Business and Geneva go together like peaches and cream; but then you could say exactly the same thing about international relations. The UN, International Red Cross, International Labour Organization, World Health Organization. You name it, they're in Geneva; it amounts to 200-plus top-hole governmental and non-governmental international organisations.The place is awash with world business leaders, diplomats, and the heads of international organisations. And if there’s one thing they have in common (apart from sharp suits), it’s a transient lifestyle flitting from one glamorous global assignment to another.
Consequently, Geneva’s relocation specialists are never short of something to do – and the high priestess of them all is Monica Barzilay. She’s at the top of her game in a very demanding business. Barzilay’s innate understanding of the local property market and fluency in all major languages has set her apart as the go-to guru for busy folks in Geneva on the move.
Moving house usually rates in the Top 10 most stressful experiences in life, and Monica can empathise with that. She herself has relocated various times during her previous career as a banker: from Argentina, Brazil and the USA, before settling in Geneva 20 years ago.
Consequently, she also understands the heightened problems newcomers face when looking for places to live in Geneva… According to a recent survey conducted on behalf of the United Nations it found that over half the people searching for accommodation in and around Geneva experienced problems finding suitable housing there.
“People coming to Geneva are often surprised by the difficulties they encounter in finding housing,” she says. “Very few new properties have been built in Geneva and Lausanne and the vacancy rate is quite low, except in the very high price range. Finding an apartment to rent in Geneva or Lausanne is extremely difficult. Having professional help is not a luxury but a necessity.”
A quick trawl on the internet reinforces this. English Forum Switzerland is the first place people look when relocating to Geneva, and it’s filled with plaintive posts:
“I am in the incredibly painful position of being in the middle of an apartment search in Geneva right now, and I can tell you it is almost impossible to secure an apartment in Geneva without 1) being here in person and 2) all the required paperwork,” opines one. “Otherwise, you may find the need to stay in a hotel for a little while with your family or before bringing your family over.”
“My wife and I have just moved to Geneva as I start a new job here in a weeks time,” says another. “As per usual, we have found ourselves in the hellish process of trying to get an apartment here. We need to live close(ish) to the city as we will be using public transport here…”
Even those who’ve managed the move already aren’t exactly filled with hope:
“Lausanne (and especially St-Sulpice) is not Canada - it's really difficult to find a flat. If you're being helped by a relocation company or an employer it is easier. If you're trying to do it on your own it can take more time than you would think - especially from overseas. If you are lucky to find one and the Swiss paper work is in order (permits, guarantees, employment contract etc).... get it!”
As you can see, it’s a potential minefield for the uninitiated. But with dozens of international organisations head quartered in Geneva and Lausanne, including multinationals like Hewlett-Packard, MacDonald’s, DHL, and Ralph Lauren - there is a constant stream of unwary relocating foreign national employees falling into the trap… Finding an apartment in Geneva can often take six to eight weeks – and with the chronic shortage of supply, often longer. So, it’s over to Monica Barzilay again; what’s her take on the situation?
“There are all kinds of different requirements,” she explains. “You have to be a resident in Geneva in order rent an apartment or house. You have to have a job - or, you have to start a company and employ people. For each foreign person that you bring in, you have to employ two Swiss people.
“A retired couple called me asking me to help them renting an apartment - but it's very difficult. If you can't prove that you have a regular income, people will not rent to you. Unless of course, you have a person in Switzerland that can vouch for you - a reference from a banker or a relative perhaps.”
The problem is exacerbated by the way the property market is regulated by the Swiss authorities – known as the Lex Koller - she explains. Foreigners, any foreign-based companies or even Swiss-based companies run by non-Swiss are restricted from acquiring property in Switzerland. They need an authorisation from the cantonal authority before gaining title of their property. And yet, this is a town where 38 percent of the population is non-Swiss!
“In the past few years, the Swiss Federal government has eased its restrictions and has set an annual quota permit that allows non-resident foreign nationals to purchase Swiss properties.”
Despite the initial obstacles in finding a home, once you’ve crossed that threshold the joys of Geneva, Lausanne and the Swiss Riviera soon unfold. In fact, the same UN survey reports that once they are settled, 92 per cent of expatriates recommended living there.
Geneva is only two hours away from Paris by TGV and one hour away from London by plane. French-speaking Switzerland also boasts great educational institutions such as EPFL in Lausanne, the Hotel schools in Monteux and Lausanne, Webster University, and excellent music and dance academies. Super sleek, slick and cosmopolitan, Geneva is a rare breed of city – and it's one of Europe's priciest. But the region really has no shortage of fans.
Just make sure you give Barzilay Services plenty of warning once you decide to move here…
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