If you are hoping to purchase a house or an appartment in 2026, you may want to know what developments to expect on Switzerland’s property market in the coming months.
Buying residential property in Switzerland has always been a challenge – from very high prices to demand continuing to exceed the supply – and this situation is expected to continue in 2026.
According to real estate platform Houzy, these are the main challenges that property seekers will have to contend with in 2026:
- In densely populated Switzerland, building land is scarce and released only restrictively.
- Strict zoning plans, approval procedures, and objections hinder construction activity.
- Regulations complicate densification and reconstruction projects.
What about property prices in 2026?
They are expected to continue their upward trend – by 4.5 percent, according to a study by the Zurich Cantonal Bank (ZKB).
This increase will be due to a market that remains very tight, the study found.
Another forecast, by UBS bank, sees Swiss real estate prices climb by 3.5 percent – less than the ZKB, but still a significant hike.
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Geographical differences
Overall, however – and for all the reasons listed above – prices will remain high in 2026, though buying residential properties in some regions (cantons and/or cities) will be more affordable than in others
A good indication of what property prices you can expect in various regions is the latest index published by real estate platforms Immoscout24 and IAZI.
It indicates that houses are particularly expensive in Central Switzerland (+4.2 percent). The increase was more moderate in the greater Zurich region and the Lake Geneva region (+0.6 percent each). Advertised house prices fell in Eastern Switzerland (-0.3 percent), but particularly in Ticino (-4.2 percent).
According to this data, advertised prices for condominiums rose the most in Zurich (+0.7 percent), followed by Northwestern Switzerland (+0.6 percent).
In contrast, they fell in Central Switzerland (-0.8 percent), Eastern Switzerland (-1 percent) and Ticino (-1.5 percent) – and a this trend is likely to continue.
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What about mortgages?
2026 will be a good time for mortgage shoppers.
That is because in its assessment at the beginning of December, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) left the key interest rate unchanged at 0 percent; according to the UBS forecast, it will remain at this level in 2026 as well.
This means that interest on mortgages will be quite low, though the exact rate will depend on the individual’s financial situation (salary and other assets), as well as the length – and type – of the mortgage.
The UBS pointed out that, “as long as the SNB leaves the key interest rate at 0 percent, the general interest rate level is likely to remain low in the long term.”
You can compare the most current mortgage rates here.
