Switzerland is on the move

Roughly one-fifth of the Swiss population has moved in the last 18 months. This means that moving is no less attractive due to COVID-19. The main reasons for moving are moving in with a partner, professional reasons or being unhappy with their current home. When looking for a new home, price, the number of rooms and the location all play important roles. Switzerland remains a country of renters, however: more than 70% of those who moved homes moved into a rental property. Most people find their new homes using online portals.

The number of people moving in Switzerland remains high. In the last 18 months, around one-fifth of the Swiss population moved into a new home. This proportion has remained relatively stable over the last 2.5 years. Even the COVID-19 pandemic has not had any lasting impact on this trend. There are many reasons for moving, and just as many requirements that a new home needs to meet. This post is based on the findings of a study on moving habits that was carried out by Homegate.

Why do people move?

The main reasons for moving are moving in with a partner (18%), professional reasons (15%) or being unhappy with their current home (12%). Further reasons include separating from a partner (6%) or expecting a child (5%). Only 3% stated that they moved because their children had moved out or because they were unhappy with their landlords.

What are the key criteria when looking for a new apartment?

When looking for a new home, the most important criteria are the price (78%), the number of rooms (62%) and the location (61%). Furthermore, 55% stated that their home needs to have a balcony. Other important criteria include the floor space (48%), the surrounding neighbourhood (47%) as well as proximity to public transport (43%). The least sought-after criteria were wheelchair accessibility (3%), older (pre-WW II) buildings (4%) and apartments that comply with the Minergie Standard (6%). In terms of location, the results show that most individuals are already familiar with their new neighbourhoods when they move. Three out of five were already very familiar with the neighbourhood. However, the number of individuals moving to a completely new neighbourhood they are unfamiliar with is on the rise.

Which types of properties are most popular?

Rental apartments remain the most common type of housing in Switzerland. More than 70% of all individuals moving chose rental properties. Newly built apartments remain in high demand. A total of 17% of those who have moved in the last 18 months moved into a newly built apartments, 40% of whom were explicitly searching for this type of apartment. In terms of newly built apartments, one key aspect is value for money. 41% said that this is more important to them than the location of the property. The region played a more important role for just 22% of those surveyed. For 37%, both aspects were equally important.

Where do people look for and find properties?

Online platforms remain the most frequently used and most important method for finding an apartment. More than three-quarters of those surveyed used online portals during their search. More than half of the study’s participants found their new home solely using an online property platform. The most effective listings were the ones that included the floor plan and photos that clearly show what the property looks like. The most important device for the property search remains the computer. Three out of five survey participants searched for less than two months before finding their new home. Three-quarters of those surveyed went on fewer than six viewings before they signed a lease.

When are real estate agents involved in the sale or purchase of a property?

Just under one in five individuals who moved out of a home that they owned used a real estate agent to help them sell it. The most common reasons for involving a real estate agent were that this made the sale easier (36%), made the sale progress more quickly (31%), or that the individual wanting to sell did not have any experience with selling property (21%). A real estate agent can help individuals sell their property quickly and hassle-free.

How are people sharing property listings?

WhatsApp remains the most popular channel for sharing exciting property listings with others. 63% send links via WhatsApp; 34% send screenshots of the property. 40% of those surveyed were looking for property with a partner and viewed listings together. The relevance of printed real estate listings, for example in newspapers, has declined significantly in the past year, with just 6% stating that this medium played a role in their search.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on moving habits

Two-thirds of those surveyed responded that COVID-19 had played a role in their decision to move. 12% moved in with their partners as the result of the lockdown. 11% stated that they had problems with viewings; 10% were forced to delay their plans to move. Nevertheless, the amount of time required for the search process remained stable.

About the study

The study on moving habits was carried out from 22 February to 5 March 2021. Individuals surveyed were between the ages of 15 and 79 and had moved in the last 18 months.