Given the chronic housing shortage in many areas of Switzerland, vacant apartments are snapped up soon after they are advertised. How long that is depends on the part of Switzerland.
The demand for accommodations in some cantons and municipalities is so high (and the supply so low) that as soon as an apartment becomes available, masses of applications pour into the rental management offices.
READ ALSO:Why is Switzerland’s housing shortage among the worst in Europe?
For instance, the shortage of dwellings is so acute in Zurich that when one becomes available, a very long queue forms outside the building, waiting for public viewing.
In fact, in Zurich, some cooperatives are using a random number generator for viewing appointments and to to allocate vacant accommodations.
How long do rentals remain vacant in various parts of Switzerland?
Much depends on the geographical location; typically, urban centres are much more in demand than, say, remote rural areas.
According to a recent analysis carried out jointly the Swiss Association of Real Estate Professionals (SVIT), Homeowners Association, the newhome platform, and the Swiss Real Estate Institute, a typical rental advert runs for 23 days until the apartment goes off the market — that is, it is rented.
However, while the demand for housing in Zurich is very high and outstrips the available supply by far, this is not where vacant apartments are rented out the quickest.
Advertisement
Let’s look at cantons first
The place where an empty accommodation finds a tenant fastest is Zug — within 12 days of being advertised.
Next are Schwyz (15 days), as well as Zurich and Geneva (both 17 days).
In terms of individual cities, the Graubüden capital of Chur experiences the shortest wait (10 days), followed by Winterthour (13 days), Geneva (14 days), and Lucerne (15).
In Zurich it takes 18 days on average.
Still, apartments is all these cities stay on the market for under 20 days. But this is not the case everywhere in Switzerland.
Advertisement
In what regions is there a surplus of apartments?
Of the analysed parts of the country, apartments are advertised for rent longest in Neuchâtel and Jura, where vacant dwellings remain on the market for 38 and 49 days, respectively.
READ ALSO: Why is Switzerland not building enough housing for its growing population?
