In the west of St. Gallen, Lerchenfeld is set to become denser, taller and more diverse over the next two decades. The new development strategy links additional residential and commercial space to the future Bruggen-Haggen dual railway station and to new green spaces and

The canton of Lucerne is basing its structural plan on a population of 560,000 by 2050. As current building zones, according to available data, will only last until around 2040, greater emphasis is being placed on densification, city centres and new opportunities for

A new replacement development comprising 154 co-operative flats is to be built on Wallisellenstrasse in Zurich-Schwamendingen. This case illustrates just how delicate the balance between affordable housing, cultural identity and tendering rules can become in a tight

Seetalplatz in Emmenbrücke is not only the site of the new administrative headquarters for the Canton of Lucerne. The 192-million-franc development will also bring 17 rental flats onto the market. This demonstrates how new public buildings in the Lucerne North area are increasingly incorporating

It is not Zurich, but Vaz/Obervaz that has the most acute housing shortage in the latest municipal ranking. For the Graubünden housing market, this is more than just a curiosity: a vacancy rate of 0 per cent is coupled with tourist demand, construction activity and a limited housing

The Swiss National Bank considers the residential property market to remain vulnerable in 2025, even though a nationwide correction has not materialised for years. At the same time, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), prices rose again by 1.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.

In future, the City of Zurich will be able to impose stricter restrictions on business apartments and professional short-term lettings in residential areas. Following the Federal Supreme Court’s ruling, the revision to the BZO (Zoning Ordinance), which was adopted in 2021, is expected to come

Across Switzerland, the number of rental apartments advertised between April 2025 and March 2026 was about 4 percent lower than in the previous year. At the same time, the average time an apartment remained listed in Zurich fell to 12 days, marking the lowest figure ever recorded for a major Swiss

In Bern’s new Viererfeld/Mittelfeld neighborhood, the M31 development site—reserved for senior housing—is now set to be developed by the Serena Foundation. This change keeps the goal of affordable housing for seniors on track, but it also highlights how strongly planning regulations and

Swiss luxury real estate prices rose again by more than 3 percent in 2025. However, while mountain communities continued to see growth of 6 percent, many primary residence markets along Lake Geneva and Lake Zurich are reporting that prices have

With more than 140,000 signatures submitted, the rent initiative is now on the political agenda. For property owners, managers, and developers, this brings into focus not only the issue of rent levels, but also questions of oversight, return on investment, and additional regulation of existing

Switzerland is debating the housing shortage. The FDP therefore wants to rezone more land. But a recent study shows that the problem lies elsewhere. Building land is available; it’s just being hoarded. Anyone who relaxes land-use regulations now is sacrificing the smartest law of the past

Zurich has a housing problem. That’s common knowledge. What’s less well known is why it has become so severe and who is responsible for it. ETH lecturer Sibylle Wälty says: “It’s not a market issue, but a political refusal.” And the new building and zoning regulations are making it

One week after the “No” vote on the 10-million initiative, the FDP is shifting the housing policy debate to building land, objections, and land-use conversions. For planners, property owners, and municipalities, this once again raises the question of whether densification alone can still solve

The SNB last left its key interest rate at 0 percent on March 19, 2026. This means that short-term financing remains attractive for homeowners and homebuyers. The advantage of Saron mortgages persists, but with long terms, the risk of slightly higher fixed costs

The federal government is working on faster procedures, a stricter approach to objections, and a greater emphasis on infill development. However, as of June 22, 2026, its ability to influence the situation remains limited: Many measures are politically driven, and their impact on the creation of

The Federal Council wants to grant tenants and condominium owners in residential buildings the right to have the basic infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations installed. For owners and property managers, this would make the expansion of parking facilities, load management, and cost

On the Gauss-Stierli site in Zurich-Seebach, one of the neighborhood’s last industrial brownfields could be transformed into a mixed-use cooperative project featuring 175 to 225 affordable apartments. However, it is unlikely that residents will be able to move in until 2036 at the

According to available data, 84.3 million Swiss francs have been invested in renovations in Basel-Stadt since May 2022. The trend since November 1, 2025, is particularly striking: With the revised ordinance, the permissible surcharges are rising significantly, especially in the comprehensive

With the start of construction on the municipal lot within the MEWA site, Wädenswil is sending a clear message about its housing policy: 26 age-appropriate rental apartments are being built on a site where an affordable existing property must make way for neighborhood redevelopment. The decision

Halter AG has handed over the modern ZenO residential complex in the centre of Oberdorf to its residents. The complex comprises 50 new flats as well as commercial premises. The project was commissioned by the Nidwalden Cantonal Pension Fund. The first residents have already moved

On voting Sunday, the Canton of Zurich sent a clear message regarding housing policy. All three cantonal housing initiatives were rejected: the Homeownership Initiative, the Housing Initiative, and the Housing Protection Initiative. At the same time, two counterproposals received majority support.

Lucerne has made its decision—and it was a clear one. On June 14, 2026, the city’s residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of both housing proposals. A right of first refusal and a more active land policy are intended to increase the share of affordable housing more quickly. But policymakers

The German real estate market isn't sending a faint signal—it's sending a loud one. Surveys, indices, and cancellation rates all point in the same direction: sentiment is shifting. This time, it’s hitting residential construction the hardest. Fears of regulation, a smoldering conflict in the

A new part of town is taking shape in Buchs AG. Where people once worked, they will now live, settle in, and grow old. The Tiglio residential complex is transforming a formerly commercial site into a residential neighborhood with 72 rental apartments designed for all stages of life. Three

As part of the public consultation process, around 80 submissions were received from interested parties regarding the municipal area development plan for the Thun railway station district. The preliminary project is now being launched. The go-ahead for the first stage should be given by 2032 at the

The Bälliz Pharmacy and Drugstore in Thun, a building over 100 years old, has undergone the most extensive refurbishment in its history. It has been completely renovated, with new practice and residential spaces added, as well as a solar panel

High above Lake Zurich, a development for the top league is being built in Schindellegi. But things are bubbling underneath the building site. Artesian groundwater, a year of standstill and hesitant buyers are turning the prestigious project into a stress test for developers, authorities and the

At Limmatspitz in Gebenstorf, the former BAG industrial site is being transformed into a new neighborhood featuring approximately 200 apartments, commercial spaces, and a canal promenade. Up to 150 million Swiss francs are being invested, a large portion of which comes from second-pillar pension

Switzerland has become a nine-million society at full throttle. Anyone who bought a home in the right place during this time is now sitting on a wealth effect of historic proportions. Property prices and land values have multiplied in many centers, while wages have only increased