Moving to Zurich: How to Find a Home Before You Arrive
A practical guide for international executives, professionals and families planning a property search in Zurich before arriving in Switzerland.
Moving to Zurich for a new professional opportunity or with your family often means having to organise your property search while you are still living abroad.
Finding a suitable home is only one part of the challenge. You also need to understand the local property market, assess unfamiliar locations, coordinate viewings and make decisions without necessarily being able to travel to Zurich for every opportunity.
A well-prepared property search can therefore make a significant difference.
This guide explains how to approach your search for a home in Zurich, what to clarify before you start and how the process can be managed locally while you are still abroad.
Understanding the Zurich property market
Zurich offers a wide range of residential locations, from central city neighbourhoods to established residential communities along Lake Zurich and in the surrounding canton.
At the same time, attractive rental properties and well-positioned homes for sale can attract considerable interest. Availability and pricing vary depending on location, property type, size, standard of finish and budget.
For international clients, it is therefore particularly important to define the search parameters before the active search begins.
A clear search profile should take into account not only the desired property itself, but also your daily life in Switzerland: workplace, commuting time, schools, public transport, proximity to the airport, neighbourhood environment and personal preferences.
The objective is not simply to identify available properties, but to focus the search on locations and properties that genuinely fit your circumstances.
Renting or buying when relocating to Zurich
One of the first decisions is whether you intend to rent or purchase your new home.
For many international clients, renting is initially the more flexible option, particularly when the duration of the stay in Switzerland is not yet certain.
For others, purchasing a home may be the preferred long-term solution.
A purchase requires additional preparation. Financing should generally be clarified before an active property search begins, and international buyers should establish whether their particular circumstances permit them to acquire residential property in Switzerland.
The acquisition of real estate by persons abroad is regulated by the Swiss Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad, commonly known as Lex Koller. If you are considering buying rather than renting, you can find a detailed overview in our guide: Buying Property in Zurich as a Foreigner: Lex Koller, Residency and Requirements.
Choosing where to live in Zurich
For somebody relocating from abroad, choosing the right location can be just as important as choosing the right property.
Zurich itself consists of very different residential areas. In addition, communities along both shores of Lake Zurich and other well-connected locations in the Canton of Zurich can offer attractive alternatives to living directly in the city.
The appropriate location depends on your individual priorities.
An executive working in central Zurich may place particular importance on commuting time and access to the airport. A family may prioritise schools, outdoor space and residential surroundings. Others may prefer proximity to the lake, an urban environment or easy access to international schools.
Taxation can also differ between municipalities and may be relevant when comparing potential residential locations.
For this reason, the location strategy should ideally be defined before individual properties are assessed.
Searching for a property while you are still abroad
This is often the most difficult part of an international relocation.
Suitable properties may become available while you are still several hundred or several thousand kilometres away. Travelling to Zurich for every viewing is rarely practical, yet waiting until your arrival can considerably restrict the time available for the search.
A locally managed property search can bridge this gap.
Properties can be screened in advance, selected opportunities can be viewed locally and the property, location and surrounding area can be assessed before you decide whether an option should be pursued further.
Video viewings can allow you to participate remotely, while communication with owners, agents and property managers can be coordinated locally.
This makes it possible to progress with a property search even before you have permanently relocated to Switzerland.
Your local representation in Zurich
For international executives, professionals and families relocating to Zurich
CROVES Real Estate acts as a local point of contact throughout the property search.
While you are still abroad, we screen potential properties, attend selected viewings, assess properties and locations and coordinate with owners, agents and property managers on your behalf.
You remain closely involved in the relevant decisions, while the operational parts of the search are managed locally in Zurich.
Depending on the mandate, the property search can include publicly advertised properties as well as direct market outreach and opportunities identified through our professional network.
The entire search mandate can be conducted in English.
Where needed, our Residence & Relocation Services complement the search with practical support before and after your move.
Learn more about our Active Search Mandate for tenants and buyers or start your property search in Zurich before you arrive.
Preparing for a rental property search in Zurich
If you intend to rent, preparing the application documentation in advance can help avoid unnecessary delays once a suitable property has been identified.
The documents requested vary depending on the property and landlord. Typical requirements may include identification documents, information about your employment and income, residence status and additional information concerning the prospective tenants.
For clients relocating from abroad, some of the standard Swiss documents may not yet be available. In such cases, it can be useful to clarify in advance which alternative documentation can appropriately demonstrate the financial and personal circumstances of the applicant.
The objective should be to have the relevant information ready before the right property becomes available.
Buying a home in Zurich
A property purchase requires a different level of preparation.
Before beginning an active search, it is advisable to clarify the available budget and financing structure as well as any restrictions that may apply to the acquisition.
Once these fundamentals are established, the search can focus on suitable properties and locations.
The assessment of a potential purchase should go beyond the asking price and visual impression. Depending on the property, relevant considerations may include the condition of the building, renovation requirements, condominium documentation, recurring costs, location characteristics and other property-specific information.
A structured assessment provides a more reliable basis for deciding whether and at what conditions a property should be pursued.
How CROVES Real Estate manages an international property search
CROVES Real Estate represents tenants and buyers through an Active Search Mandate. As an independent buyer's agent and property search partner in Zurich, we represent your side of the transaction only — see also our active search mandate for tenants and buyers.
The mandate is structured around the individual requirements of the client and may include the definition of the search strategy, continuous market screening, active market outreach, property pre-selection, viewings, property assessment, communication with the relevant parties and support throughout negotiations and the contractual process.
For clients who are still abroad, the process is organised so that the search can already progress before their arrival in Switzerland.
The aim is not to present the highest possible number of properties, but to identify and assess options that meet the agreed search parameters and provide a sound basis for the client's decision.
Case Study: Relocation from San Francisco to Zurich
An international family with two young children engaged CROVES Real Estate to find a new home in the Zurich area while they were still living in San Francisco.
The search was managed locally in Switzerland. CROVES coordinated the property search, attended viewings, assessed potential homes and communicated with the family through video calls despite the nine-hour time difference.
Within two months, a detached family home in Küsnacht was secured.
The family did not need to travel to Switzerland for a separate property-search trip and was able to move into its new home on the day of arrival.
Read the full Case Study: Relocation from San Francisco to Zurich.
Frequently asked questions about moving to Zurich
When should I start looking for a home in Zurich?
The appropriate timing depends on whether you intend to rent or buy, your budget, search criteria and planned relocation date. For international relocations, it is useful to clarify the search strategy and prepare the relevant documentation before the active search begins. This allows the search to progress efficiently once suitable opportunities become available.
Can I search for a property in Zurich before moving to Switzerland?
Yes. A significant part of the property search can be managed while you are still abroad. Properties can be screened locally, selected viewings can be attended on your behalf and video calls can be used to involve you directly in the assessment of suitable options. The exact process depends on the type of property and whether you are looking to rent or purchase.
Can CROVES attend property viewings on my behalf?
Yes. Within an Active Search Mandate, CROVES Real Estate can attend selected property viewings on your behalf, assess the property and location and provide you with the relevant information for your decision. Where appropriate, a video viewing can be arranged so that you can participate remotely.
Can the entire property search be conducted in English?
Yes. The entire search mandate can be conducted in English, from the initial consultation and definition of your search profile through property viewings, negotiations and coordination of the contractual process.
Does CROVES assist with both rental and purchase searches?
Yes. CROVES Real Estate represents both tenants and buyers and searches for rental properties as well as residential properties for purchase. The appropriate search strategy is defined individually according to your requirements, timing and circumstances.
Do you have access to off-market properties in Zurich?
Our property search is not limited to publicly advertised properties. In addition to continuous market screening, we use direct market outreach and our established network of owners, agents, property managers and institutional market participants. Depending on the search profile and current market situation, this may also lead to opportunities outside the public market.
Can foreigners buy property in Zurich?
Whether a foreign national can acquire residential property in Switzerland depends on several factors, including nationality, actual residence in Switzerland and the intended use of the property. Acquisitions by persons abroad are regulated by the Swiss Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad, commonly known as Lex Koller.
For further information, please see our guide: Buying Property in Zurich as a Foreigner – Lex Koller, Residency and Requirements. Individual legal and tax circumstances should be assessed by the appropriate qualified advisers.
Which areas does CROVES cover?
Our property searches include the City of Zurich, communities along both shores of Lake Zurich and selected locations in the Canton of Zurich. The search area is defined individually based on your workplace, commuting requirements, family situation, budget, preferred environment and property requirements.
Can CROVES support us beyond the property search?
Yes. Depending on your requirements, our Residence & Relocation Services can complement the property search with selected relocation and residence-related coordination before and after your move to Zurich.
Planning your move to Zurich?
If you are relocating to Zurich and would like your property search to be managed locally before or after your arrival, we would be pleased to discuss your requirements and the appropriate approach in a personal consultation.