Housing preferences and the market are drifting apart

According to the 2026 Dream Home Study, 43 per cent of those surveyed would prefer to live in the countryside, but rising prices, a shortage of properties and high barriers to financing are keeping many in urban centres. The gap is particularly wide among young city tenants.

The desire is clear, but the market is not keeping pace: in Switzerland, many households continue to dream of a detached house in the countryside, whilst everyday living is becoming increasingly concentrated in cities and well-connected centres. Among young tenants in urban areas in particular, the gap between their preferred and actually attainable living arrangements is widening further.

The 2026 Dream Home Study by MoneyPark and Helvetia clearly illustrates this gap. 43 per cent of those surveyed would prefer to live in the countryside, whilst 50 per cent cite a detached house as their preferred type of property. Among city dwellers, however, the current living environment matches their desired one in only 63 per cent of cases. Consequently, satisfaction levels are lower there than in suburban areas or the countryside.

Young households are reaching their limits
The discrepancy is particularly pronounced among 25- to 40-year-olds living in city flats. They are considered particularly keen to buy, but are faced with a market characterised by limited supply and high barriers to entry. The fact that long-term owners are rarely willing to sell their properties further restricts the available supply. For prospective buyers, this means that not only the price becomes a problem, but also access to the market itself.

Added to this bottleneck are the usual financing requirements. Publicly available data on the Swiss mortgage market show that, as a rule, at least 20 per cent equity is required for owner-occupied property and that the theoretical affordability criteria remain strict. Consequently, for many households, the failure to purchase a property is not due to ongoing interest costs alone, but to the financial requirements and a lack of equity.

Well-connected locations remain in demand
It is noteworthy that the desire to live in the countryside is not linked to a move away from infrastructure. On the contrary: access to public transport is becoming increasingly important. A quiet location, proximity to nature and good accessibility are together becoming the new standard for the dream home. This is relevant for developers, local authorities and investors because demand is not simply shifting to remote locations, but to well-connected places outside the city centres.

This finding is consistent with the broader market data for 2026. Available figures point to a housing market that remains tight, stable to rising house prices, and a shortage that is becoming particularly acute for households with limited purchasing power. The dream of living in the countryside therefore remains a reality, but it is increasingly becoming a question of infrastructure, capital and the available housing supply.

Political pressure is mounting
If the desire for home ownership remains high among young households but access is blocked, expectations for political solutions will also grow. Among other things, the study finds support for curbing speculative purchases, as well as tax relief on property acquisitions. For the market, this sends a clear signal: the debate on home ownership is shifting away from individual life choices and increasingly towards issues of access and regulation.

Ultimately, the study reveals not so much a romantic longing for the countryside as a structural market problem. People want more rural, quiet and well-connected residential areas. However, this desire can only be met through construction, supply and financing for a limited proportion of the demand.