215 million Swiss francs of fresh capital, seven acquisitions, and yet no jump in returns. The Akara Diversity PK property fund maintained its investment return at 2.56 per cent in the first half of 2026 and expanded its portfolio to 3.32 billion Swiss

Swiss municipalities and towns cite finances as their greatest strategic concern. Spatial planning and staffing follow closely behind. For construction, development and municipal property, this means more conflicting priorities between investment, growth and limited scope for

Lausanne is sticking to a policy of large-scale property purchases. The 2025 budget documents once again include a budget of 200 million Swiss francs for the right of first refusal for the period 2027 to 2031. Whilst this measure can help secure affordable housing stock, it does not, as a rule,

In Thurgau, the building permit process is set to go digital. To this end, the cantonal government is putting forward amendments to the law and regulations for consultation until 11 December 2026. For local authorities, planners and building owners, this will involve new procedures, digital legal

A portfolio worth 181.2 million Swiss francs, total comprehensive income of 3.6 million Swiss francs, and now the next step. The sustainable property fund run by BLKB’s fund subsidiary plans to raise new equity capital in the fourth quarter of 2026 to finance further acquisitions and repay

18 percent of the Zurich city flats inspected exceed the income threshold, but under current law, any consequences will not be felt until later. This is precisely where two motions tabled on 19 August 2026 come in. They call for higher rents for higher earners and an end to the 15 per cent

The canton of Schwyz is proceeding with its landscape strategy without the controversial key areas. This removes a sensitive point of contention from the forthcoming revision of the structure plan, although the strategy is still intended to apply to planning and construction projects as well as to

UBS plans to merge its commercial property funds, Swissreal and Interswiss, by the end of 2026. The aim is to create a listed fund comprising around 140 properties and assets totalling 4.8 billion Swiss francs, whilst the final terms of the transaction are not expected to be finalised until

Uri does not intend to introduce a canton-wide property tax on second homes following the abolition of the imputed rental value. Instead, each municipality is to be able to decide for itself whether it needs such a tax. Andermatt, in particular, is thus taking centre stage in the tax

Bern is driving forward the debate on a mandatory refurbishment requirement for inefficient older buildings. On 2 September 2026, the Federal Council approved a report outlining binding deadlines for achieving GEAK Class D via cantonal energy laws. Whether this will amount to more than just a

In Zurich’s 6th district, a pending case before the Federal Supreme Court is holding up a project for 42 social housing flats. The case touches on a sensitive issue in urban development, as affordable housing, mature trees and stricter tree protection measures clash directly on the same

Winter has long shaped the construction industry. Now, the summer heat is putting architecture and the real estate sector to a new test. Even sustainable wood-frame buildings require a precise interplay of location, materials, thermal mass, shading, ventilation, and

Tomorrow, Wednesday, ineltec 2026 opens its doors at Messe Zürich. For two days, it will serve as a compact gathering place for the Swiss electrical industry. 209 exhibitors will showcase how electrical engineering, energy, lighting, mobility, and digitalization are converging in buildings. The

Development of a large residential estate on the Van Baerle site in Münchenstein is getting back on track. Five years after the referendum result – a ‘no’ vote by a margin of just ten votes – the site has been redeveloped, but a new neighbourhood plan is only just getting off the ground

Swiss residential properties continue to dominate the investment portfolios of many institutional investors. However, a window of opportunity is reopening in the office and other commercial property sectors. Higher cash flow yields, lower valuations and tighter supply are suddenly making this

In Wädenswil, a housing estate is set to expand from 103 to more than 160 flats without the existing tenants having to move out. The plans include five extensions, refurbishment whilst the property remains occupied, and a start to construction in early 2028. It remains to be seen by how much rents

Geneva and Lausanne are at the heart of a planned capital increase of 75 million Swiss francs. The funds are intended to secure two commercial properties in prime locations in French-speaking Switzerland and to further increase the proportion of commercial property within a portfolio worth almost

In the new administrative building on Seetalplatz in Emmenbrücke, 12 out of 17 flats remain unlet for the time being. This slow start is affecting a site that is planned to become the new centre of Lucerne North and is set to bring together around 30 of the canton’s administrative offices by

1.3 billion Swiss francs for 47 properties, but not a single new flat has yet been built to realise the calculated development potential. Zurich’s acquisition drive is providing land reserves and development opportunities, but at the same time is creating funding shortfalls, follow-on costs and

Every year, there is a shortfall of thousands of flats in Switzerland, even though Bern is looking into ways to speed up the process. The root of the problem lies deeper. It is not the pace alone that is holding back housing construction, but an ever-more-complex web of regulations that the cantons

The canton of Neuchâtel is allocating a framework grant of 28 million Swiss francs for the period 2027 to 2031 to maintain its building stock. Whilst this unanimous decision eases the pressure on maintenance, it does not yet close the gap to the recommended level of value

The reference interest rate for mortgages in Switzerland will remain at 1.25 per cent as of 2 September 2026. For existing tenancies, this means that, for the time being, there will be neither a new entitlement to rent reductions nor a new basis for increases due to the reference interest

Zurich is tightening the rules on housing from 1 September 2026. Anyone who regularly lets out flats for short periods as Airbnb accommodation or business flats must declare this use. In some cases, a planning application is required for conversions, even where no building work is

A fully let residential block comprising 84 flats in Geneva-Champel is changing hands for 60 million Swiss francs. The deal highlights just how fiercely competitive prime residential locations remain and how property funds are continuing to expand their presence in Geneva in a market with an

The reference interest rate in Switzerland remains at 1.25 per cent, but this is doing little to stabilise the housing market. Despite the historically low rate, UBS expects rents to rise again in 2026 and 2027, whilst an increase to 1.5 per cent from the end of 2027 could make it easier, from a

The Raiffeisen Futura Immo Fund is set to launch its largest capital raising to date in September 2026. Around 100 million Swiss francs are to be used to finance new acquisitions and the sustainable refurbishment of the existing portfolio, following a recent rise in the debt-to-equity ratio to

Locarno is transitioning its municipal building stock to a digital database. This will enable more than 70 properties to be compared in terms of their condition, energy requirements and investment needs. As a result, the focus for refurbishments and budgets is shifting from individual decisions to

Mobiliar plans to build up to 1,000 affordable housing units throughout Switzerland in the coming years. The insurer is providing up to 200 million Swiss francs in equity capital for this purpose and is committed to the principle of rent based on

Between 2022 and 2025, the City of Zurich acquired a total of 47 properties, investing 1.3 billion francs in the process. Twenty-nine residential properties with 527 existing apartments directly support the goal of increasing the share of public-interest rental housing to one-third by

The planning application for the new campus in Horw is now on public display. The canton is thus taking its largest educational construction project into the next phase. The plans include new buildings, refurbishments and a conversion to be carried out whilst the campus remains open, with a