Highest Swiss property prices recorded in Zurich

Property in Lucerne has appreciated the most over the past decade Keystone

Zurich remains the dearest location for Swiss property at CHF12,250 ($13,000) per square metre. However, houses in Lucerne have gained the most in value over the past decade, with one square metre costing CHF8,500, up 82% on 2007. 

In particular demand are homes in lake regions, according to a report published on Thursday by the federal institute of technology ETH Zurich and the online comparison service Comparis. The area with the second-highest increase in property prices over the past ten years was Horgen, overlooking Lake Zurich, where a square metre has climbed by 80% to CHF11,000. 

New arrivals in this year’s top ten are Sursee (canton Lucerne), Uster (Zurich), Lausanne, Hochdorf (Lucerne), Lenzburg (Aargau) and March (Schwyz). 

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Zurich claimed the overall top spot, nudging out last year’s winner, the district of Maloja in canton Graubünden. Maloja, where a square metre goes for CHF11,500, is home St Moritz among other exclusive resorts. Third place went to the Lavaux-Oron district overlooking Lake Geneva (CHF11,250). 

A franc went furthest in Raron, canton Valais, where a square metre costs CHF2,750. This was followed by two neighbouring districts in canton Neuchâtel, La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, both CHF3,250. 

End of an era? 

Swiss property regular appears in the top echelon of global price comparison surveys, with Geneva and Zurich featuring prominently – rubbing shoulders with likes of Monaco, Hong Kong, Shanghai, New York, Sydney and London as the most expensive places to buy homes. 

However, Credit Suisse bank is predicting “the end of an era”, during which Swiss property prices rose unchecked for 14 years. 

“High price levels and stricter financing requirements have allowed fewer and fewer Swiss households to fulfil their dream of home ownership. As a result, demand has fallen and price growth has come to a standstill,” Credit Suisse stated in a reportExternal link in June.