Price increases and regional declines in the 1st quarter of 2024
In the first quarter of 2024, the Swiss real estate market recorded both general price increases and specific regional declines in home ownership. While prices for condominiums and single-family homes rose nationwide, significant price reductions were observed in some regions.
The latest analysis by Fahrländer Partner Raumentwicklung (FPRE) shows that prices for owner-occupied flats in Switzerland have risen by 0.8 per cent compared to the previous quarter, with the strongest growth in the lower segment at 1.9 per cent. There was also an increase in single-family homes, which was particularly pronounced at 1.8 per cent compared to the previous quarter and 5.5 per cent compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The upmarket single-family home segment in particular saw the strongest increase at 3.0 per cent.
Despite these nationwide increases, there are regional differences: In the Basel, Jura and Lake Geneva regions, prices for mid-range condominiums fell, while prices rose in southern Switzerland, the Alpine region, the Central Plateau and eastern Switzerland.
This price dynamic is also reflected in the reaction of households to the latest interest rate cut by the Swiss National Bank (SNB). The reduction of the key interest rate in March 2024 from 1.75 to 1.5 per cent, which took place before the interest rate decisions of the US and European central banks, was aimed at taking into account the reduced inflationary pressure in Switzerland and stabilising the Swiss franc.
Stefan Fahrländer from FPRE comments that despite ongoing global uncertainties, the interest rate cut could potentially provide positive impetus for demand in the affected regions. In the long term, FPRE sees continued high demand coupled with low construction activity as a driver for further increases in residential property prices.