Estate agents canton of Zurich: selling your property successfully
Property market canton of Zurich:
figures, data and facts
The canton of Zurich is one of the largest and at the same time most tightly supplied property markets in Switzerland. Continuing immigration, a very low vacancy level and a limited supply of properties for sale meet financially strong demand. At the end of 2025, the canton had 1’628’081 inhabitants, an increase of around 13’000 people or +0.8 % within one year. More than 80 % of this growth came from immigration, less than 20 % from the excess of births over deaths.
+2.2 %
Residential property prices in the canton of Zurich compared with the same quarter of the previous year, ZWEX overall index in the 2nd quarter of 2026
CHF 1.2 Mio.
Median price of a condominium apartment in the canton of Zurich in 2025
CHF 1.6 Mio.
Median price of a detached house in the canton of Zurich, most recent reported figure
0.52 %
Vacancy rate in the canton of Zurich as at 1 June 2026, around 4’200 empty apartments
0.11 %
Vacancy rate in the city of Zurich as at 1 June 2026, just 252 empty apartments
45 %
Price increase for detached houses in the canton of Zurich over ten years, for condominium apartments more than 35 %
Behind this demand lies an exceptionally strong economy. In the canton of Zurich, 1’142’000 employees work in 125’000 businesses, which corresponds to 20 per cent of all employees in Switzerland. The standardised gross median wage is CHF 7’500 per month, compared with CHF 7’020 for Switzerland as a whole. Zurich Airport recorded 32.6 million passengers in 2025 and, at 103.4 % of the 2019 figure, was back above the pre-crisis level for the first time.
Sources: Zürcher Kantonalbank, Zürcher Wohneigentumsindex ZWEX, second quarter 2026. Canton of Zurich, Office for Statistics and Data, median price for condominium apartments 2025, median price for detached houses most recent reported figure, ten-year comparison. Statistical Office of the Canton of Zurich and Statistik Stadt Zürich, vacant dwelling count as at 1 June 2026. Statistical Office of the Canton of Zurich, population as at 31 December 2025. Department of Economic Affairs of the Canton of Zurich, employment 2023 and wages 2024. Flughafen Zürich AG, year 2025.
Selling a property successfully in the canton of Zurich
Are you looking to sell your apartment, your detached house, your villa, your plot of land, your apartment building or your investment property in the canton of Zurich?
LAGE A Immobilien has been supporting owners in the sale of high-quality properties since 2001. We are based in the canton of Zug and are also active in the canton of Zurich and in the rest of Central Switzerland. Under the personal leadership of owner Richard A. Lüdi, we combine sound property valuation, high-quality marketing, rigorous buyer qualification and professional negotiation.
Our standard is clear: we sell your property at the best possible price, efficiently, discreetly, transparently and with personal support at executive level.
Whether in the city of Zurich, on the right bank of Lake Zurich, on the Zimmerberg, in the Limmattal, in the Glattal and Furttal, in the Zürcher Oberland, in Winterthur, in the Unterland and Weinland or in the Knonaueramt: we assess every property taking into account its municipality, its neighbourhood, its micro-location and its individual development potential.
Submarkets in the canton of Zurich
The canton is officially divided into eleven planning regions: City of Zurich, Limmattal, Knonaueramt, Zimmerberg, Pfannenstil, Glattal, Furttal, Oberland, Winterthur and surroundings, Weinland and Unterland. In property terms, the Zürcher Kantonalbank maps the market with the Zurich residential property index ZWEX. The index is quality-adjusted using the hedonic method, has a base of Q1 2006 equal to 100 and draws on around 900 open-market transactions per quarter. Three sub-indices separate the price levels. In Q2 2026 the overall index stood at 251.09, +0.4 % against the previous quarter and +2.2 % against the same quarter of the previous year. Over the full year 2025, residential property prices in the canton had risen by +3.2 %.
City of Zurich and lakeside municipalities
Residential property is particularly expensive in the city of Zurich and in the lakeside municipalities. The ZWEX See, which covers the most expensive localities and around a quarter of all transactions, rose by +2.9 % in the 2nd quarter of 2026 compared with the same quarter of the previous year, reaching an index level of 279.93.
On the right-hand shore this includes the municipalities of the Pfannenstil region such as Küsnacht, Zollikon, Erlenbach, Herrliberg and Meilen, and on the left-hand shore Kilchberg, Rüschlikon, Thalwil and Horgen. In demand are lake-view locations, villas, penthouse and terrace apartments, land reserves and discreetly brokered premium properties. Land prices have also risen sharply in the city of Zurich and in the low-tax lakeside municipalities.
Agglomeration, Limmattal and Glattal
The ZWEX Regio reflects the middle price level and gained +1.2 % in the 2nd quarter of 2026, reaching 237.77. For 2025 as a whole it grew by +2.3 %, the weakest of all three segments.
The Limmattal is assigned to this segment. The Glattal and Furttal, Winterthur and its surroundings as well as large parts of the Zürcher Unterland are generally positioned at a comparable price level. Demand here is for condominium apartments, terraced and detached houses as well as investment properties. Decisive for the price are site access and services, connections to the S-Bahn and the motorway, year of construction, fit-out standard and the specific micro-location within the neighbourhood.
Rural municipalities
The ZWEX Land covers the most affordable municipalities and thus likewise around a quarter of transactions. In the 2nd quarter of 2026 it recorded the strongest increase of all segments, up +3.2 % to 222.77. For 2025 as a whole it was already the fastest-growing segment at +4.2 %.
The Knonaueramt is assigned to this segment. Parts of the Zürcher Oberland and the Weinland are similarly rural in character and positioned at a comparable price level. The price gap to the lakeside locations remains wide, but the pace of growth is currently higher. In rural areas, too, the increase in building land prices is considerable, although markedly weaker than in the city and along the lake shores.
Supply and vacancies
For the second year in succession, the vacancy rate is below one per cent in all Zurich regions. It is highest in the Oberland at 0.95 % and at the Pfannenstil at 0.90 %, and lowest in the city of Winterthur at 0.20 % and in the city of Zurich at 0.11 %.
More than 75 % of the vacant apartments in the canton are rental apartments. For detached houses, the vacancy rate is 0.58 %, which equates to around 700 units. Even among new builds from 2024 onwards, at 3.02 % only around 600 units stand empty. In the city of Zurich, of 252 vacant apartments only 6 were for sale. Anyone selling here encounters a limited supply and prospective buyers already registered.
Housing stock and property transfers
There are slightly fewer than 120’000 detached houses in the canton of Zurich, around 2’200 of which change owner each year. Condominium apartments are traded more than twice as often. In the city of Zurich alone, 500 to 700 transfers of condominium ownership are registered each year.
Over ten years, prices for condominium apartments have risen by more than 35 % and those for detached houses by 45 %. The cantonal median prices are transaction prices recorded in the land register, irrespective of property size. For a reliable assessment of your property they are therefore no substitute for a property-specific valuation.
Upmarket residential property in the Zurich area
In the upper segment of the Zurich and Central Switzerland region, condominium apartments became more expensive by +7.4 % year on year and detached houses by +5.5 %. Nationwide, detached houses in the premium segment gained +4.8 %, compared with +4.3 % in the overall market. In the first quarter of 2026, the median advertising period in the upper segment was 77 days for condominium apartments and 76 days for detached houses nationwide.
The city of Zurich and the right and left shores of Lake Zurich count as separate sub-markets in this context. Price drivers are the limited choice of properties for sale, in part attractive tax conditions and proximity to the economic centres. In the premium regions, sales of owner-occupied homes increased markedly over the past two years, and the share of properties above CHF 3 million has risen steadily.
Where demand is growing
Population growth is spread unevenly across the canton. In 2025 the Weinland grew most strongly at +1.1 % and the Furttal at +1.0 %, while the Winterthur region grew most slowly at 0.5 %. The city of Zurich alone gained 4’008 people and thus accounted for around a third of the entire cantonal growth.
For sellers this means: demand is high throughout the canton, but its composition differs markedly between the city, the lake shore, the agglomeration and rural areas. We therefore always define the buyer group, price positioning and marketing strategy specifically for the region.
Sources: Zürcher Kantonalbank, ZWEX and Immobilienbarometer, second quarter of 2026 and full year 2025. Canton of Zurich, Office for Statistics and Data, property and land prices. Statistical Office of the Canton of Zurich and Statistik Stadt Zürich, vacant dwelling census as at 1 June 2026. Statistical Office of the Canton of Zurich, population development 2025. Office for Spatial Development of the Canton of Zurich, planning regions. Julius Bär and Wüest Partner, Swiss property market report second quarter of 2026; the figures for the upper segment relate to the Zurich and Central Switzerland region and to Switzerland as a whole respectively, not to the Canton of Zurich alone.
Taxes on a property sale in the canton of Zurich
When a property is sold in the canton of Zurich, property gains tax is payable on the gain between the deductible investment costs and the sale proceeds. The tariff under § 225 Steuergesetz is progressive and is adjusted by a surcharge for a short holding period and a reduction for a long holding period. The canton of Zurich no longer levies a property transfer tax.
| Property gains tax rate, § 225 StG | 10 % on the first CHF 4’000, 15 % on the next CHF 6’000, 20 % on the next CHF 8’000, 25 % on the next CHF 12’000, 30 % on the next CHF 20’000, 35 % on the next CHF 50’000, 40 % on the portions of the gain above CHF 100’000 |
| Exemption threshold | Property gains below CHF 5’000 are not taxed |
| Tax amount from a gain of CHF 150’000 | CHF 49’400, plus CHF 40 for each further CHF 100 |
| Surcharge for a short holding period | 50 % for less than 1 year, 25 % for less than 2 years |
| Reduction for a long holding period | 5 % from 5 years, 20 % from 10 years, 35 % from 15 years, 50 % from 20 years and more |
| Property transfer tax | none since 1 January 2005 |
Tax deferral in the case of a replacement purchase
Anyone who sells a residential property that has been permanently and exclusively owner-occupied and reinvests the proceeds in a replacement property used in the same way can defer the property gains tax. The legal basis is § 216 Abs. 3 lit. i and § 226a Steuergesetz, and under federal law Art. 12 Abs. 3 lit. e StHG. The taxpayer must take up residence at the replacement property; this may be located in the canton of Zurich or elsewhere in Switzerland.
As a rule, the replacement purchase must take place within two years of the sale. Longer periods are possible in individual cases if circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control are demonstrated. If only part of the proceeds is reinvested, the portion of the gain that is not reinvested is taxed. Further grounds for deferral include inheritance, division of an estate, legacy, gift and transfers between spouses under matrimonial property law.
Imputed rental value and property valuation
In September 2025, the people and the cantons approved the change of system in the taxation of residential property. On 1 April 2026, the Federal Council decided to bring it into force on 1 January 2029. From then on, the taxation of the imputed rental value will cease, as will the deduction for maintenance costs on owner-occupied primary and secondary properties. The deduction for debt interest will remain only in proportion to the share that is let or leased; in addition, a new deduction for first-time buyers, limited in time and in amount, will be introduced. The cantons may introduce a special tax on owner-occupied secondary properties.
Independently of this, the canton of Zurich is revaluing tax values and imputed rental values from the 2026 tax period. The tax value lies between 70 and 100 % of the market value, the imputed rental value between 60 and 70 % of the market rent. The municipal tax offices will send out the valuations from January 2027.
In addition to the property gains tax, the transaction costs that remain are the notary’s notarisation fees, which are based on the purchase price and include VAT, as well as the transfer fees of the land registry office. The creation of mortgage rights triggers further fees. How high your tax burden actually turns out to be depends on the investment costs, documented value-enhancing investments and the holding period. We clarify these points with you before marketing begins and, where required, bring in the notary’s office and a tax adviser.
Sources: Cantonal Tax Office Zurich, ZStB No. 225.1 tariff for the property gains tax, form version 09.2025. Finance Directorate of the Canton of Zurich, ZStB No. 216.2 and No. 216.3 on replacement purchases. Notary offices of the Canton of Zurich, fees, continuously updated. Federal Department of Finance, change of system in the taxation of residential property, as at April 2026. Finance Directorate of the Canton of Zurich, revaluation of properties 2026. This overview does not replace tax or legal advice.
What is your property in the canton of Zurich worth?
Median prices and index values show the direction, not the price of your property. We determine the market value for your specific property, for your municipality, your neighbourhood and your micro-location.
Valuation, marketing and off-market in the canton of Zurich
Professional property valuation
The right asking price largely determines the success of a property sale. An asking price that is too high can extend the marketing period, deter qualified buyers, lead to subsequent price reductions and create mistrust in the market. An asking price that is too low can result in a considerable financial loss.
Our valuations combine data-based valuation models with many years of regional market experience, from transaction data through micro-location, lake views, fit-out standard and building law to replacement new-build potential and value-enhancing real options.
Marketing with measurable added value
Every property has its own identity, target group and history. That is why we develop individual marketing concepts instead of standardised sales solutions: with professional property, architecture and lifestyle photography, drone footage, high-quality videos, virtual 3D tours, premium brochures, home staging, national and international platforms, social media marketing, direct approaches to registered prospective buyers, buyer qualification including credit checks, structured viewings and professional negotiation, through to the transfer of ownership and handover of the property.
Selling a property off-market
Discretion is of central importance in the premium segment in particular, for entrepreneurs, senior executives and in special family situations. More than 50 % of our property transactions are conducted off-market: the property is not advertised publicly but presented selectively to chosen and qualified prospective buyers.
A dependable buyer network is decisive for success. We therefore assess in each individual case whether a fully off-market sale, a two-stage marketing approach or public premium marketing promises the greatest sales success.
Richard A. Lüdi, your contact for the canton of Zurich
Selling a property successfully requires far more than an online listing and a few property photos. What is decisive is a sound property valuation, regional market knowledge, knowledge of the micro-location, strategic price positioning, professional property marketing, buyer qualification, financing expertise, negotiating experience, legal and tax coordination as well as personal management of the sales process.
Richard A. Lüdi has been supporting owners with demanding property transactions for over two decades. LAGE A Immobilien is based in the canton of Zug and works for sellers in the canton of Zurich as well as throughout Central Switzerland.
Professional qualifications
Executive MBA Real Estate Management
CAS Property Valuation, ZHAW
Sales Manager / Marketing Manager HSG
Business Economist FH
This combination of academic training, many years of practical experience, regional roots and personal leadership forms the basis for property brokerage at the highest level.
Frequently asked questions about selling a property in the canton of Zurich
Determine the market value of your property in the canton of Zurich now
Would you like to know what price your apartment, detached house, villa, plot of land, apartment building or investment property in the canton of Zurich can currently achieve?
Benefit from over two decades of experience, sound property valuation, excellent regional market knowledge, personal support from Richard A. Lüdi, high-quality digital marketing, an established network of private and institutional buyers, professional buyer qualification, consistent negotiation and comprehensive support through to the transfer of ownership.
Arrange your no-obligation initial consultation now and have the current market value of your property determined professionally.
LAGE A Immobilien, since 2001. Regionally rooted. Personally committed. Demonstrably successful.
