Welcome to glocals and congratulations on your success in finding suitable accommodation so easily.

However, CHF 3200 plus commuting costs isn’t exactly within the reach of everyone’s monthly budget and it is in the lower rental range that the situation is so acute, especially for the young and less well-paid.

Hi Ritchie

Thanks for the welcome.  I agree that CHF3200 isn't 'cheap', but it's less than CHF1,100 per bedroom and transport is cheap compared to similar international cities (I'm within GVA zone 10).

Comparatively, my house in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) was USD2500 for a 2-bedroom house, and transport was more expensive.  In London my rent would be over GBP1000 for a room in a shared house in a similar area.  So when comparing like-with-like, I don't think Geneva is all that bad.

I was simply very happy with my experience, despite several negative/pesimistic comments I'd had when I posted a query on a different forum.  I've found that a lot of the advice on some forums is quite negative, so I just wanted to share a story which might be relevant for some, showing that Geneva doesn't have to be a 'nightmare' for house-hunting.

Dear Ritchie and Vanessa 

 I happen to share Vanessa's good fortune with house hunting. I had been looking for a flat within Geneva and I too had heard the horror stories of it taking people months to find a place to live. So I started my search early. However within two weeks of looking I had three regies/owners offering me their flats (and these are quite reasonable flats in Geneva for just over 2,000 CHF per month). I felt like the belle of the ball! I selected the one that made me feel most at home and in just over a month, I move. (which I suppose will be another story). 

All the properties I looked at I found here on glocals. I looked at 11 properties all together, put in applications for four and got offers from three. So not a bad score. And none of them were scams. Perhaps in that I was lucky. 

A friend says that the property market in Geneva is opening up more and perhaps that is why I was able to find a flat so quicky. Perhaps. I prefer to think it was good vibes, lots of prayer and loads and loads of luck. 

Well done Vanessa. Glad you found a great place too! 

Kaylois

You found the apt in Geneva or Ferney Voltaire?

Hi Oonah, 

In Geneva. I found the flat that quickly in Geneva. 

K.

The general rule of thumb here ia that one should not pay more than 25% of one’s salary on rent and I know quite a few folk,  with and without children, who don’t earn CHF 8000 let alone 13,000 a month.  They’re the ones who find it difficult to find equitable housing.

R.

I asked as your profile says Ferney Voltaire / Geneva which is off course much easier than in Geneva. 

This is true. Ferney is easier.

But as I said in the original post, I was looking in Geneva and I am moving in just over a month. 

Perhaps it is difficult to believe that a flat can be found so quickly in Geneva. I certainly am still reeling about the fact that two weeks after starting my search, I have signed the lease. But these things can happen without too much drama. 

Maybe it will give hope to others. 

K.

I think its a matter of luck, i have also found an apt very easy and know a lot of people that also have. You are lucky :-)

All my experiences in renting in Geneva have been nightmares.  All but one, when (after visiting 50 apartments or so) I found a beautiful place in a villa, with very nice owners, for a reasonable price.  Strangely, this was exactly during the period of maximum scarcity. 

The case of Vanessa is less exceptional; houses with rents above 3000 CHF are less in demand so they're easier to find.  Plus, keeping the house not rented it's a higher monetary loss for homeowners, so they tend to be less picky in order find a tenant as soon as possible. 

But concerning K H, I advise her to start buying lottery tickets immediately.

Also had smooth experience on my side. Found it in 1 day! The 2nd day had confirmation from Land Lord. Whenever I tell this, people ask to repeat )). An I love the place - close to old town, far from the office..haha. The Agency whose services I used did an excellent job though. Good Luck!

Hello

Which agency did you use? They are miracle makers!!!

This is grat news !  I am looking for a flat myself, starting a new job in septembre.

I have a question:

Do you already have a work permit B ? It seems to me like you need an apartment to have a permit and need a permit to have an apartment :-)

How did it turn out for you ?

Hi Remy, 

I already had my work permit before I started looking for a place to live. All the places where I put in my appliation wanted to see some proof that I was legally about to remain in the country for a length of time. My work permit was easiest. And I got my work permit through the job. 

Perhaps it was different for one of the others. 

Bon chance.

K.

Thanks for your reply.

I am just realizing that without the work permit, régies and owner won't bother looking into my file.

My employer is taking care of the permit but I understand they can do the paperwork only 15 days prior my start date, is that true ?

I had no work permit :) Got it week after I landed in Gva :) And the flat was found 1 month ahead during one of business trips. The agency who did the miracle was www.welcome-service.ch. All the best!

The other issue is real prices versus jacked up prices. The variation is crazy here, and no real rule or reason.

My last (and first) place was a tiny, incredibly old, 1 bed, for 1700chf. My neighbours paid 700chf due having been there for a couple of years.I saw 12 properties from 1300-2000, wild variation.

I am currently in a r sublet where a 3 bedroom, with huge living room/kitchen, is 2400chf. (The places are ~50m apart - near rue de lyon)

The new place is getting a lick of paint and being put back on the market for a min of 4000chf.

I'm currently seeing tiny studios for 2000CHf... ouch.

Also i'm not sure that most people will commute 20 minutes. Especially younger age groups. Getting home at 3am is hard enough in the city centre... and stifles spontaneity 

Vanessa, KH: you ladies did better than most folks looking to rent, and it's great to see some nice stories finally about renting.

But...it's a fact that there's way more demand than supply in Geneva for rentals, and that makes it hard + expensive + long to find a place, on average. Of course some folks get luckier than others, or go for a price range where there's maybe diffrent demand, but the overall picture still ain't too good...

Anyway, when do we our invitation to the housewarming BBQ? (-;