Renting or owning a home – how do you like to live?
24 June 2020, text: Leo Wehrli, photo: Deposit
Whether they rent or own their homes, the Swiss are very satisfied with their living situations. That’s according to the ideal home survey conducted by MoneyPark, alaCasa and Helvetia, the largest independent study of what constitutes a dream home for the Swiss. Although home owners have a small advantage in terms of satisfaction, renting also has clear benefits.
Find out the benefits of how you live based on these factors:
| Buying |
Renting |
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| Design possibilities |
In your own home, you have a lot more freedom to express yourself and design your living space just the way you want it. A bathtub in the middle of the room? Nobody’s stopping you. |
You can shape your living space as a tenant, too – although you don’t have as much freedom as a home owner. The landlord will always have a say! |
| Flexibility |
Owning your own home is often the fulfilment of a lifelong dream. But once you’ve bought your home or apartment, you’re tied to the place. |
Are the neighbours too noisy? Is the area moving in the wrong direction? As a tenant, you have the freedom to look for a new home with relative ease. |
| Potential savings |
When it comes to finances, home owners have the advantage. Mortgage rates for the average four-room apartment are roughly half as high as the rent. |
In contrast to ownership, the only major investment is the rental deposit. But in terms of monthly payments, tenants draw the short straw. |
| Responsibility |
In your own four walls, you’re on your own. You have to handle every issue, big or small, all by yourself. There’s no landlord just a phone call away. |
As a tenant, you can sit back and leave most issues to the landlord. Nice and easy. |
| Security |
There’s practically nothing as closely associated with security as your own home. No one can take it away from you. At worst, an unwelcome new building project is the only thing that can ruin a home owner’s day. |
The higher flexibility that tenants enjoy comes with an extra helping of uncertainty. Will the rent go up? Or will the entire property be renovated? Rented properties are almost never forever. But that doesn’t bother the assured and assertive tenant of today. |
| Satisfaction |
There’s one thing owners and renters agree on: In Switzerland, 90% of people are satisfied with their current living situation. |
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Conclusion:
Whether they're renters or home owners, they find living in Switzerland a pleasure. If you can make the big investment in your own home, you will enjoy greater security, freedom to design your space and long-term financial benefits. But if you want to stay flexible and don't know where or whether to put down roots, you will appreciate the flexibility of a rented property.
