Hi

I need advice on finding accomodation. How did most of you find accomodation from afar? Did you go through a relocation agent?
Thanks

www.homegate.ch
the internet should be availble in your area?

I used a company called Touch Down Services, very good although im not sure on the pricing as the company i work for paid for the relocation.

Their website is http://www.touchdown-reloc.ch/

hope this can help

rich

thanks a mill

We've moved back to Switzerland many times and found the best way to relocate is to rent a temporary furnished apartment for 3 to 5 months. You can book this over the net and when you fly in they will be at the apartment to let you in. You then have plenty of time to check out the areas where you want to live.

It usually takes me 3 - 4 months to find a place. Places are in demand here especially low tax Gemeindes and there can be up to 30 people queuing up for the same place. If you are a foreigner with a B permit, you are sometimes not even considered no matter your income unless the place is overpriced.

If you decide in the country, it should be easier though. You might want to look at Oberland, Zimmerberg, Knonaueramt, Pfannenstiel areas. All have train lines.

A decent temporary 1 bedroom furnished apartment in Zurich will set you back around CHF 2,000 a month. For a permanent place outside Zurich, you can check that on Homegate.

The below are some of the Short term rental agencies I've used.

http://www.aw-immo.ch/en/00_aw-immo/startseite.htm

http://www.visiongmbh.ch/english.cfm

There are many short term furnished places on homegate with pics and prices. I also see there are more agencies this year offering these rentals.

http://www.homegate.ch

Good luck.

We used a relocation company network relocation www.relocation-solutions.ch

They have been very helpful with all the paperwork, and showed us about 30 places although we did eventually find the property ourselves, it was paid for by a large company with local clout which helped, but also i have heard that the the relocation company will help get around the issue of being foreigners.

You can do it all yourself without too many drama's but i think it would take longer. We were also lucky to have a short term furnished place which we have needed for over 2 months.

Thanks for helpful advice.
Tanya

there are a lot of websites catering to real estate....immosearch.ch, comparis. ch etc....
i like immosearch the best because it shows you a map of the area and where exactly the apartments are situated....

thanks a mill

am looking for a new flatmate. area is Kusnacht, right by the station. rent is 1450 a month. beautiful scenery. for info contact d.falvey@helvetia-wealth.ch

It is an excellentidea to rent somewhere furnished firt. I move over 2 weeks toady and have a small furnished apartment to go to in Unterageri. I will then spend a few weeks looking around. It also gives you a chance to suss out the area that will suit you best
Good Luck! I am really scared about it all but also excited. I am leaving all my family and friends and just starting with the leaving do's at the mo. A few tears will be shed, but it is also very exciting. i am sure that many of you have been through it!
And you have survived!!

www.alle-immobilien.ch is one of my favorite sites for searching rentals here in Switzerland, as it's an aggregator for many of the other sites.

However, that Vision link posted above is really useful, I spent a lot of time looking for something like that a few months back. Thanks!

Lance