Federal Housing Office
Bern, 22 December 2022 – Living and moving behavior in Switzerland has changed only slightly during the coronavirus pandemic. A preference for less densely populated areas was observed, but the effect was small. This is demonstrated by the publication “Housing preferences in the wake of the corona pandemic”.
When the first lockdown took place in March 2020, many workers were forced to work from home. Working from home has become mandatory and the place of residence has suddenly become the place of work as well. Outdoor spaces and local recreation areas have gained prominence. It was assumed that this would have an impact on the housing market. But as the special topic “Housing preferences in the wake of the corona pandemic” shows, the effects were less than expected.
Offshoring behavior showed only a slight trend towards less densely populated areas. Around 4,000 more people than in previous years have moved to a corresponding municipality, but this corresponds to only half a percent of all people moving in Switzerland. High-income, predominantly mobile individuals, couples, owner-occupied families, and executives have increasingly moved from densely populated to less densely populated communities.
The desire for more living space
The limited availability of living space has undoubtedly had an impact on the relocation behavior only slightly changed. The demand for more living space and single-family homes has increased significantly. This applies to both owned and rented homes. This also had an impact on price developments.
Increased weekly stays as no additional alternative areas have been seen during the pandemic. Weekly stays even tend to decrease. One possible reason is the increase in internal offices, another in educational institutions such as universities that have been closed. In the case of second homes, it cannot be ruled out that they were used more intensively during the pandemic. Furthermore, the number of second homes decreased slightly between the end of 2019 and the end of 2021. This could indicate an increased use of second homes as primary residences. However, the available data do not allow for a definitive statement.
The free movement of people and the monitoring of the real estate market
The special topic “Housing preferences in the wake of the corona pandemic” is part of the monitor “Free movement of persons and the real estate market 2021”, which was published in July 2022. The monitor was created by the Meta-Sys AG / ZHAW working group on behalf of the BWO since 2009 and is published annually. In addition, a special theme is covered every year.
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Media and Communication BWO, [email protected], Tel. +41 58 463 49 95
publisher
Federal Housing Office
http://www.bwo.admin.ch/
