in asking rents
On the official relocation date at the end of March, asking rents fell by 0,2% on average across the country. Nevertheless, there was a noticeable increase of 2,8% within a year. However, there are major regional differences in the development of rents: Values have increased in Central Switzerland (1,7%) with the hotspots of Zug and Lucerne. Moderate increases can also be seen in the greater Zurich region (0,7%) and in Eastern Switzerland (0,2%). Further price increases can be expected in the major regions of Zurich and Central Switzerland in particular, which recorded increases in asking rents in March due to the pronounced housing shortage. By contrast, there were decreases in the Lake Geneva region (-1,3%), Ticino (-1,3%), Northwestern Switzerland (-0,7%) and the Central Plateau (-0,4%). 

“The Swiss National Bank’s surprise cut in the key interest rate to 1,5% at the end of March is good news for tenants who have no plans to move. This is because it is likely to favour setting the reference rent rate at the current level. However, for reductions to become an issue in the future, mortgage interest rates would have to remain significantly below the current level for a longer period of time due to the inertia of the rental reference rate,” says Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate at SMG Swiss Marketplace Group.

As at 31 March 2024

The Swiss Real Estate Offer Index is published on the ImmoScout24 and IAZI AG websites. 

www.immoscout24.ch/immobilienindex
www.iazi.ch/angebotsindizes

Detailed information and statistics about the overall Swiss trend and those in the various regions are available in the Download section.

Rental offers throughout Switzerland (CHF/m2 per year)

Offers to buy detached houses throughout Switzerland (CHF/m2)

 Condominiums for sale throughout Switzerland (CHF/m2)

The values may contain rounding differences.