Six family homes in Langenthal for the price of one in Geneva
The year under review saw the prices of family homes and apartments in Switzerland’s four wealthiest market regions (Zurich, North-West Switzerland, Bern and Lake Geneva) rise by 3.3% and 1.7% respectively on the previous year. Average prices vary dramatically between regions: while the average family home cost CHF 1.305 million in the most expensive region, Lake Geneva, homes in the cheapest region, Bern, cost 40% less on average, at CHF 770,000. The differences between the most expensive and cheapest municipalities within a region were also staggering, even in those in relatively close proximity. The analysis is based on actual sales prices from the Swiss Real Estate Data Pool (SRED).
- Prices of family homes rose in all four regions studied
Prices of family homes rose most dramatically in North-West Switzerland (+4.8%) and Lake Geneva (+3.6%). In Zurich and Bern, property prices rose only in line with the average or below average, at 3.4% and 2.0% respectively. - Apartment prices rose in only two regions
Apartment prices rose in the cheapest region, Bern (+7.4%), and the most expensive, Lake Geneva (+3.6%). By contrast, in Zurich and North-West Switzerland, property prices fell by 3% and 1.5% respectively. Prices per square metre of net living area, however, are rising in every region, in particular Zurich with an increase of 6.7%. - Huge price differentials between most and least expensive municipalities
An average family home in the most expensive municipality, the city of Geneva, cost CHF 3.57 million. In Schüpfen, Bern, it is possible to buy more than nine family homes for the same price. The difference is even more extreme for apartments: in Herrliberg, Zurich, the average cost is CHF 2.34 million. In Bannwald, Bern, 13 apartments can be purchased for that price.
In the year under review, from 1 January to 31 December 2019, about 3,200 family homes and 4,900 apartments in the four wealthiest market regions were recorded with their actual sales prices in the SRED. The previous year, the figures were 3,100 and 4,500 respectively.
Family homes most expensive in Lake Geneva region and cheapest in Bern
The Lake Geneva region has held its position as the most expensive region in Switzerland, with a price increase for family homes of 3.6% to CHF 1.305 million. The cheapest region for people to fulfil the dream of owning a home is Bern. On average, a house there cost CHF 770,000.
In general, regional price differences were starker for family homes than apartments. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive region was 44% for family homes, while for apartments it was only 33%.
Lake Geneva region overtook Zurich for apartment prices
On the whole, apartments were 1.7% more expensive than the previous year. With a price rise of 3.6%, the average apartment in the Lake Geneva region cost CHF 865,000. However, in comparison with the previous year, the region of Zurich saw a drop of 3% to CHF 820,000 in 2019. In the region of North-West Switzerland, apartment prices also fell 1.5%.
Interestingly, prices per square metre of living area rose in all four regions. This means that in comparison with the previous year, a higher number of smaller and therefore cheaper apartments were sold in the regions of Zurich and North-West Switzerland.
Massive differences in property prices between municipalities
The highest average prices for family homes were recorded in the city of Geneva, at CHF 3.57 million. The cheapest family homes were found in the municipality of Schüpfen, Bern, at just under 10 times cheaper, going for an average of CHF 380,000. In total, 133 properties with average transaction prices of less than CHF 650,000 were recorded in the SRED data pool for the Bern region. However, cheaper municipalities could also be found in the expensive regions of Zurich and Lake Geneva, such as Fischenthal and Gryon. There, family homes were available for CHF 670,000 and CHF 740,000, respectively. In Fischenthal, which is just 30 minutes’ drive from the Gold Coast, five family homes went for the price of a single house in Küsnacht.
The most expensive apartments were sold in the high-income municipality of Herrliberg, with an average price of CHF 2.34 million. The cheapest apartments were found exclusively in the Bern region, with average prices of less than a 10th of that, at CHF 200,000.
Sales prices per square metre of net living area in apartments varied much less dramatically. In the cheapest municipality, Bannwil, buyers paid just CHF 3,200 per square metre, whereas in the most expensive municipality, Herrliberg, a square metre cost CHF 16,100. This means that apartments in the cheapest municipalities are almost halve the size of those in the most expensive.
Home Market Price Analysis
The Home Market Price Analysis is an annual analysis of trends in actual sales prices for family homes and apartments. The analysis covers the four Swiss regions with the highest number of property transactions. The analysis provides regionally differentiated information broken down by market segment on property price trends in these regions.
The database is provided by the Swiss Real Estate Pool (SRED), which is a non-profit association of Credit Suisse, UBS and Zürcher Kantonalbank. They supply the data pool with sales prices and other property details for all the property transactions they finance.
homegate.ch publishes the analysis in partnership with the Swiss Real Estate Institute at the University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich.
Press contact
Homegate AG, Melanie Mueller
Tel. +41 (0)44 711 86 40, melanie.mueller@homegate.ch
Research contact
Swiss Real Estate Institute, Prof. Peter Ilg, Institute Head
Tel. +41 (0)43 322 26 84, +41 (0)43 322 26 13 (administration), peter.ilg@swissrei.ch
Homegate AG was founded in 2001 and is now the leading digital company on the Swiss property market. With more than nine million visits per month and about 110,000 current properties advertised, homegate.ch is Switzerland’s number one property marketplace. It allows all prospective buyers to browse the full range of available properties in one place, without the need to visit different platforms. Homegate AG employs more than 125 people at its Zurich headquarters and Lausanne branch. Homegate AG is part of the Swiss media group Tamedia AG. Zürcher Kantonalbank also holds shares in the company.
The Swiss Real Estate Institute is a foundation established by the University of Applied Sciences in Business Administration Zurich and SVIT Schweiz. In addition to research, the institute focuses on teaching and services/consulting for the Swiss property industry. www.swissrei.ch