So we are moving with my husband and my dog to Zurich in the beginning of next year. We have a temporary apartment set up for the first two months but we need to start looking for something more permanent as soon as we arrive. I would appreciate help in choosing which areas would be most convenient for us so I know where to look for.
My first criteria would be that neither of us have too long commute, which means the apartment should be inside maybe 15 minutes with a bicycle, from both main train station and SihlCity shopping center. I'm not quite sure how far this area would strech.
The second maybe? more trickier criteria is that I want to be able to go for walks in the forest with my dog without too much trouble, meaning it won't take me an hour to get to the forest and then another one to get back, but on the other hand the forest can't be so tiny I'm around it in 15 minutes.
Now what I'm thinking is somewhere near Uetliberg, that would I guess meet both requirements, but I checked apartments from homegate around Wiedikon and Sihlfeld I think and there don't seem to be very many that would do available at the moment. I've read it's difficult renting with a dog so what other options would you suggest in case I can't find anything there?
Our price range is 4.5k tops and we are looking for 2 or 21⁄2 rooms so I guess from that standpoint we should be good, except I find there's more bigger apartments available in higher price ranges and I have no use for the extra space.
Just want to make sure that you realise that a 2 or 2.5 rooms apartment will only have 1 bedroom?
Just a couple of questions please...
Will you both be working, and if so, which parts of the city will you each be working in? Please don't feel you need to give exact locations.
What's the maximum commute you would accept? By bicycle? By public transport?
Will you need parking or a garage for 1 or 2 cars?
Your rental budget is excellent, but the size of apartment you want may cost a lot less than that. I think the most restrictive factor will be having a dog.
Welcome Kipsu! It seems you already found homegate (and homewinner and others) to look for flats, great. By end of the year not that many People Change their flats why you cannot find that many offers. Beginning of January or February you should see many more flats. Uetliberg in General is a good idea for you regarding Walking the dog etc., so you are looking at the right direction!
I think you need at least a 3.5 with a dog and it's not easy with pets.
With 4.5k budget I think you should be fine, but can easily get something for 3k I would have thought. Areas around 8006, 8007, 8008 are not really that far off and the Zueri berg is much better for walks / hikes than Uetliberg as it's quite steep climb.
www.comparis.ch is your best bet for finding info on newly listed apartments as they collect all the ads from the major sites. You are also able to give them your email address and they will send you update whenever a new apartment comes that meets your requirements. I think this feature is also offered by a lot of the other real estate websites.
However you should also keep an eye out in your place of work, spread the word with your colleagues and do keep an eye on the forum here. A lot of people don't put the stuff on homegate etc specially if the price is good then it really shifts without need for advertising at all.
Thanks for the replies so far. I'll also check that comparis.ch site. I don't mind at all if the flat is less expensive than 4.5k of course. But that's the amount we can pay for it, should something come up.
As for the other questions, yes we are both working. One of us near SihlCity shopping centre and other one near main train station. We are prepared to use bicycles for commuting (or walking). That and walking the dog is the main basis I have for the location. We don't have a car so no parking is required but sufficient room to store our bicycles... Do houses in Zurich usually have rooms to store bikes out of the weather?
And yeah I'm aware 2 rooms consist of 1 bedroom. There's only two of us so only one is needed.
I would look along the S10 train line. Specifically Friesenberg, Schweighof and Triemli. You're at the foot of the Uetliberg and can easily reach Sihl City on bike in 15 minutes and I would guess the HB too (I used to do Friesenberg to Europaallee in half an hour on foot). You've also got a number of train, tram and bus routes available to you in addition to the dog walking possibilities.
In that area I can't see a 2.5 room place costing more than half your budget.
The theoretical ideal location would then be between Sihl City and the HB. However there are no forests within walking distance. So you will probably have to compromise on the forest idea and walk by the river or compromise on the commuting by bicycles and take the tram!
If you do get an opportunity to have parking do take it! You can always sublet it if it's in a good location. You never know you might need parking in a couple of years time when you want to explore mountains etc and you will regret not having parking. (just a side thought)
Most modern apartments have a place for storing bicycles. However it's not a guarantee. You might have access to a cellar which is easily accessible where you could store your bike too.
I'm sure you will soon change your mind about this
Unless it's some kind of modern open space living with 100 sqms or more, you will soon be back asking for advice on where to get rid of the dog or the other half!
That's to bad to hear. Are trams really faster than biking in Zurich? In Helsinki they are deadly slow and I also hate waiting at the stop.
Well we're currently living in 45 sqms apartment with one big and one small room and we only use the small room for playing with the dog or sometimes storing bicycles. There's not even any furniture. I don't think big property and a lot of stuff makes you happy. (A whole room to play with the dog though, sometimes, yes.)
Trams are great and the S10 train line that was mentioned earlier is also good. So you don't have to worry about that.
It is especially good when the weather is not that great. This is coming from a fellow cyclist, I cycle to work every day... although it's for less than 5 minutes
Wow you do like it cosy! My rent estimates for a 45sqm apartment in that area would also not be that high at all. Usually between CH250-350.- per sqm per year + Nebenkosten.
So quick calculation: 350 x 45 / 12 * 1.15 = CHF1509.- per month, but you might have to pay up to CHF2500.
Have you visited Zurich yet? One of the great things about the city and the country as a whole is the punctuality, frequency and cleanliness of the public transport. I leave speed out of that, because we don't really have high speed rail. However, in the city and commuting in from the suburbs it is normally the quickest way around.
Another option for you is the S4 Trainline. That stops at Sihl City and the main station, but starts off semi-rural.
As Eyebeebe states the Friesenberg area is ideally suited for quick access to the woods on the lower slopes of Uetliberg.
The other option along the S4 is around the Manegg area - which is undergoing substantial redevelopment - the new large development midway between the Manegg and Leimbach stations is now being followed up by a big development off Allmendstrasse - very easy access to walks on Uetliberg and also on the hill between Wollishofen and the Sihl.
If you do decide to tram/bus to HB and Sihlcity (15-20 mins) then you could also think of the Kaferberg for your dog, the adjacent area being Höngg and on the other side the Zürichberg which is a big forest, adjacent are Fluntern, Rigiblick, etc. But you would be cycling uphill on the way home unless you buy the e-bikes and make life very comfortable, but your dog will love you. Good luck with it.
Ok, thanks really much for all the replies. I'm pretty reassured now that something around Wiedikon or closer to Uetliberg will be my number one area, I guess closeness to train line 10 would be a good starting point. But closeby any of the other forests Adlisberg, Zuriberg or Käferberg can be backups. Zurich is quite small after all so it shouldn't take too long cycling to work from any of them. Google maps gives me max 25 minutes from each to both our work places and it usually overestimates cycling times anyways.
My wife and I have been living in Langnau am Albis since April. It all depends what you are after but we find it really beautiful, especially in summer.
It is 21 minutes by train to Zürich HB which I don't consider much. This runs 5 times an hour during peak times and 3 times off peak times. It has got a post office, Coop, Migros, indoor swimming pool and a few bakery's. There is a 10 minute bus ride to Thalwil if you want to connect to Zug/Luzern. The night train runs from Zürich Friday - Sunday.
Most of all it has Wildnispark ( https://wildnispark.ch/ ) next to it which has lots of trails for walking a dog. There is also a wooden toward called Hochwacht which gives views of Zug, Zürich and the alps on a clear day.
I'm not that familiar with areas but we were looking for an apartment a few months back with a dog and didn't have any problem with any of the places, in fact I don't think anyone said we wouldn't be allowed to have a dog so you should be fine
AFAIK in the Uetliberg forest it's mandatory to have the dog on the leash, no exceptions. So walking the dog there may not be what OP has in mind.
Parts of the Allmend area are explicitly designated for walking the dog, I think (i.e. I may well be wrong) it's the portion west of Saalsporthalle. Perhaps this is the better option than a forest.
I had a 1BR (67 sq meters or so) with a dog in Seefeld (near Hoschgasse) and couldn't have been happier. You can basically cross all or nearly all of Zurich in 20 minutes or so by tram so I would look for a neighborhood you like and go from there. With the dog, I could be at the lake in 5 min or in parks that led to forested trails in 5-7 minutes and up a hill (Adlisberg).
Zurich is small and efficient. Find an apartment that makes you happy and the rest will work out.
One note - laundry has its issues (see the threads) and more so with a dog and all of the dog hair. Try to find a place with your own machine or the ability to install one.