Oh I should add, a lot of services cost 375 an hour here too
I would rent for a while before buying. If you are here for a few years, then you should think about buying.
There are restrictions for non-EU citizens for renting out your property in case you don't like it here.
Oh wow!
IMHO, you should skip the side trip to Italy.
As you have never visited Switzerland before, better to spend all your time fully exploring the potential living areas you mentioned (Zug/Zurich/Luzern etc.). That will take up more than your 4 allocated days anyway - You need to stop for breath too
Plenty of time for Italian jaunts when you have moved.
Good luck!
I'd agree.
The CH property market is overheated. With warnings of a property bubble in the air, do you really want to buy at the top of the market?
Our bank has advised against buying in the luxury price range, as this is the market expected to fall first.
Rent a while - and then when the ultimate crash (or gentle deflation, depending on your view) comes, assuming you still like it here that would be the time to buy.
?Bubble???? Real estate prices in CH are at the same levels they were at in 1989. Switzerland has been in a quasi liquidity trap since 1992.
From 1989 until March 2000 Swiss real estate prices dropped 25%. Since 2000 prices have risen less than 40%. We are now at the same level we were at in 1989.
Is that a bubble?????
But I agree. He should rent. He cant buy anyway until he has a C-permit. He isnt married to a Swiss I dont believe.
some fascinating charts here:
http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/E.../Price-History
property is always a very cyclical and local market. and the small size and illiquidity in switzerland makes it more so, with micro-economic factors having a huge impact in a small illiquid market.
that said, there are huge macro factors which will buffet the swiss housing market not least of which being continued hot money flows into switzerland with an impotent SNB unable to respond. to me, this points to continued asset price inflation with property being pushed into a bubble.
maybe even more punitive property taxes will be levied to curb speculation....
I was just looking on my bloomberg for these charts.... I think when interest rates go negative (they did in 1966 and 1978) in order to stem the inflow if money from Europe to the CHF we will see a bit more wind in the Swiss real estate market. I have no problem selling here. But I doubt its the top for now.
Great advice and I agree, but so embarrassed to say I also have never been to Italy. Went to many other European countries though.
Well we will come back for many more trips before finally moving there in a year or two from now.
hey this is what I notice about Zug since I'm here for about 1 month. The shops here closed rather early compared to the bigger cities like Zurich / Lucerne. The restaurants are also more expensive than Zurich and less variety. Zug is a rather quiet and peaceful small town.
Thanks for all of your help.
We of course loved Switzerland. We will have to go back for many more trips before finally deciding and I'll be on these forums researching quite often over the next year.
Looking at Kussnacht as one place. Loved Meggen and Zurich and Lucerne. Zug was bigger than I thought it would be. Beautiful there in Zug too.
If I had a disposable income in that range I would head for the south of Switzerland Lucern, Valais, and Vaud. Your closer to the alps more dramatic landscape, better food (sorry the French & Italians are better cooks), better dressed peers (yes, its true the French and Italians care more about how they look too), and well already mentioned better weather/friendlier people. Certainly Zug and Zurich is for businessmen...
Walchwil is very nice and very popoular with expats. Not ideal if you like nightlife etc, but it is desperatly pretty. About 40 minutes into Zurich and 10 minutes into Zug. You would easily find somewhere nice for your budget. As a yardstick, you will get a great 3 bedroomed apartment with full lake view for about CHF5k. The best website I was recommended for property is:
http://www.alle-immobilien.ch/ (which has listings from all the sites) also check out
http://www.amtsblatt.ch/ the local Zug publication that has a regularily updated propoerty section. I got my apartment through Sasse real estates in Zug. They were really helpful and managed everything:
http://www.sasse.ch/ Speak to Pascal, he is really helpful.
Good luck