https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Three bijou apartments with pool and fitness centre in Lucens are up for grabs to people willing to set their own rent. https://www.thelocal.ch/20161005/rental-bids-invited-for-luxury-vaud-flats Wed, 05 Oct 2016 12:19:02 +0200 rental-bids-invited-for-luxury-vaud-flats The accommodation crisis is easing in Switzerland, although finding a home remains a challenge in the country’s largest cities, according to figures released by Bern on Monday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150921/flat-vacancy-rate-rises-across-switzerland Mon, 21 Sep 2015 13:16:17 +0200 flat-vacancy-rate-rises-across-switzerland With the current low interest rates, buying a home in Switzerland is cheaper than renting the equivalent accommodation, a new study from mortgage broker Moneypark says. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150818/buying-home-is-cheaper-than-renting-study Tue, 18 Aug 2015 13:56:06 +0200 buying-home-is-cheaper-than-renting-study Immigration of is continuing to put upward pressure on rental housing costs and residential property prices, particularly in the Lake Geneva region, a report from Bern says. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150709/foreigners-continue-to-drive-swiss-housing-shortages Thu, 09 Jul 2015 13:19:02 +0200 foreigners-continue-to-drive-swiss-housing-shortages Housing in Switzerland is among the most expensive in the world and competition is fierce for affordable properties. It’s all very well if money isn’t an issue, but what if it is? The Local's Emily Rose Mawson investigates. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150312/top-tips-for-seeking-an-apartment-in-swiss-cities Thu, 12 Mar 2015 15:50:45 +0100 top-tips-for-seeking-an-apartment-in-swiss-cities Developers in the canton of Geneva will have the right to transform commercial and industrial buildings for residential use after voters on Sunday approved a change in the law. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150615/genevans-back-transformation-of-offices-for-housing Mon, 15 Jun 2015 11:21:09 +0200 genevans-back-transformation-of-offices-for-housing Switzerland’s rental housing reference rate has dropped by a quarter of a percent giver renters the right to seek reductions in rents of almost three percent, the Federal Housing Office (FHO) said on Monday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150601/swiss-rental-housing-reference-rate-drops Mon, 01 Jun 2015 11:53:57 +0200 swiss-rental-housing-reference-rate-drops The cost of renting an apartment in Zurich is the highest in Switzerland and more than double what you can expect to pay in a town such as La Chaux-de-Fonds in the canton of Neuchâtel, a new study shows. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150429/zurich-apartments-are-the-countrys-costliest Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:33:46 +0200 zurich-apartments-are-the-countrys-costliest Owners of multiple properties in the Geneva area — in one case as many as 120 apartments — are renting them on a permanent basis to visitors through the Airbnb website, according to a report. https://www.thelocal.ch/20141111/airbnb-rentals-take-homes-off-market-for-locals Tue, 11 Nov 2014 09:04:00 +0100 airbnb-rentals-take-homes-off-market-for-locals After rising steadily for five years, home prices tumbled by an average of more than six percent in the city of Geneva during the first quarter of this year, compared to the same period in 2013. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140523/property-prices-plunge-in-geneva-region-report Fri, 23 May 2014 13:22:00 +0200 property-prices-plunge-in-geneva-region-report Public input is being sought on a master plan for the redevelopment of railway and industrial land in Geneva that could accommodate 11,000 residential units for a canton struggling to deal with an ongoing housing shortage. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140411/massive-geneva-housing-project-plan-released Fri, 11 Apr 2014 14:20:00 +0200 massive-geneva-housing-project-plan-released The days of living in the lap of luxury for expat specialists hired by multinationals in the canton of Zurich are over, according to media reports. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140220/expats-see-drop-in-subsidized-housing-report Fri, 21 Feb 2014 00:00:00 +0100 expats-see-drop-in-subsidized-housing-report Close to 800 people demonstrated on Geneva streets over the weekend against the ongoing housing shortage and lack of affordable accommodation. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130929/geneva-protestors-seek-end-to-housing-crisis Sun, 29 Sep 2013 23:38:00 +0200 geneva-protestors-seek-end-to-housing-crisis A room with just five square metres (54 square feet) of floor space is being sublet in Geneva for 550 francs ($585) a month, raising concerns from both tenants' advocates and property owners. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130717/half-room-sublet-in-geneva-sparks-protest Wed, 17 Jul 2013 13:51:00 +0200 half-room-sublet-in-geneva-sparks-protest Finding a place to rent in Switzerland is hard enough. Adhering to the thicket of tenant rules governing everything from running baths to pet ownership can be even tougher, although misconceptions linger over when toilets can be flushed. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130522/rules-and-regulations-that-dog-tenants-in-switzerland Wed, 22 May 2013 15:15:00 +0200 rules-and-regulations-that-dog-tenants-in-switzerland Spurred by continued strong immigration, apartment rents are expected to continue climbing in Switzerland this year, a new report says. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130424/housing-rents-expected-to-keep-on-rising-report Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:10:00 +0200 housing-rents-expected-to-keep-on-rising-report The market for luxury apartments in Zurich is saturated, says one development company that is changing its focus to lower-priced properties because many of its upscale homes are failing to find buyers. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130215/luxury-apartments-go-unsold-in-zurich-west Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:26:00 +0100 luxury-apartments-go-unsold-in-zurich-west