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DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES :

The Swiss abroad and foreign expatriates living in Switzerland Le Vaud (VD) – Sale Charming 4-room villa with garden CHF 1 200 000.– Page 100

Chambésy (GE) – Sale

Pretty duplex villa of 200 m² with view over the lake CHF 2 300 000.– Page 75

Chêne-Bougeries – Sale

In Switzerland, Interviews with : Ralph Tatu, Andrea Giagnoli, Jérémy Narby, Arnaud de Jamblinne, Miho Habel, Denis Rousseau, Jean-Charles Magnin.

PP. 25 to 32

World tour : Singapore, United States (part 1), Australia, India. Pro Helvetia, Présence Suisse : interview with Johannes Matyassy

PP. 33 to 41

Fine 6-room apartment set in quiet surroundings CHF 1 490 000.– Page 81

ite

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web+ United States (part 2), Italy, Morocco, Mexico, New Caledonia, Senegal .

www.immorama.ch

SALES AND RENTALS : SEE INSIDE FOR A huge RANGE OF OFFERS PP. 71 to 110 27_couv_1_ang_sanc.indd 1

Old Town (GE) – Sale 3-room apartment, close to parc des Bastions CHF 1 270 000.– Page 76

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Votre architecte financier Acheter • un appartement • une villa • un terrain • une résidence secondaire • en Suisse • en France voisine Construire • un logement • une habitation Minergie Rénover • un bien immobilier Grâce à notre connaissance unique du marché, nous vous proposons des solutions calquées sur vos besoins.

Planifiez et construisez avec nos spécialistes au 022 317 27 27 ou sur www.bcge.ch/simplissimmo

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23.09.1011:27:57 11:21 08/10/2010

Masochism ? No thanks !

O

ver these past couple of years, our old certainties have taken quite a battering, though, having said that, it can be seen with hindsight that we have weathered the storm remarkably well compared with the majority of other western countries. In the circumstances then, what could be more natural than to take another look at our place in the world and the way we are perceived by foreigners who come to live here.

The picture that emerges from our special report (pp 25 to 41*) is, in the end, not surprising. Have we somehow remained our old selves in a world beset by change ? Or have we managed to adapt, despite our doubtless exaggerated reputation for conservatism ?

Or do we perhaps know ourselves pretty well ? Whatever the case may be, the opinions of our guests are not without relevance and we should accept their compliments and encouragements. It is hardly a banality to note that, after seven hundred years, direct democracy is still seen to be a valuable and perfectly useful institution.

editorial

At the same time, we need to pay attention to their criticisms – the criticisms of friends who wish us well and who know what they are talking about. They raise a number of points : for example a tax system that, contrary to preconceived notions, is not at all friendly – at least not in Geneva – unless you happen to enjoy a lump-sum arrangement ; a public education system that is costly but fails to deliver ; a sometimes self-defeating insistence on perfection ; or the counterproductive restrictions on the granting of work permits for people from outside Europe.

Overall, however, as one of our foreign guests eloquently pointed out, Switzerland has retained its capacity to deal with important issues by considering every shade of grey rather than insisting on black and white solutions. In an increasingly complex world, this is certainly a major strength.

Our feature also highlights the extraordinary appetite of our compatriots for travel, discovery and adventure and reports on some of them installed in places as various as New Caledonia, Senegal, Morocco and India. Their experiences and their perceptions of a now-distant homeland are both moving and enriching. They remind us that this too is Switzerland – this amazing capacity to go off in search of the unknown and to establish undertakings in a foreign environment with a clear understanding of the strengths we can bring to bear and put to good use.

Finally, we must also emphasise the role of Pro Helvetia and Présence Suisse, two organisations which help to maintain the capital of sympathy that Switzerland enjoys around the world. This reminder of their mission and their projects shows that culture still exerts a powerful lever effect in promoting the image and reputation of the country and that investments made in this domain are certainly not in vain. It shows too that our small country is not nearly as passive as some critics would claim when it comes to promoting our image and maintaining our presence abroad. (* See also our Immoweb+ on www.immorama.ch)

Thierry Barbier-Mueller Chief Executive Officer of Société Privée de Gérance n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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N° 27 – autumn 2010

masthead A publication of

SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE

DE GÉRANCE

Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva Tel. : 022 849 61 61 Fax : 022 849 61 00 www.spg.ch

Publications Department

Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva Tel. : 022 849 65 60 Fax : 022 849 61 80 E-mail : publications@spg.ch www.immorama.ch

Managing Editor

Thierry Barbier-Mueller

Editor-in-Chief

Christine Esseiva redaction@immorama.ch

Advertising

Edouard Carrascosa edouard.carrascosa@spg.ch Tel. : 022 849 65 61 - Fax : 022 849 61 80

Real Estate and Distribution Béatrice Repole, Cécile Heymans

Typesetting and Production

Sandra Cattaud, Johana Couprie, Martine Musy

Subscriptions

Simon Jöhr Tel. : 022 849 65 68 subscription@immorama.ch

The following persons contributed to the production : Claude Atallah D. Bakis-Métoudi François Delaite

Christian Muellegg Cédric Pidoux Nicole Saint-Jal

Printing, binding,

Swissprinters Lausanne S A, Renens

Cover

Vitamine, Geneva Photos : iStockphoto

Translation

Made by ABC Traductions French version Audited circulation (REMP 2010) : 221,307 copies Print run : 226,000 copies English version Print run : 11,000 copies Published twice a year (spring and autumn) Founded in 1997 In the event of any difficulty of interpretation, the French version shall prevail.

This magazine is published by the SPG Group, consisting of SOCIÉTE PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, Rytz & Cie S.A. and IFA All rights reserved ©2010 Société Privée de Gérance, Geneva Next issue in February 2011

Electronic version www.immorama.ch

contents Editorial by Thierry Barbier-Mueller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

anniversary SPG celebrates its 50th year in the property business . . . . . 7 label ISO 9001 certification = a guarantee of quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 concours A competition to beautify the city . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 zoom The specialists for shops, offices and stores of all kinds . . . . . . . . . . 17 neuf The Patio de Frontenex, a haven of peace and tranquillity . . . . . . . . . 21 dossier Different perspectives : The Swiss abroad and foreign expatriates living in Switzerland • Local dossier by Thierry Oppikofer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Switzerland as seen by expatriates living here : the image remains almost intact • International dossier by Christine Esseiva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Out of sight but not out of mind sondage We want to hear your views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 transactions Building sales, a real art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 ecology Hazardous substances monitored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 patrimoine Hands off our architectural heritage ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 anniversary Five years of six-star service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 paradise T he happiest caretaker in the world ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 seniors Senior citizens are moving to new retirement homes . . . . . . . . . . . 65 cité Slow down : the Cittaslow challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Huge range of properties on offer : SPG FINEST PROPERTIES Switzerland Exceptional properties for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 SPG Geneva and region – Vaud Houses and apartments, new range for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Apartments for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Buildings for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Apartments and villas for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

House for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Parking places for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Commercial premises for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SPG Intercity Geneva and region – Vaud (Morges – Yverdon-les-Bains) Commercial premises for rent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 RytZ Vaud Houses and properties for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Apartments for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 IFA French border area Houses for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Be extravagant ! Mansions and manor-houses for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 .... Another extravagance ! Island for sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

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anniversary SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE celebrates its 50 year in the property business

© iStock

PERSONAL INVITATION

SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE celebrates its 50th year in the property business

W

ith no ostentation or media fanfare of any kind, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE has been celebrating its 50th year in the property business, a year punctuated by various events and actions, providing clients, partners, suppliers and staff with a novel and entertaining opportunity to join in the fun. Let’s take a look !

A bit of background SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE came into being on 6 August 1960. Established

by Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller, it opened its first premises in the Rue du MontBlanc on the right bank. The staff then consisted of a clerk, a bookkeeper and two secretaries, one full-time and one part-time. Over the course of the next ten years, the business developed gradually so that, with a workforce of twenty, the firm needed to move to larger offices in the Boulevard des Philosophes on the left bank. Thanks to modern methods of management, a solid position in the local market and controlled diversification, there was strong growth in the portfolio of properties entrusted to the care of SPG. Regional expansion During the 1980s, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE consolidated its position in French-speaking Switzerland through a partnership with the Nyon-based property management company RYTZ & Cie S.A. and the establishment of a branch close to the frontier at Gaillard. By 1989, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE was employing around a hundred staff and was ready to move into a modern glass building at 36 Route de Chêne. During the 1990s, the company was expanding its activities into all of the different sectors of the market – social housing, condominiums, development projects, top-of-the-range properties and so on. In 2000, in conjunction with the Intercity Group, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE created SPG Intercity, an independent entity specialising in commercial property consultancy which, with three offices in Geneva, Zurich and Basle, enabled us to cover the whole of Switzerland.

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OPEN DAY. Invitation card sent to owner and co-owner clients of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE on the occasion of our 50th anniversary.

“When the time comes to take stock, it is essential not only to sum up the past but also and even more importantly to project ourselves into the future.”

Thierry Barbier-Mueller, CEO of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE

anniversary

By Claire Vaudremont

Our new Internet site : www.spg.ch After being given a makeover during the summer, our website will become operational in time for the close of our jubilee year. More detailed information will be published in the next issue of IMMORAMA (due to come out in February 2011).

SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Route de Chêne 36 CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 61 61 www.spg.ch

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anniversary SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE celebrates its 50th year in the property business

journey to Paris for the employees of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE

Friday, 3 September 2010, 07:17 at Cornavin Station. Destination Paris.

Lunch and a cruise along the Seine on a bateau-mouche.

Afternoon of sight-seeing : Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, etc.

And to round off the day, an evening out at the Lido. Followed on Saturday by visits to some typically Parisian districts : Montmartre, Quartier 09:03:25 Latin, etc. murner o n25.pdf 29.07.2009

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Expansion of international networks In 2000, Jean Paul Barbier-Mueller retired from the board of directors but stayed on as honorary chairman. The founder’s younger son Thierry Barbier-Mueller remained as the sole director after having shared the helm for some time with his brother Stéphane.

The beginning of the new millennium was marked by an expansion of SPG on the international level through partnerships with world leaders in the field of commercial real estate and top-of-the-range residential property (Cushman & Wakefield and Christie’s Great Estates). Today, the SPG Group employs more than 200 people, has become an international player and is the market leader in Geneva and the whole Lake Geneva region.

2010 – our 50th anniversary To mark this jubilee year, three major events were scheduled : one for our tenants, one for our owners and co-owners and, finally, one for our staff.

New tenants : for every lease, a tree Inspired by its policy of sustainable development, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE decided that, for every new lease signed in 2010, a donation would be made to a charitable organisation to plant a tree. To this end, a partnership agreement was concluded with Nordesta Reforestation and Education and, to date, nearly 2 000 replacement trees have been planted in Brazilian Amazonia in the State of Tocantins. (For further information, visit us at www.spg.ch/ecologie).

Owners’ Open Day To mark the anniversary for our owners and co-owners, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE organised an open day at our offices in the Route de Chêne. On this occasion, the guests were given a conducted tour by an SPG guide responsible for presenting the different departments and answering questions. Entertainment was provided on each floor, with a comedian engaged to present our ecological activities and a magician for our activities in the fields of promotion (SPG Asset Management) and renovation (SPG PRORENOVA). The visitors were delighted with these relaxed and humorous exchanges. The open day was also an occasion for clients to meet their regular contact persons and the members of the Management.

Off to Paris Finally, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE wanted our staff to feel part of the jubilee celebrations. In 2010, all employees were given a day’s holiday to be taken on their birthday or a day of their choice, depending on their duties. As the icing on the cake, we all got together during two days in Paris at the beginning of September, a chance to do some sight-seeing (the Eiffel Tower was the star attraction) or to visit a painting exhibition. And to round off the day an evening out at the Lido. Not bad for a birthday present ! ■

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label ISO 9001 certification = a guarantee of quality

RYTZ & Cie SA, the Nyon-based property management company, has been ISO 9001 certified since 1998.

For the client, this certification ensures clarity and credibility.

© Objectif 31

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ISO 9001 certification = a guarantee of quality

I

label

SO standards are an internationally recognised proof of quality that By Jean-Louis Emmenegger any certified company can assert in dealings with its customers.

RYTZ & Cie SA, the Nyon-based property management company, has been ISO 9001 certified since 1998 and this certification is a guarantee of its quality and professional credibility. Mullegg Christian, Manager, tells us more about its implementation.

“It is crucial that all personnel The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has laid down “certification should be involved in the standards” (see box on next page) specifying the criteria and requirements with which quality certification process. a company wishing to obtain certification must comply.As the “quality process” involves After all, the employees often every aspect of the undertaking concerned, the establishment of modifications may result in a complete reorganisation of the company’s internal operation. It is crucial, have ideas of their own for therefore, that all personnel should be involved in the quality certification process.After improvements and they are all, the employees often have ideas of their own for improvements and they are the the ones who will have to ones who will have to implement the new measures. implement the new measures.”

Establishing the process Some companies prefer to conduct the certification process themselves, in which case they appoint a “quality manager” to oversee the entire project. However, to ensure a positive outcome, it is essential that senior management should be involved and give the project their full backing. Smaller companies, on the other hand, may well opt to outsource the quality and ISO certification process and to rely on the services of an external consultant. The advantage of using external ISO audit specialists is that, as outsiders, they are able to avoid the inevitable internal obstructions.

Obtaining certification Once the ISO standards have been put in place, the company must arrange for the certification of its new quality level. To this end, ISO grants powers of certification to national organisations. In Switzerland, for example, various bodies are authorised to issue the official ISO certificates, which remain valid for a period of three years.

Thereafter, the company must submit to an annual audit if it wishes to remain certified and to continue asserting its certification. RYTZ & Cie SA, the Nyonbased property management company belonging to the SPG Group, has been ISO 9001 certified since 1998.

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RYTZ & Cie S.A. Christian Mullegg Manager of RYTZ & Cie SA 7, avenue Alfred-Cortot 1260 Nyon (VD) Tel. +41 22 36 36 000 info@rytz.com - www.rytz.com

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di tha Plea sp t s label os th e e ed is n ISO 9001 certification = a guarantee of quality of lea sur pr fle e op t is er ly !

interviewed Christian Mullegg, Manager of RYTZ & Cie SA.

“It must be pointed out that the standardisation of work procedures is in no way an obstacle to the personalisation of services.”

The ISO standards Nowadays, the ISO standards constitute a worldwide benmark in relation to quality management. More than a million undertakings and organisations in 161 countries have obtained ISO certification.

ISO has laid down a number of standards applied throughout the world.

The most important and best known of these are: – ISO 9000, which defines the requirements for quality management systems (QMS) – ISO 14000, which defines the requirements for environmental systems (EMS) These standards are regularly updated

by ISO.

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– What does ISO 9001 certification consist of and who awarded it to you ?

Christian Mullegg – The system of quality management leading up to ISO 9001 certification is intended to formalise work procedures by trying to make them more efficient and productive, as well as to ensure that all of the components (human resources, IT systems, etc) are consistent with our quality commitment.

As regards our quality certification audit, it was conducted by Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), which still monitors us.

– Did you have to satisfy any special conditions in order to obtain this certification ?

In principle, there are no special requirements. However, in view of all the preparatory work to be carried out, a company wishing to obtain ISO certification must bear in mind that it will need to allow for a lot of time. On the other hand, the company will be motivated by all the resulting advantages it stands to gain.

– How long does the process take ?

Given that the whole company is involved, the process will take several months, with a number of successive phases (document preparation, analysis, etc) preceding the concrete implementation of the measures decided.

– Could you give some examples of the types of measures ?

One of the first is to lay down a quality charter corresponding to the corporate purpose. This document will then serve as a tool for reference and indeed communication.

– What fields does ISO 9001certification cover ?

To obtain certification, it is essentially necessary to conduct an audit of all the departments or sections of the company, it being noted that the ISO standard is not concerned with the company’s financial results. Subsequently, on the occasion of monitoring or the three-yearly renewal audits, the quality management system will be checked as a whole, with the emphasis in each case being places on certain specific domains.

– Could you give us a specific example of quality improvements within your own company ?

Well, in order to detect shortcomings and to promote a spirit of constructive criticism among our staff, we have recently checked and reviewed all of our work procedures. Without going into detail, this large-scale operation enabled us to identify weaknesses and then to make a fair number of more or less important improvements.

– Have you had to introduce innovations in your routine management ?

Of course. Because of the annual audits, the company has to remain active and to ensure that the annual targets laid down by the management are achieved.

Defects in the quality system must be corrected as and when they arise. At the same time, we have to ensure that the system evolves, taking into consideration such things as the suggestions made by our customers, staff and the parties involved in the process.

– Do you have recourse to surveys, assessments and controls ?

Surveys are a means of checking the quality loop and we conduct them periodically with owners, managers, tenants and staff. By passing on the results to those concerned, we are able to improve the process under review.

– Does your ISO certification offer your customers any particular advantages ?

Our charter is the cornerstone constituting the basis of our commitment in relation to our vision of a quality service. In this regard, it must be pointed out that the standardisation of work procedures is in no way an obstacle to the personalisation of services. For the customer, certification provides clarity and credibility.

– Is ISO certification common in the real estate business ?

No, it cannot be said that it is widespread. In any event, whatever some people may think, compliance with these standards is no easy matter. ■

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concours A competition to beautify the city

27 May 2010, prize-giving ceremony for the SPG / HEPIA competition “See and see again : urban scenographies”.

The prize-winners are surrounded to the left

by Claude Zuber, professor at HES and Thierry Barbier-Mueller, CEO, SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, in the centre right by Yves Leuzinger, director HEPIA, and to the right by Dominique Bakis-Métoudi, director of SPG Asset Development and Rémy Pagani, then mayor of the City of Geneva.

© Objectif 31

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A competition to beautify the city

I

n the course of an ideas competition, the students of the HEPIA have given a new look to some of Geneva’s urban public spaces.

Watchwords : freedom and creativity.

The participants were fresh, young students with a hearty appetite for urban living. In a joint initiative launched by the Geneva School for landscape, engineering and architecture (HEPIA) and SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, they set out to tackle sites scattered around the city that seemed to them to be ripe for improvement and ready and waiting for their ideas. The challenge facing them was to choose a site, to digest all its implications and to propose a development that would change its appearance, function and public perception, all within a period strictly limited to five days. In total, this original competition brought together nine teams consisting of two students each. In the words of Thierry Barbier-Mueller, CEO of the SPG Group and a warm supporter of the competition, it was intended to raise the awareness of these future professionals and to instil into them the need to find solutions to improve outside spaces, “no matter how modest they might be and no matter how lacking in terms of image and utilisation”. At the end of May, the time had come for the prizes to be awarded at a ceremony held in the Jardins de l’Amandolier, a development created by the TER Agency. As Thierry Barbier-Mueller points out, the gardens, situated astride two properties – one private owned by SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE and the other public owned by the city of Geneva – illustrate the potential for joint projects conducted within the framework of an international competition. A passionate advocate of the development of outside spaces, “all too often neglected and carried out at the end of the construction work when no-one has any money or energy left”, he would like to see the partnership with the HEPIA and the students provide support for training in this field. “You can never pay too much in taxes for training”, he points out. But this mini-competition was also intended to show the virtues of the process in itself, established for the purpose of “creating, renovating or improving outside spaces”. For his part, the mayor of Geneva, Rémy Pagani, emphasised the need for compromise in any procedure for the development of public spaces, “even if it means not carrying out the project entirely in the way originally conceived”.The mayor was alluding to the project for the construction of an ethnography museum, which has been blocked by a referendum decision 8

concours

By Evelyne Dubuis

27 May 2010, prize-giving ceremony for the SPG / HEPIA competition.

Rémy Pagani, then mayor of the city of Geneva, and Thierry Barbier-Mueller, CEO of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE.

archives See also article “Setting the scene in urban spaces” published in IMMORAMA no 26, Spring 2010, page 15.

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di tha Ple sp t as concours os th e ed is en A competition to beautify the city of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly ! to conserve three lime trees on the intended site.The challenge is not only to come

The prize-winners : 1 Ludovic Miazza and Paul Lacaze 2 Christelle Brot and Michael Meyer 3 Emil Ham Petersson and AnneClaire Douchant - 4 Florian Olivier Briffot and Aymeric Boireau - Projet Place du Rhône (special prize) 5 Carole Caner and Matthieu Caneravi 6 Guillaume Hernach and David Martini 7 Stéphane Koularmanis and Pablo Gabay 8 Guillaume Lancelot and Adrien Gros 9 Sébastien Wolleb and Thibault Laubriat.

up with bright ideas but also to see them through to fruition. Otherwise, what’s the point ? This note of pragmatism found little echo with the students, all of them still full of their own utopian notions. Let’s begin with the highly conceptual winners of the first prize in this trial run, Paul Lacaze and Ludovic Miazza. They opted to wrap the wall of the Promenade de la Treille by stretching an arrangement of threads from bottom to top on the “longest bench in the world”. A walker at the foot of the wall in the Rue de la Croix Rouge thus finds himself symbolically caught up in the net from the upper promenade, insulated from the traffic by a pattern of yellow striations which seems to want to draw him upwards. The second prize went to Christelle Brot and Michael Meyer, the team which was the most audacious in its choice of site, namely the Passage Montbrillant, an inhospitable tunnel leading under the railway lines to Cornavin station.They brought humour and poetry to a place cruelly deficient on this score by introducing a rustic audio background of crowing cockerels and mooing cows. The third team, Emil Ham Petersson and Anne-Claire Douchant, suspended swaying coloured fabrics over Place Belmont, the paved square between Ville Basse and Vieille Ville.The runners-up chose sites as various as the Place and Pont des Bergues, the Place de la Madeleine and the Place du Rhône and proposed projects as diverse as suspended benches here and wall gardens there...

Leaving aside the fact that sites selected were often of low priority in terms of need of redevelopment, it was very gratifying to see, on the one hand, the exuberance of the imagination shown and, on the other the sobriety with which it was displayed. On the whole, the presentation materials tended to be evocative rather than realistic.

They were often supplied with no text or explanation, snapshots as it were of how the city might look for a summer. Or, who knows, perhaps for a future festival of temporary gardens along the lines of Lausanne Jardins ? ■

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- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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e ur et is rly ! s en fl e e lea rop s ea is f p Pl t th d o a e th os sp di

zoom The specialists for shops, offices and stores of all kinds

Run by François Delaite, the Commercial Rentals department of the SPG-RYTZ Group leased out 10,000 m² of space throughout French-speaking Switzerland in 2009.

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Commercial Rentals

The specialists for shops,

offices and stores of all kinds

T

zoom

he clients of the Commercial Rentals department of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE range from local businesses, its traditional partners, to international companies often in search of much larger premises.

By Evelyne Dubuis

“Wanted : 200 m² of office space in town centre on left bank.” This is the sort of inquiry that arrives virtually every day at the Commercial Rentals department of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE and, unfortunately, a positive answer is rarely possible at the present time, when few properties are available for letting.

So, when it comes to 500 m² of offices on the Rue du Rhône, a tenant will be found in record time. “For us, it’s then a question of conducting the negotiations between the parties, fixing a price and, providing the owner with guarantees as to the solvency and reliability of the future tenant so that the lease can be signed.”

However, it should not be thought that this is a textbook scenario sufficient to summarise all of the services provided by Commercial Rentals, a department which has always existed at SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE. Beavering away in the background, this three-strong unit deals with the re-letting of all the commercial properties managed by the company. These range from small local shops of 20 m² to an entire office building, sometimes leased off-plan before construction has even begun.

A typical example is the Saint-Georges Center situated on the boulevard which bears the same name. Located opposite the future eco-district on the old Artamis site, its 8,500 m² of office space will soon find takers. “But it would be a mistake to think that everything is plain sailing.We had to design communication tools to persuade our clients to move in here. The brochure presenting the project and the web site (www.st-gc.com) are based every bit as much on marketing skills as on our work as real estate specialists,” stresses François Delaite, the head of the department. He also notes the difficulties of an operation of this kind. “The clients not only need to get an idea from the plans but they also have to wait longer.

On average, a minimum of 24 months is required to construct a commercial building, as compared with the much more acceptable time scale of 12 months to take over existing premises. Fortunately, in this case, the project owner took the 8

“The properties range from small local shops of 20 m² to an entire office building, sometimes leased off-plan before construction has even begun.”

For more information, please contact : ■

Route de Chêne 36 CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 62 00 Fax +41 22 849 67 04 E-mail : locom@spg.ch www.spg.ch

n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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di tha Ple sp t as zoom os th e ed is en The specialists for shops, offices and stores of all kinds of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly ! decision to start the construction site, thereby providing a period of availability at the same time guaranteed and shortened.”

The next step is the negotiations between the landlord and the tenant, the terms of which have to be meticulously transcribed into the lease. “Every lease is made to measure and it has to be drafted as precisely as possible. It is a process that often requires four or five return visits between our lawyers and those of the future tenant, particularly when it comes to negotiations with large companies based abroad.”

Another major property in the course of being re-let by the department is the Charmilles New Tech Center. “With the departure of Télévision Suisse Romande – which only came to the Rue de Lyon while asbestos was being stripped out of the tower on the Quai Ernest-Ansermet – there was 7,000 m² available, a good part of it leased.We are making approaches to new technology companies here in Switzerland and abroad.” Other properties are available to let near the Palais des Nations and, in addition, there is another 5,000 m² going at the new IKEA building in Vernier.

Proximity and diversity “One of the pleasures of the work in this department is the variety,” says François Delaite. “You spend the morning with the managers of a big company and then the afternoon with a shopkeeper from the Eaux-Vives district. Recently, I had someone who wanted to open a concept store cum-design shop-restaurant-showroom. That’s a bit more risky than an ordinary start up but I still backed his case. Provided that the business plan holds water and the idea is a good one, we do our best to support initiatives of this kind. After all, the diversity of our streets depends on it.”

On another level, Commercial Rentals negotiated the lease of a shop to three paramedical professionals, each acting independently of the others. “The best arrangement for them was a joint and several liability lease. Each tenant is a lessee and undertakes to pay the rent in full. By this means, it’s possible for professionals in the same field to share out the costs while still giving the landlord the necessary guarantees. In the end, the landlord is sure of receiving everything he is owed even if one of the tenants finds himself unable to pay.”

Has the economic crisis made people more cautious and put an end to risktaking ? “I wouldn’t say so myself. On the other hand, it has forced some of them to move to cheaper premises or to get together with others under the same roof. And, on the subject of new people looking out for leasehold property, we are starting to see financial companies arriving in Geneva. No big outfits for the moment – most takers having around 15-20 employees – but it’s a market that has the potential to grow. At the same time, you have to bear in mind that the housing shortage is a serious problem for new arrivals.” ■

The Saint-Georges Center.

The first stone was laid on 1 July 2010 at a ceremony attended by Mark Muller, State Councillor, Matthias Sauerbruch, architect, and Thierry Barbier-Mueller, CEO of SOCIÉTÉ privée DE GÉRANCE.

The Saint-Georges Center.

Located in the very heart of Geneva, the future building will provide 8,500 m² of office space.

mpetitions : on as issue than a century, the archiofession has been using the on of public competitions as shape the market for public to its own advantage. The g point is that the project is e architects putting up their of charge in procedures of rest which result in only one d a host of losers. In return, the expects the public entities to certain number of conditions, comply with a standard for isation of competitions, to urse to the advice of an arwrite the programme, to apy with a majority of architects, ke to award the contract to , etc. In Switzerland, this straroved remarkably successful. years, the powerful SIA (Swiss Engineers and Architects) ual monopoly in the orgaarchitectural competitions by a strict standard. Today, aced with competition from essionals with regard to the of competition (including y the Public Tenders Act), ects have had to concede a ion in the forms of the comncluding particularly parallel mandates, designer-investor ons, etc). As a result, the stan142) has become more flexithe same time less influential their professional identity.

mpetitions : e as the sole issue mpetitions are not weighed his heavy load of symbolic or al issues. As private operators und by general agreements the public authorities, they e to organise competitions e sole issue is the production ct of excellence generated rit of competition between This requires no more than a

également disponible en français

ment dethusiasm vating to g directly elopment ovations).

A private competition is an uncomplicated procedure requiring no more than common sense precautions that are easily implemented with a little attention and experience. The first step is to define precisely the challenge the architects have to face : the design of a building or simply a façade, the development of a building complex or simply a square or a garden, the quest for efficiency or the creation of a brand image and so forth. Next, it is necessary to decide who can take part. Private competitions generally invite a small number of architects who have been pre-selected on the basis of their experience or reputation and who may come from several countries if an international dimension is required. Those invited are guaranteed a reasonable remuneration and a firm commitment if they win. The next step is to establish the prerequisites of the competition, i.e. to bring together an authoritative jury, to write the programme and to fix the timetable. Finally, it is necessary to oversee the whole progress of the procedure, providing the best possible working conditions for the competitors and for the members of the jury. Each organiser will decide what level of publicity to give to the event : whether to keep it as a private event reserved for a small circle of insiders or to ensure a greater or lesser degree of media exposure, depending on the impact of the project and the resources available.

An uncomplicated procedure and a guaranteed result Though no procedure can hope to solve all the problems of the world on its own, architectural competitions make it possible to produce projects of higher quality by stimulating a healthy rivalry between architects. Private competitions confine themselves to this basic function. They are effective and easy to organise with a minimum of care and experience. However, as soon as they assume other ambitions, they become more complex and more highly charged. We must avoid reducing them to a simple procedure and accept them for what they are – one of the stages for playing out our ambivalent relations with the idea of " free competition ". ■

As a department operating within SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE and having a sound skills network, it is able to organize architectural competitions at the international level and, thanks to its experience and professionalism, to meet any request relating to a real-estate project : offices, industrial premises, houses, condominium apartments and rented accommodation.

Tel. +41 (0)22 849 64 04

Let us come straight to the point and say that producing quality architecture is not just the whim of a patron with deep pockets.

Apart from being an act of goodwill to the public, an architecture that is ambitious and recognised as such generates an economic added value, rendering a building more desirable and competitive, while along the way enhancing the image not only of its occupant but also of its builder.

E-mail : asset @ spg.ch

www.spgassetdevelopment.ch

SPG Asset Development Route de Chêne 36 - CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 64 04 E-mail : asset @ spg.ch www.spgassetdevelopment.ch

NEWSLETTEr N °2

EDITOrIAL

minimal organisation and resources that are comparatively modest having regard to the intended aim, namely the design of buildings or spaces of a superior quality which create a brand image and enduring interest.

The private architectural competition

By Richard Quincerot, urbaniste

As no-one really disputes the importance of the role played by architectural competitions in raising quality levels, it is rather surprising to note that relatively few are held in proportion to the volumes constructed or in the course of construction in our region.

So, where does the problem lie ?

In the first place, people are no doubt intimidated by the fact that competitions are usually associated with grandiose iconic projects and tend to feel that their own development is just not important enough.

In addition, the competition is often the instrument of choice of the public authorities, resulting in ponderous and highly formalised procedures in which the private sector does not feel at all at home.

F e br u a r y 2 0 10 / 1 10 0 ex . © SP G 2 0 10 A ll r i gh t s r e s er v e d / P h o t o : E au x-V i v e s B o i s s i èr e, G e n e v a © Ré gi s Go l a y

riticism and, on the other, on on of the projects to ensure arency of the competition. procedure is over, the jury disd the projects are returned to ors. While polemic may rage e scenes or in the press, the f any channel of appeal rene or less innocuous.

There is every reason then to recall that competitions can perfectly well be organised for smaller projects and that they can also meet the requirements for flexibility and tight deadlines. This has repeatedly been our own experience and we find it admirable that the invitation to take part almost invariably meets with a positive response from architects of all kinds throughout the world.

There remains however a more subtle obstacle of a psychological nature to the holding of architectural competitions and this is the fear of losing control felt by the owner, who finds it a cosier arrangement to appoint his architect after a unilateral selection. Yet, this fear is misplaced in two respects. It ignores the fact, on the one hand, that the modalities of the competition can leave the owner with a considerable freedom of choice and, on the other, that the competition may throw up a pleasant surprise in the form of a proposal that far exceeds his initial expectations and objectives. To put it another way, once you start asking open-ended questions, you have a much better chance of getting interesting answers.

Thierry Barbier-Mueller Chief Executive Officer of the SPG Group

"M

ay the best man win ! " In many domains, the most effective way of achieving excellence is by providing a playing field on which talents can compete with each other. In architecture, this role is played by competitions in which architects are invited to pit their intelligence and creativity against each other to produce the best project for a given situation. There are two types of architectural competitions.

The best known are the public competitions. With their high profile and the high stakes and expectations involved, they can give rise to polemics. Private competitions generate less glamour but are more certain to achieve their aim, which is confined to producing a high quality project.

The architectural competition applies the " free competition " model to the design of particular buildings or structures for which a high level of quality is sought.

The procedure consists in establishing the conditions for a fair and loyal competition in which all that counts is the value of the projects themselves. The competition marks out a playing field in which the competitors and the jury have in mind one thing and one thing only, namely the development and selection of a " best project ", the quality of which surpasses that of all of the others.

Many advantages We are all familiar with the innumerable uses to which the abstract model of free competition is put in politics, economic and social affairs, sport, culture and so on. It is the " invisible hand " which relieves those in power of the burden of decision by separating out talents automatically, thus giving us the best of all possible worlds. Architectural competitions are a strict application of this model. Accordingly, they have found themselves attributed all sorts of advantages : the best way not only of producing a project but also of choosing an architect, revealing new talents, promoting architectural quality, organising the democratic debate, observing trends and the like.

According to César Daly, the father of architectural journalism writing back in the 19th century, these competitions were apotheoses of excellence, the " Olympic Games of art. " For better or for worse On a more practical level, competitions serve as events which lift us out of the ordinary routine. Every stage in the progress of the procedure, from the launch through to the award, offers various occasions for celebration.

The very idea of competition creates a suspense which is maintained right www.spgassetdevelopment.ch

>>

SPG Asset Development has just published a Newsletter on private architectural competitions. The author briefly reviews the procedures, aims, organisation and various advantages, including particularly architectural quality and excellence. In his editorial, Thierry Barbier-Mueller, CEO of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, notes that the publication of the Newsletter “is an occasion to recall that the private architectural competition can be used for smaller works and thus meet the requirements of flexibility and tight planning schedules.” In addition, “a competition provides an opportunity to be positively surprised by a proposal which often exceeds the initial objectives and expectations.”

21/01/2010 16:18:32

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08/10/2010 14:06:45

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8.9.2010 15:03:26 08/10/2010 14:06:49

NÇ PAR AG QU E ET S MO QU ET T NE ES TT OY A

S.àr.l.

PO

13, PROMENADE CHAMPS-FRÉCHETS 1217 MEYRIN

E-MAIL : rod-ber@bluewin.ch TÉL.: 022 782 45 67 - FAX : 022 782 45 78

Installations Thermiques - Maintenance Etudes - Réalisations - Dépannages

no 21 - Automne 2007 -

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- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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neuf The Patio de Frontenex, a haven of peace and tranquillity

The Patio de Frontenex. Located in the heart of the Eaux-Vives district and enjoying the benefit of the MINERGIE® label, the property offers a range of offices and luxury apartments.

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a haven of peace and tranquillity

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uild the city in the city. Coined in the 1980s in Geneva to reconcile urban growth with maintenance of the agricultural zone, this slogan has now become the watchword of the whole of Switzerland and of the developed countries. However, increasing building density in areas that are already built-up is easier said than done. The policy reaches its limits in areas with the heaviest concentration of construction, where piling up even more buildings would reduce housing quality. The construction of the Patio de Frontenex avoids this hazard thanks to the exceptional quality of the plan and its implementation. It has created a haven of peace and tranquillity right in the midst of a huge city block in the Eaux-Vives district.

By Richard Quincerot

The Patio de Frontenex is located on the Route de Frontenex, opposite the Am Stram Gram theatre in the heart of the Eaux-Vives district. The district is one that residents adore – full of bistrots, restaurants and small shops and close to the very centre of Geneva, the lake and the Le Grange park. It is also a district with a great future ahead of it, thanks to the scheduled construction of the Nouvelle Comédie and the new Eaux-Vives station on the RER France-VaudGeneva line, which will soon be offering direct connections to Cornavin, the international organisations and the French and Swiss rail networks.

Confidence in the compact city From the street, there is nothing particular to distinguish number 41 A. Coming closer, however, the visitor will notice a vaulted bluish white passageway bearing the discreet nameplate of two estate agencies. SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, the company in charge of the Patio de Frontenex project has decided to relocate two of its sales offices here, namely SPG Finest Properties and SPG Residential Sales, and its subsidiary specializing in commercial real estate SPG Intercity. This deliberate choice is directly in line with SPG’s policy of sustainable development. It represents an act of faith in the future of a city that is compact, diverse and well served by public transport, a city in which proximity is 8

“A prestige address in the heart of Geneva, with all the advantages of being on the street and none of its disadvantages.”

Reception of the sales offices : SPG Finest Properties and SPG Residential Sales.

■

For more information, contact our :

Route de Chêne 36 CH - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 64 04 E-mail : asset@spg.ch www.spgassetdevelopment.ch

n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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neuf The Patio de Frontenex, a haven of peace and tranquillity

“...a city in which proximity is preferred to dispersion, density to sprawl and urban quality to the nibbling away of the countryside around the edges.”

Elegant interior design.

Enjoying the benefit of the ecological MINERGIE® label, the Patio de Frontenex offers generously proportioned apartments extended by balconies or terraces in natural stone.

newsletter

N° 6

Editorial If we look at the structure of the balance sheet of a considerable number of large and medium-sized Swiss businesses, we could call them property companies rather than what they are, in other words, industrial or service companies, given that the property aspect figures large. This is not surprising: until recently, holding property was seen as a sign of security and stability, a reserve or safety net in case of difficulty, for example, deterioration in the economic situation.

But habits and economic philosophy evolve, and increasingly certain boards of directors are taking the view that it is not necessarily the role of an industry, for example, to weigh down its balance sheet by owning a factory. True, the crisis of the 1990s in Switzerland, and of 2007 and the following years largely in the USA, reminded us that property values do not necessarily and continually rise.

Also, a good grasp of all the facets of a balance sheet makes it clear that, for every property on the active side, on the passive there is usually the need to manage a risk in fluctuation of interest rate. Finally, the discrepancies between historic and current values, as well as the distribution of maintenance expenses among different items in the profit and loss account, often help to blur transparency of the real costs of holding property.

It is thus not surprising that divestment of property – particularly through sale and lease-back transactions, which have the advantage of retaining use of the property – have appeared and attracted attention, particularly through a few high-profile cases.

Not only does sale and lease-back allow the business to devote more means to its principal activity, but it also allows the business to return cash to its shareholders (who are thus free, in turn, to diversify, including investing in property which they can select according to their own criteria and not those of the company whose shares they hold).

Real-estate sale and lease-back transactions : legal and tax aspects in Switzerland Today, 69 % of companies carrying out business in Switzerland own the premises in which they operate1. However, the main purpose of these companies is often not the holding and management of buildings. They are not always aware of the value of their buildings and might well be better off allocating their financial resources to expansion and consolidation projects directly related to their main activities (acquisition of third-party companies, R&D expenses, Capital Expenditure expenses (CapEx), etc.), rather than keeping real-estate assets on their balance sheet. A real-estate sale and lease-back transaction may in this respect be a useful tool to trigger the swift availability of cash, while allowing the building user to continue using it totally or partially.

ADVANTAGES OF SALE AND LEASE-BACK FOR THE SELLER : ■

■

■

■

Immediate liquidity inflow generated by the sale of buildings, which allows the company to finance other activities Improved balance sheet by the replacement of real-estate assets, often appearing below market value, by liquidity The seller, in his position as tenant, stays in operational control of the building Transfer of risk involved in possession

ADVANTAGES OF SALE AND LEASE-BACK FOR THE INVESTOR : ■

■

■

■

Potential increase in value of real-estate property during the lease agreement Possibility of having the tenant bear part of the expenses The building gains in value due to the longterm lease contracted with a prime tenant Better possibility of being refinanced on the capital market

Sale and lease-back may quite simply be defined as a transaction by which one of the parties sells an asset and becomes the tenant/user of the asset ; in other words, it allows the seller to continue using the asset without being its owner.

A wide range of assets may be the object of such transactions : aircraft, fleets of cars, machines, and obviously real estate, which is the subject of this publication.

This article will not refer to financial leasing transactions (in particular under International Financial Reporting Standards) whereby the seller of the asset has a repurchase option at a set price or, for accounting purposes, remains the economic owner of the property (and thus under the agreement bears all risks and rewards of the property). Financial leasing is not a common tool in property transactions in Switzerland. We shall thus concentrate on operating leases.

A real-estate sale and lease-back transaction is carried out between a company for which real-estate holding and management is not the main activity (e.g. any commercial, industrial, banking, hotel management company, etc.) and a third party, for instance an institutional investor, a real-estate fund, a foundation, which in turn rents such asset to the seller.

Terms and conditions of the lease agreement are negotiated by the parties and are based on the financial costs incurred by the new owner (mortgage charges, charges relating to the building, margin). They also depend on the quality of the building and the long-term capacity of the tenant to pay the rent (“credit rating”).

A sale and lease-back type of transaction has obvious advantages for the user (tenant). The balance sheet of the company is improved by the

di tha Plea sp t s os th e e ed is n of lea sur pr fle e op t is er ly !

preferred to dispersion, density to sprawl and urban quality to the nibbling away of the countryside around the edges.

Replacing a former joinery workshop The credit for having built this elegant complex goes to the architects’ office Anderegg Rinaldi. The new buildings are more compact and above all much quieter than the joinery business which had occupied the place for several decades before it was burned down and then rebuilt identically about twenty years ago.The sizes of the new buildings are modest and the spacing requirements have of course been scrupulously respected. The distances between the facades facing each other are in proportion to those of the narrow streets characteristic of the Eaux-Vives district. The architects have skilfully split the project into a number of volumes, creating numerous patios, private spaces which lend the property a feeling of light and serenity.

The new arrival, with its white metal facades, stands out from the warmer colours of the surrounding buildings with their stone facades. An underground car park offers a number of spaces ingeniously built into the slope of the site.

The ground and first floors house offices. On the upper floors, there are generously proportioned high-prestige apartments, all rented out – proof of their convincing quality –, with top of the range fittings : a prestige address in the heart of Geneva, with all the advantages of being on the street and none of its disadvantages.

The landscaping works were carried out by Denogent SA. The bamboos of the central patio, the ivies and birches planted along a large party wall and the box trees in their containers, all serve as sculptural plantings ensuring a permanent green irrespective of the season.

Beauty within The success of the Patio de Frontenex shows that it is possible to reconcile density with quality by striving to build the city in the city or, as people say nowadays, “by inward urbanisation”. It is also a measure of the scale of the resources that had to be deployed to implement this very deliberate option : it was necessary to acquire slowly and patiently the necessary parcels within the block, to draw up the plans for a prestige building in a popular neighbourhood, to put together an incredibly skilful architectural project, to execute the works on a very difficult site in view of the setting and the access difficulties and, finally, to promote a type of city apartment that the market is not accustomed to seeing. A lot was required but the result is worth it – a prestige building which, unlike the products of the international star-system architecture, shines not by its external facades but rather by a determined effort to achieve internal beauty. ■

A new Newsletter published by SPG Intercity has just made its appearance. It deals with sale and lease-back property transactions and focuses on the aspects of Swiss law and tax relating to them.

Old financial habits have been changing and it is now increasingly common to see companies using sale and lease-back operations to hive off real estate assets in order to lighten their balance sheets. These arrangements offer many advantages. As Thierry Barbier-Mueller, Chairman of the board of directors of SPG Intercity Geneva, observes : “A sale and lease-back can enable a company not only to devote more resources to its core business but also to return hard cash to its shareholders.

And indeed why not ? They are then free to diversify at will, perhaps electing to acquire a property on the basis of their own investment criteria rather than those of the company in which they have a shareholding.”

Thierry Barbier-Mueller President of the Board of Directors of SPG Intercity Geneva

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1. CRESS 2009, Corporate Real Estate and Sustainability Survey by CBRE PI Performance and CCRS Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at the University Zurich

To order the Newsletter, just send us an e-mail to geneva@spgintercity.ch

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dossier Different perspectives : foreign expatriates living in Switzerland

Readers, your opinion is important for us !

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Would you like to comment on one of our articles or to ask a question ?

If you would, just go to our website www.immoranma.ch and enter it under the heading “Your comment to our article”.

Alternatively, send us an e-mail to redaction@immorama.ch

Switzerland as seen by expatriates living here : the image remains almost intact

A

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series of issues – the affair of the dormant accounts, the Compiled by Thierry Oppikofer minarets, banking secrecy, even the Qaddafi family – have generated a flood of analyses of all kinds in the Swiss media, analyses marked by a sense of guilt, not to mention a certain Schadenfreude. In the light of all this, it seemed to us that it was high time to find out what foreign public opinion really thinks. Is it really – as we are always being told – hostile to a Switzerland that is guilty of going its own maverick way ? In fact, the results are surprising and indeed encouraging.

The first thing to note is that there are more similarities than differences between the concerns of our foreign residents and the native Swiss population. We are all disturbed by the endless jibes – not always virtual – against the traditional values and strengths of Switzerland : the high quality of our health and education systems, our hard-working attitude, security and prosperity. The people that we talked to did not seem to suffer as much as one might have thought from the “social phenomena” ritually denounced in our press.They did not seem to find us introverted, xenophobic, selfish isolationists in the heart of a fraternal 8 and idyllic Europe. Read on and judge for yourselves. ■ Our questions were answered by: p.26 Ralph Tatu, President of the International German Club, Geneva p.27 Andrea Giagnoli, Attaché at the Italian Cultural Institute, Zurich p.28 Jérémy Narby, Canadian anthropologist and writer living in the Jura p.29 Arnaud de Jamblinne, Company director, Geneva

p.30 Miho Habel, Manager for Switzerland of the airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) p.31 Denis Rousseau, Former head of the Agence France Presse office at the Palais des Nations, Geneva p.32 Jean-Charles Magnin, Deputy director general of the Economic Affairs Section of the Department of the Economy and Health, Geneva

archives Find all of our files on our site :

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dossier Different perspectives : foreign expatriates living in Switzerland

di tha Ple sp t as os th e ed is en of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly !

1 It is easy to find qualities in Switzerland. To start with, it’s the oldest democracy

Ralph Tatu

President of the International German Club, Geneva

in the world. Though this may sometimes mean that certain processes of change are rather slow, it is still remarkable in these days of globalisation to be able to take part in public decisions, particularly in asserting one’s right of initiative. On the international level, Switzerland has done a great deal for the protection of the weak and for human rights. Finally, I would say that budgets – at any rate at federal level – are well managed and that’s a rarity nowadays. As far as faults are concerned, I regret the major disparities between the French-speaking, German-speaking and Italian-speaking populations. There is an illusion of familiarity but people don’t know what their neighbours and compatriots are thinking. These are different cultures and everything needs to be done to strengthen the ties between them.

2 Absolutely ! It’s the first thing that struck me when I arrived in Geneva. I was astonished by the respect and kindness I was shown, particularly in public “Your country has a administrations, including the tax department ! That’s something you rarely find capital of sympathy.” in Germany or France. Yet, in my opinion, respect is the most important thing of all. As far as Germans are concerned, the situation sometimes seems less rosy in the German-speaking regions. Some UDC members of parliament have Questions criticised the German “omnipresence”, a political vector mirrored by the MCG’s attitude to the crossborder population in Geneva. And I’m sad to say 1 – What do you think of Switzerland, that the media have not played a distinguished role in this regard. its qualities and its faults ?

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– Do you think that Swiss people are welcoming towards foreigners in general and to your compatriots in particular ?

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– What image do people have of Switzerland in your country ? What words spring to mind when it is mentioned ?

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– Do you think that the quality of life in Switzerland has worsened in recent years ?

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– Would you say that the Swiss authorities manage the interests of the country well, particularly in terms of diplomacy ?

3 As throughout the world, Switzerland has an excellent image in Germany.

The attacks on banking secrecy and the Libyan crisis are only minor incidents when compared with the capital of sympathy enjoyed by your country. Here again, it is above all the Swiss media which are drumming up the idea of a dramatic situation. More generally, people see Switzerland with its mountains and lakes as a corner of paradise like our own Bavaria.

4 Security has become a real problem in recent years. I don’t think there is any miracle solution but, as a family man, I’m worried because the general security of persons and property is the basis for everything else.

5 I would not like to comment on Swiss politics in general but it seems to me that, in the crisis with Tripoli, the strategy followed was not clear and government unity appeared to waver, which was incomprehensible. However, I would insist that Switzerland has friends and that it received help from a number of countries during the negotiations with the Libyans. The lesson to be learned is that friendship is better expressed through a few quiet words 8 than ranting speeches and that’s how things should be. ■ Advertisement

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dossier Different perspectives : foreign expatriates living in Switzerland

1 Switzerland is a country where the quality of life is high. Its cities are on a human scale and you are never too far from where you want to go ; the environment is preserved and public services are efficient, like the organisation of the country in general. It’s hard to think of any faults, except perhaps the climate which is very different from Italy.

2 I think that the Swiss in general and particularly people in the big conurbations are used to having contacts with foreigners. It seems to me that there is no special problem in this regard. There has been a constant flow of immigration from Italy over the past fifty years and I must add that my compatriots form one of the best integrated communities in Switzerland.

Andrea Giagnoli

Attaché at the Italian Cultural Institute, Zurich

3 When the Italians think of Switzerland, the images that come to mind are naturally of watches, cheeses and chocolate, plus of course the Alps, the banks, Art Basel and the Zurich Street Parade. They think too of Swiss punctuality and courtesy, as well as the efficiency of work in every field.

“Worsen” is not a word I could possibly associate with “Switzerland.”

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I haven’t been here long enough to judge how the quality of life has changed over recent years. However, I can assure you that “worsen” is not a Questions word I would associate with anything I have found here.

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I think that the Swiss authorities show themselves to be very effective in their work, which is always presented to public opinion as that of a team, despite the divergences of political opinion and linguistic origins. On the level of diplomatic relations, Switzerland has very old-established traditions, as attested by the presence of numerous international organisations on its soil.

Over recent years, the country has also shown itself to be resolutely open to the European Union. ■ 8

– What do you think of Switzerland, its qualities and its faults ?

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– Do you think that Swiss people are welcoming towards foreigners in general and to your compatriots in particular ?

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– What image do people have of Switzerland in your country ? What words spring to mind when it is mentioned ?

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– Do you think that the quality of life in Switzerland has worsened in recent years ?

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– Would you say that the Swiss authorities manage the interests of the country well, particularly in terms of diplomacy ?

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dossier Different perspectives : foreign expatriates living in Switzerland

di tha Ple sp t as os th e ed is en of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly !

1 A huge question for a small country ! I like Switzerland’s diversity, its twenty six

cantons each with its own flavour. The decentralised institutional arrangement that has been devised here seems to me very intelligent and respectful of diversity. It should serve as an example to be followed. Aesthetically too, Switzerland is pleasing. On the one hand, it’s a way of living close to France or Italy without actually having to take up residence there. On the other, it’s a way of being close to all the European cultures without having to put up with their downsides.

2 Yes, I think they are. Obviously it helps that I’m a blue-eyed westerner but I would say it goes a lot further than that. I can think of many other countries where Jérémy Narby it’s much less easy to “come from elsewhere”. In France, for example, people are quick to make you understand that you are not French. Over here, I feel that I am Canadian anthropologist and writer living in the Jura respected for what I am and the foreigners too respect local customs. In the football team for 6-9 year old kids that I trained at Porrentruy, there were people from “The quality of life in all over and it all went very well. There is talk of intolerance over the minaret this country is exceptional initiative but that had nothing to do with the practical reality. Switzerland has and foreigners are well been built on the premise “I hold the mountain passes, don’t come and impose aware of it.” your customs on me or foreign judges”. In the end, they’re saying the same thing as the Indians of Amazonia. It’s perfectly healthy and doesn’t prevent openness to others.

3 When they’re not confusing it with Sweden, Canadians have a very Questions positive image of Switzerland. For example, we never hear anything 1 about minaret initiatives. For us, the country is associated with watches, – What do you think of Switzerland, its chocolates and mountains. And then, when you get here, the reality qualities and its faults ? confirms the picture postcard impression.

2 4 The quality of life in this country is exceptional and foreigners are well – Do you think that Swiss people are aware of it. The proximity to nature, the fact that you can swim in the Aar welcoming towards foreigners in general river right in the middle of Berne – though things like this may be so comand to your compatriots in particular ? monplace that the Swiss are blasé about them, they remain fascinating for 3 visitors or residents coming from outside. More or less everywhere, the – What image do people have of scenery is superb. I think of Switzerland as a splendid Alpine California in Switzerland in your country ? What words the heart of Europe. Yet I know that there are some Swiss people who spring to mind when it is mentioned ? think that it is the done thing to run their country down.

4 5 I certainly do. It’s just that the world has become more complex. Libya – Do you think that the quality of life in was a difficult and thorny problem and “customers” like that are never Switzerland has worsened in recent going to give you any peace. I think that Mr Merz was courageous and that years ? no-one was incompetent. A case like that produces a chaotic situation that 5 is difficult to control. But, in any event, diplomacy permitted it. Another – Would you say that the Swiss authorities example is the dormant accounts. Switzerland shouldered its responsmanage the interests of the country well, ibilities and the outcome was quite exemplary. I have a lot of admiration particularly in terms of diplomacy ?

8 for diplomats in general and for Swiss diplomats in particular. ■

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dossier Different perspectives : foreign expatriates living in Switzerland

1 I have been living in Switzerland for many years. I raised my family here and

have taken out Swiss nationality so it’s obviously a country that I like enormously.

At the same time, I’m aware of the great differences between the cantons. The qualities of Switzerland are numerous and well known, ranging from the beauty of the countryside to the punctuality of the trains and the respect for work well done. A fault, if there is one, is the quest for perfection beyond what is reasonably possible. And then, there is the “petit Suisse” complex.

2 Certainly the proportion of foreigners among the population is very high.

Contrary to the personality presented by Fernand Raynaud in a famous sketch, the Swiss citizen is well aware that foreign labour is essential and indispensable to Arnaud de Jamblinne keep the economy moving. That doesn’t mean that he is going to invite them to Company director, Geneva dinner every day. And, certainly, if a group becomes “too big” or behaves in an anti-social manner, that causes a stir. As far as the Belgians are concerned, they are “The qualities of very well received, thanks at least partly to their simplicity and joie de vivre.

3 Switzerland still enjoys an excellent image in Belgium even if it’s beginning to Switzerland are fray a little. The Belgians used to admire the fact that the Swiss did things their numerous and well own way. The fact that they have had to give in to various demands from abroad known, ranging from the has served to dent confidence in the Swiss system. Fortunately, tourism remains beauty of the and this is an area in which the country still enjoys an excellent reputation.

4 Yes, I do and for various reasons. Insecurity is certainly the biggest problem countryside to the and, alas, I’m speaking from personal experience. The number of thefts, burglaries punctuality of the trains and muggings is increasing all the time. As the prisons are already overflowing, and the respect for the criminals, if they are ever caught at all, are often released without having work well done.” served out their sentence. Organised gangs come over here to help themselves without being seriously troubled. The facts are well-known but I don’t see any strong and courageous measures being taken by the authorities to remedy the situation. It seems to me that “political correctness” has had its day.

Infrastructures in the broad sense of the term are also going downhill and this impacts on the quality of life. For example, the Lausanne-Geneva motorway has hardly changed since it was first built in 1964 for a population of 700,000. By 2008, the population that it serves in Geneva and Vaud had risen to more than 1,120,000. It’s rather shameful to be removed from the front of the Questions class and put at the very back. As for the housing shortage, it’s unnecessary 1 to spell it out. All of the political parties without exception are in favour – What do you think of Switzerland, its of building more apartments and no other project enjoys such support.

Yet there is nothing to show for it ! One of the strengths of Belgium is the qualities and its faults ? general availability of housing of all kinds and hence at a reasonable cost.

2 5 Switzerland is in a transitional phase. Up until the fall of the Berlin Wall – Do you think that Swiss people are in 1989, the country enjoyed considerable respect from the great powers, welcoming towards foreigners in general to whom its neutrality was useful. Its aura extended beyond the qualities and to your compatriots in particular ? of its own diplomatic services. It’s not caricaturing the situation too much 3 to say that they made their territory available to others and that was – What image do people have of sufficient. However, since the fall of the Wall and the collapse of the USSR, Switzerland in your country ? What nobody has been calling on the Swiss diplomatic services any more, Swiss words spring to mind when it is neutrality having lost its usefulness in a world dominated by the United mentioned ?

States. Switzerland has, as it were, been put back in its place and the 4 authorities have to learn to assert its rights without the benefit of the – Do you think that the quality of life in neutral status that used to be its trump card. There is no denying the fact Switzerland has worsened in recent that, in the recent international crises, we are left with the impression that years ?

Switzerland has had to capitulate, make concessions or even abandon a lot.

5 It is true that the country has healthy public finances and that attracts many – Would you say that the Swiss authorities covetous eyes. The pressures brought to bear on the country are strong manage the interests of the country and it has to learn how to defend itself in an openly hostile economic well, particularly in terms of diplomacy ? environment. ■ 8 n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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di tha Ple sp t as os th e ed is en of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly !

1 I think that Switzerland has the good fortune to be a true democracy. Thanks

to the system of initiatives and referendums, it is always the people who have the last word. I also admire the fact that Switzerland has managed to preserve its natural beauty and the quality of the environment while at the same time developing its economy. On the other hand, as I’m very sensitive to the question of education and training – which is vital for the future of the country – I often wonder whether the system here in Geneva is really moving in the right direction.

At primary school and then junior level, I have the feeling that education suffers from two faults ! it’s not open enough and it’s not demanding enough. Japanese Miho Habel education has plenty of problems of its own but it’s much more open in fields like art, music and sport and there are all sorts of competitions and prizes to stimulate Manager for Switzerland of the creativity and encourage pupils to develop their talents. In Geneva, the lower airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) levels are not demanding enough and then when it comes to senior school, the pressures increase suddenly and half the kids are unable to follow and end up “In every survey, failing. This shows that they have not been properly trained and prepared.

Switzerland is always the 2 Yes, the Swiss people are very kind and hospitable.They are rather conservative dream destination for and very attached to their own way of life but they are still welcoming and like Japanese tourists.” to meet foreigners. I have been living here for more than twenty years and I have never been badly treated because I’m Japanese. I also think that the Swiss and the Japanese have two important qualities in common ! politeness and punctuality.

Questions 3 The beauty of the countryside, the tranquillity, the peace, the 1 gentleness. Switzerland immediately reminds people of the story of – What do you think of Switzerland, its Heidi, which all Japanese children know because it is taught at school. qualities and its faults ?

Switzerland also recalls “The Sound of Music”, the famous film about 2 an Austrian family finally managing to take refuge in Switzerland just – Do you think that Swiss people are before the Second World War. The images in our minds are of welcoming towards foreigners in general mountains, flowers, freedom... In every survey, Switzerland is always the and to your compatriots in particular ? dream destination for Japanese tourists. It really is the country of their 3 dreams.

– What image do people have of Switzerland 4 Yes, there’s no doubt about it. The quality of life has gone down for in your country ? What words spring to a variety of reasons. The rate of tax in Geneva is very high, particularly mind when it is mentioned ? for working couples. Health insurance premiums have risen enormously 4 and rents are sky high. All of these things make life more difficult.

– Do you think that the quality of life in 5 It’s a difficult question. The Swiss authorities have had to deal with Switzerland has worsened in recent years ? problems that are both difficult and completely new, such as the 5 situation of UBS in the United States and the crisis over the hostages – Would you say that the Swiss authorities manage the interests of the country well, in Libya. Still, I think that the Swiss remain very good at the art of negotiation. They retain their ability never to see issues in black or particularly in terms of diplomacy ?

8 white but always look for the subtlest shades of grey. ■

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e ur et is rly ! s dossier en afl pe e o e l r s Different perspectives : foreign expatriates living in Switzerland ea this of p l P t d a e th os sp di Denis Rousseau’s bags are packed. He has just completed his four-year term as head of the Agence France Presse at the Palais des Nations and contrary, to his first expectations, he still has a lot of fondness for Geneva and Switzerland. “I had just done Havana and was dreaming of Buenos Aires. When I finally learned that I had been refused Argentina and that I had been appointed to Geneva for the next four years, I was – how shall I put it – less than pleased.” Four years later, Denis Rousseau has packed his bags. Mission accomplished. Or at least terminated. In fact, he would be happy to stay on for another year or two but the AFP rule is to keep rotating its journalists around the 165 countries in which it has offices. Rousseau doesn’t yet know where his next post will be but what he does know is that the one he is leaving will remain one of his very best memories of postings with the Agency. Let’s run through the ties that he has established with Geneva and Switzerland.

The clichés When I arrived, I had all of the clichés : the chocolate of course, the banks, law and order, cleanliness. And, now that I’m leaving, I’ve still got them but without the least trace of mockery. I continue to prefer Belgian chocolate but at least I know the full score. The banks of course lost their precious secrecy during my stay. I learned to appreciate not only Swiss law and order and cleanliness but also the courtesy of the people, all of which are cardinal values here. Let me add a few items to my list of qualities confirmed : the federal state and the tireless search for compromise which characterises Swiss politics, despite the polarisation that has been creeping in over the past few years. When everything is going well, the Swiss system functions perfectly. When the boat rocks, cracks start to appear.

And, unlike other Europeans, the Swiss are not used to seeing cracks.

The surprises Above all, the mission of the Geneva office enabled me to cover United Nations news. I found the institutional side off-putting at the beginning but then passionately interesting for the next four years. In fact, this is partly why I enjoyed myself so much here. In parallel, I wanted to develop national news and was greatly assisted by the course of current affairs – the Qaddafi affair, the demise of banking secrecy, the arrest of Polanski, the initiative against minarets – Switzerland has rarely been as much the focus of international attention as during these last few years. We covered these hot stories as outside observers, as journalists, but with not quite the same perspective as our Swiss colleagues. As our readers are not familiar with all the intricacies of the Swiss system, we have to find the right words to translate them in every dispatch. For example, the simple term “votation” (referendum) is already no longer properly understood in France. And to describe Christoph Blocher, we agreed after debate to call him the leader of the right wing populist party. I was inclined to use “extreme right” but the majority were against and they had good arguments.

At Geneva When I arrived I was greeted by my neighbour who, on being told that my surname was Rousseau, said “Welcome back”, a reference to the illustrious JeanJacques. I was quite touched even though I never really had much to do with the lady afterwards. Is this emblematic of relations between foreigners and the Swiss ?

I don’t know. The international set live pretty well among themselves in Geneva without paying too much attention to the fact that they are in Switzerland. I had an office flat in town but most of my colleagues live over the border in France. I travelled around the country quite a bit but I regret not having done more to explore the city and its charming, out of the way corners, the bars, the narrow streets, the old-fashioned arcades. I would have liked to stay on for another year, especially as, contrary to a remark by one of my friends, I continued to produce antibodies normally even while living in Switzerland ! But my wife will be staying so you could say that I have not quite left altogether.■ 8

Denis Rousseau

Former head of the Agence France Presse at the Palais des Nations, Geneva

By Valérie Hoffmeyer

“Four years in Geneva ?

My first reaction was that it must be a punishment.”

archives Find all of our files on our site :

www.immorama.ch n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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dossier Different perspectives : foreign expatriates living in Switzerland

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di tha Ple sp t as os th e ed is en of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly !

It’s far from being a simple tax calculation. There are lots of reasons for people and companies to be attracted to Switzerland, not least the general notion of the quality of life, a factor that subsumes, among other things, the natural environment, the prevailing climate of discretion and tolerance and the systems of education, health care and security. If the only criterion were our tax regime, people would not end up staying long.

2 The picture that is being put across in this regard seems to me the opposite of the realities on the ground. In Geneva, for example, foreigners make up 39.2 % of the population and there is no sign of any fall in this figure. However Jean-Charles Magnin much some local microcosm may be up in arms, the country and the canton are Director general of economic affairs, still welcoming an ever increasing number of companies and residents. It’s true Department of Regional Affairs, that there was a slight dip last year but that was due to the economic situation Economy and Health, Geneva and delays with some projects.

3 In Geneva, we welcomed 4,000 people and 30 companies in 2008 followed “If the only by 3,000 people and 23 companies in 2009. As the people concerned are usually criterion were our managers or trainees of major corporations, it’s difficult to say whether they tax regime, people are coming as individuals or with their families. My general impression though would not end up is that they are often family groups and, of all the expatriates, it is the families staying long.” that most frequently decide to stay in their adopted country for good.

4 Clearly not. To take the example of Geneva, we have 300,000 jobs available and a working population of 243,000. It’s not hard to work out that we need foreign labour. The complaints that we get are much more Questions concerned with the difficulty of finding a place to live in Geneva and 1 the region as a whole. This is a problem that really risks putting off – What do you think of Switzerland, its foreign companies. Security is also felt to be inadequate in isolated qualities and its faults ? cases but it’s not at all comparable. On the other hand, cross border 2 workers complain more about prejudices.

– Do you think that Swiss people are 5 We don’t have any statistics for this subject. In the Department, welcoming towards foreigners in general and we deal only with people who are in work, not with retirees or to your compatriots in particular ? refugees for example. One thing for sure though is that the 3 – What image do people have of Switzerland qualification levels of foreigners arriving in Switzerland today are in your country ? What words spring to mind completely different from those of their predecessors in the 1970s. when it is mentioned ?

One of our problems is that the quotas of federal permits for 4 qualified extra-Europeans are insufficient to meet the needs of the – Do you think that the quality of life in Geneva economy.

Switzerland has worsened in recent years ?

6 A few figures will serve to show how the proportions have been 5 changing. In 1999. there were 28,000 Portuguese in Geneva, 24,000 Téléphone: 022the 798Swiss 99 88 www.travelec.ch – Would you say that authorities Italians, 18,000 French and 18,000 Spanish.

Ten years later the manage interests Faxthe : 022 791 06of36the country well, Chancy / Genève travasa@travelec.ch figures were 33,000 Portuguese, 24,000 French, 20,000 Italians and particularly in terms of diplomacy ?

13,000 Spanish. ■

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re is ! su let rly n e f e e lea rop s ea is f p Pl t th d o a e th os sp di

mmodossier dossier

monde Different perspectives :Les theécoles Swissduabroad

© iStock

Readers, mmodossier your opinion is important for us !

L’écolepour tous, chacun pour soi!

Would you like to comment on one of our articles or to ask a question ?

If you would, just go to our website www.immoranma.ch and enter it under the heading “Your comment to our article”.

Alternatively, send us an e-mail to redaction@immorama.ch

Out of sight but not out of mind

T

dossier

here are 700,000 Swiss expatriates living beyond our frontiers, A special report by Christine Esseiva i.e. 10 % of the population of the country. These people constitute the fifth Switzerland, a group that is often forgotten.

However, 120,000 of them are entered on the electoral registers and take part in elections and federal votes. In other words, this large and ever growing Swiss diaspora carries political clout and exercises an increasing influence. Indeed it is for this reason that the representatives of the expatriate community are no longer content to be regulated by a “single” article of the federal Constitution (article 40) and are forcefully calling for an outline law of their own.

As you will see from the following international report or from a visit to our ImmoWeb+ at www.immorama.ch, the Swiss expatriates are first class ambassadors for their homeland, who remain very attached to their culture and values and are able to preserve them essentially in their host countries. What they have to say about Switzerland is worth listening to. Their remarks are pertinent and sometimes caustic.

They remind us that Switzerland is a good place to live which remains attractive when seen from abroad. Hear them out ! They can tell us a lot about ourselves. ■ 

web+

world tour p. 34 p. 35 p. 36

Singapore United States (part 1) Australia

Contents p. 39 p. 40 p. 41

India Pro Helvetia Présence Suisse

See also : United States (part 2) Italy, Morocco, Mexico, New Caledonia, Senegal on our site at www.immorama.ch n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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di tha Ple sp t as dossier os th e ed is en Different perspectives : the Swiss abroad of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly !

When Rolf Gerber moved to Asia in the late 1980s with his family, he remembers

Singapore :

Widening your field of vision

By Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop Singapore

“Switzerland should be doing more and doing it better.”

Rolf Gerber, banker.

Read the full article on www.immorama.ch

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stuffing his suitcases with his favourite Swiss foods, such as cheese, and chocolate, knowing they would be hard to find in Asia. But more than 20 years later, there is nothing he really misses : in fact, the Swiss banker believes that he can possibly get a better selection of quality products in Singapore than he could find back in his native Basel. “It’s a global city so you get stuff from all over the place. If I want a really good Swiss cheese I can get it here and I can probably even get a better quality than the one I’d buy in Basel because the best-quality cheeses are usually exported,” the 56-year old muses.

Rolph Gerber admits he has made fewer and fewer trips to Switzerland. “I do of course go there regularly for business, but privately we don’t go back as often as we used to when my parents were alive,” he says. Still, he and his wife have kept a house near Lucerne since the late 1990s to give their three children “some sort of identity and grounding.” His three children are now young and independent adults that he describes as “world citizens”.

Roplh Gerber’s career has in many ways mirrored the development of international corporate finance in the 1980s and ’90s, from the early years in London when the Eurobond market was being created to his years in Asia as Swiss banks sought to ride the wave of rising Tiger economies.

He joined Swiss Bank Corporation in 1981 as part of their graduate programme, and within a year he was transferred to their London office to work in the bank’s corporate finance department taking care of Swiss multinationals tapping the international market. He worked on international bond issues and equity placements. In 1988, he was sent to South Korea to open the bank’s first office there, a first for a Swiss bank. Three years later, he moved to Hong Kong to expand the bank’s corporate finance sector in Asia, before moving to Singapore to head up the branch there. After almost seven years with his employer, by then renamed UBS, he left in 2002 to join LGT Bank as Chief Executive to establish the Liechtenstein bank’s Singapore operation.

Rolph Gerber has acquired a wealth of experience working for international clients and has noticed a shift in how people’s perceptions of Switzerland has changed over the years. “In the ’80s and ’90s, Switzerland was really admired and it was often associated with quality. This image has suffered over the recent years. It still varies from country to country : in countries like China where people are not fully internationalized yet, Switzerland still has an excellent reputation. It still stands for beauty, quality, great chocolate and swatches. But when you are in more professional places like Singapore or Hong Kong, Switzerland doesn’t necessarily have that unique touch any more,” he says.

Gerber believes that Switzerland’s reputation has suffered from the recent financial crisis. “Politically, it seems to have become more and more isolated. This has taken off some of the shine : some of the veneer has definitely peeled off,” he says.

While Switzerland is still promoting certain industries, such as watch making, extremely well in the region, more could be done to promote the country itself as a destination not just for tourism, but for investment as well, Gerber argues.

“It should do more and better. If you are a country and you want to present yourself, you have to make use of modern advertising techniques. Singapore sells itself better abroad as a destination than Switzerland. Switzerland banks on its old reputation, the reputation it has, but that’s fading.Younger generations have different views, every country is competing for their attention to be a destination for leisure and also work, and Switzerland has to do its share,” he notes.

Rolph Gerber believes the Swiss government could do more to attract international businesses to come to Switzerland and invest there. Rolph Gerber admits that he has become more critical of his native country as time has passed, “As you live abroad for a long time, you become more tolerant, more flexible and adaptable.Whenever I go back home, I feel Swiss views of the world can be very narrow.” ■ 8

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e ur et is rly ! s mmodossier dossier en afl pe e o e monde s l r Different perspectives :Les theécoles Swissduabroad ea this of p l P t d a e th os sp di Alain de Botton, the author of such best-sellers as How Proust can change your

Etats-Unis :

life and The Architecture of Happiness, was born in Zurich. He was brought up in mmodossier Switzerland speaking French and German until his parents moved to England L’écolepour tous, chacun pour soi! when he was 8. Interviewed in London where the writer now lives with his family, he explained : “I identify with certain Swiss values, like bourgeois republicanism, comfort in simplicity, sobriety, democracy, financial know-how. And I think that Read the 2nd part of the Switzerland is proud to count me as a citizen. After all, I’m the Swiss author with the interview on biggest foreign sales !” Alain comes back about twice a year. “It’s the architecture that www.immorama.ch I miss most, this extraordinary attention to detail that you find in Swiss public and private buildings. I will never get used to English plumbing or to windows that let in draughts.” web+ And he goes on to say : “I miss this wonderful infrastructure. The Zurich tramway system is a masterpiece of civilisation. I adore the way the Swiss build their embankments with such care and beauty, using large blocks of granite. And I love the food, certain By Claudine Mulard kinds of toothpaste like Elmex and Thomy, a mustard that can’t be found anywhere United States else.” If he has one reservation it is that : “the place is becoming too populated, they’re building too much.”

“It’s the architecture that As he travels all over the world to meet his readers, Alain is well placed to comI miss most, this extraordinary ment on how Switzerland is perceived abroad. “Our image is pretty good. We are attention to detail that you seen as a country that is stylish, interesting and largely unexplored. A place that’s getting more and more cool and turned on all the time.” And he concludes by saying : “My way find in Swiss public and private buildings.” of acting as an ambassador for Switzerland is to say how much I love this country.”

The designer Yves Behar is another Swiss celebrity and one of the 185,000 Swiss citizens registered as living in California. Born in Lausanne, he lives and works in San Francisco where he set up an industrial design company called FuseProject in 1999. We owe to him such everyday objects as the Canal+ box, the Bluetooth headset and the $100 child’s computer, not to mention his famous “chandelier” at Kennedy airport in New York. He often comes back to Switzerland to see his parents. Though French is his first language, he speaks English without any trace of an accent : “I grew up in Switzerland and I have always felt myself to be European. I realised at a very early age that, while frontiers are important for politicians, that’s not the case with me. Geographical boundaries don’t mean much to me. What counts for me and my work is individual and cultural differences.”

Does his design work represent Switzerland ? “I don’t think that my work is Alain de Botton, writer. particularly representative of Switzerland or Europe or America or even Turkey, which is where my father comes from. I am an amalgam of all these cultures. My goal is to create by setting an example and representing my profession in a responsible way.

When I look back, it’s astonishing to think that millions of children use the portable computer that I designed !”

His latest ecological creation, produced in cooperation with General Electric and premiered in San Francisco on 13 July, is a parking meter that serves as a charging station for electric cars.

“I don’t think that it’s possible to speak of a “Swiss design” at the present time, like the Bauhaus graphic style that appeared after the Second World War. Thanks to the arrival of computers and the ease with which we can now communicate and travel, we are all citizens of the world. Certain elements in our inspiration are local but it’s not possible to speak of a “regional” style.” I contribute to a more diverse idea of Switzerland and Yves Behar, designer. that makes me happy. After all, I’m quite a mixture myself. I have contrasting sides. I’m methodical and I like to get to work things through to the end. At the same time, I like “I contribute to a to try lots of different things and I believe in the virtues of trial and error and of risk.” more diverse idea of One last secret revealed by the interviewee is that he is going to be working on a project in cooperation with Herman Miller, the famous manufacturer of Switzerland and that makes modern furniture. Though he acknowledges that this is “very important for my me happy. After all, I’m career”, he is not prepared to go any further, except to confirm that it is indeed quite a mixture myself.” about furniture. ■ 8

Communicating with the whole world

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As soon as Dorothée Heibel discovered Australia, she was transfixed by the light,

Australia :

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Free and unconstrained

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By Florence Decamp Australia

“My Swiss soul is in the canvases I paint...”

Dorothée Heibel, painter.

Peter Pluess, former president of the Australian Swiss Club.

“I think that the country has come through the financial crisis pretty well. It’s a country that remains stable.”

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a clarity of light that seems to allow the eye to see further. Though she came from an artistic family, she was not yet a professional painter but still passionate about the colours that would one day explode onto her canvases with almost childlike vitality.

When she arrived with her husband for a first stay, she told herself that this was a place where she might remain forever. But then they went off and poured all their energy and love into restoring a house in Switzerland. In the end, however, they would return to settle in Australia, savouring the pleasures of the new but, at the same time, feeling torn by the decision to leave Switzerland and the little world they had created there. Yet, as Dorothée remarks, “To begin a new life, you first need to die a little.” From Sydney where they lived initially, they moved north – which in these latitudes means heading for the sun – taking their three children to Hunter Valley, a region famous for its vineyards and for the community of artists of which Dorothée now forms part.

Whereas Dorothée had never been far from Switzerland before embarking for the other side of the world, Peter Pluess had travelled widely through the Middle East and then Mexico before landing up in Australia to continue work for the same import-export business. In Sydney, he settled in the North Shore, a district close to the sea and full of houses with large gardens. “The Swiss love the sea and the beach, in this respect, Australia is a real paradise for us.” Peter likes the relaxed attitude of the Australians and the laid-back way of life in his adopted home. “It is so different from Switzerland where everything is so formal and narrow and ring-fenced with administrative rules.”

Nevertheless, he has been carrying the torch for Switzerland in Sydney over the past ten years as president of the Australian Swiss Club, “It’s a very traditional place where people come mainly for a chance to speak their own language, though the feeling of isolation that used to exist has now gone, thanks to the development of modern communications.”

Peter returns regularly to Switzerland as part of his work and he keeps us with the news. “I don’t follow it really closely but I like to keep an eye on how the economy and business are doing. I think that the country has come through the financial crisis pretty well. It’s a country that remains stable.”

A bit of nostalgia Dorothée also observes life in Switzerland from a distance and is sometimes astonished by what she finds. “I hear talk about racism in Switzerland. Well, that never existed when I was a child. I suppose that the country must be changing like the rest of the world but my vision of it is rather fixed in the past.” As Dorothée intends to remain in Australia, she has stopped voting in Switzerland. “I think that it is not really justified for me to give my opinion on how things operate or how decisions are taken in a country that I have not lived in for a long time.” Though she is delighted to have left behind her the mist that used to envelop the place for three months at a time, she still feels nostalgia for the ancient stones, the white Christmases and the church bells ringing across the countryside. “But the thing that I missed most when I first arrived in the 1980s was proper bread: here, it was square and soft and with no crust...”

When Peter returns to Switzerland, the things that he looks forward to are the cheese, the cold meats and the serenity of the mountains.

Though there is nothing at all in Dorothée’s paintings that evokes Switzerland, everyone in the valley knows her as “the Swiss painter”. “It’s important for me that people should know where I come from and what I represent. My paintings are obviously very Australian in their colours but they have been created by a Swiss woman born in the superb countryside of Soleure. My Swiss soul is in the canvases that I paint.”

Dorothée, her husband and their three children all became Australians in the same ceremony. But, when they are all together on their own, they still speak their Swiss-German dialect. “It’s important for me to preserve this link with the country of my childhood.” ■ 8

- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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India :

Silvia Hostettler, a native of Lausanne, has been running Swissnex in India since June 2008. The mmodossier organisation is responsible for promoting exchanges L’écolepour tous, chacun pour soi! between Switzerland and India in the fields of technology, higher education and culture.

1 – I realised how lucky I was when I came to live in India. In Switzerland, there are the mountains and the cultural life and everything is so clean and peaceful.

There is insurance for everything – health, employment and the like. In India, particularly in the south, life is chaotic and colourful. So, obviously I need a week or so Silvia Hostettler, to readjust whenever I go back. The faces that you see manager of Swissnex.

By Julien Bouissou on the street in Switzerland are often sad.

2 – Even when I met the president of the republic Pratibha Patil, she too did not India fail to talk about the Swiss mountains that appear in Bollywood films ! There are lots of clichés. The law prohibiting minarets had a lot of repercussions here. In a “I often tell people about country that has so many faiths and where the right to practise your religion is the incredible diversity of fundamental, the ban is very difficult to understand. I often tell people about the Switzerland, something incredible diversity of Switzerland, something that is not at all well known in India.

3 – We are pretty well represented here with Présence Suisse which manages that is not at all well the image of the country, as well as Swissnex and Pro Helvetia which work to known in India.” promote cultural exchanges. We are also going to open a third consulate in India at Bangalore. Switzerland has a lot of strong points that Indians are interested in, such as nanotechnologies and machine-tools for the textile industry, not to mention our universities.

Seeing things from a different angle

Questions

Edith Stecher was also borne in Lausanne. She left for India in 1997 1. How has living as an expatriate changed your image of Switzerland ? to set up the NGO Jeevan Jyothi, which runs a home for the rehabilitation 2. How is Switzerland perceived in of about sixty handicapped and India and are you helping to change disadvantaged children in a village in the image ? the south of the country.

1 – I feel I have become even more 3. What do you think of the interattached to Switzerland since I left the national cooperation efforts conducted by Switzerland ? country. I follow the news on the Internet every day and I keep saying to myself that our country needs to put certain of its problems in perspective. At the same time, misery certainly exists but it is less obvious and people speak about it less. It is much easier to see the misery when we move beyond our own borders.

2 – In the village where I work, very few people know anything at all about Switzerland and it’s difficult to get the message across to them. It would be nice if we had a documentary film on the country but I haven’t been able to find one and that’s a pity.

I have tried getting the villagers to listen to classical music but the results left a lot to be desired.

3 – I get support from a number of sources in Switzerland, particularly from teachers who come to work in my school for a few months. In India, there’s no shortage of money, it’s just that it is not well distributed. What we really need and what Edith Stecher, we lack are people with the skills to deal with founder of the NGO handicapped children. ■ Jeevan Jyothi.

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A pillar of Swiss culture, both at home and abroad, the Pro Helvetia foundation

Pro Helvetia :

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By Valérie Hoffmeyer Switzerland

“Apart from ‘ordinary’ activities like theatre, dance, music, literature or the plastic arts, Pro Helvetia assists other forms of culture such as the world of video games.”

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looks as though it will soon be seeing an increase in its budget and powers for the period 2012-2015. A quick review of its current missions and the changes to come !

The Lucerne Festival, September 2010. Audiences have been presented with eighty four works of contemporary music, six of them commissioned by Pro Helvetia.

This public foundation regularly commissions works from Swiss musicians and not only in fields as specialised as contemporary music. The awards could just as easily go to a yodeller or to a virtuoso of the hägebrett. Pro Helvetia’s annual budget for classical, pop and folk music commissions amounts to CHF 190,000.This year, nineteen musicians were selected from a list of forty nine applicants.

Music, however, is just one of the fields covered by Pro Helvetia, which has an annual budget of CHF 34 million that is spent in all domains of culture, from theatre to literature. It serves both to encourage creative works and to support their dissemination in Switzerland and abroad. To facilitate the development of national cultural policy, a far-reaching consultation process has been launched within the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) and Pro Helvetia. The aim is to arrive at a new division of responsibilities within a specific time-frame, in other words, a four-year plan of action comparable to that applying in other fields such as the sciences. The outcome may well be a transfer of powers from the FOC to Pro Helvetia for the period 2012-2015.

Swiss culture abroad Despite the changes, Pro Helvetia will retain its primary mission, namely the promotion of Swiss culture at home and abroad through its extensive network of liaison offices in Warsaw, Cairo and Cape Town, as well as in India where a local publishing house is shortly to translate and disseminate Swiss literary works ranging from Max Frisch to Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Pro Helvetia also runs the Swiss cultural centre in Paris and takes part in the activities of the Instituto Svizzero di Roma and the Swiss Cultural Institute of New York. In addition, it is involved in ad hoc events such as the universal exhibition currently being held in Shanghai. In August this year, the president of the Confederation, Doris Leuthard, was accompanied to China by the vocalist Erika Stucky and Roots of Communication, the alphorn duo who performed in the Swiss pavilion with the support of Pro Helvetia.

New fields Apart from “ordinary” activities like theatre, dance, music, literature or the plastic arts, Pro Helvetia assists other forms of culture such as the world of video games.

Surprising ? Not really. After all, through their aesthetic appeal and huge audience, these forms have a strong influence on the other arts. Hence, the new thematic programme entitled “Game Culture” which goes hand in hand with the new emphasis on Asia, including particularly China and Japan. Nevertheless, the principal focus of the foundation remains cultural, even though it might seem to overlap into societal issues, raising the old question : where does culture end and society begin ?

In this regard, the communication of the foundation is symptomatic of this orientation that is both public and popular. Clearly, this is accompanied by an increased presence on the Internet, manifested by a newsletter and a presence on the Facebook social network. Moreover, it is through these media that artists seeking financial aid prepare their applications for grants, for support in the dissemination of their works or for participation in workshops at various places around the world. They need only go to the foundation’s website to find the necessary forms, advice on the procedure to be followed and useful tips on preparing their file. The committee and the specialised independent juries then proceed to make their selections every year at the same time, depending on the discipline concerned. Useful to know. ■ 8

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monde Different perspectives :Les theécoles Swissduabroad

Présence Suisse :

Overall, would you say that Switzerland’s image abroad has improved or deteriorated over the past five years ? mmodossier First of all, you have to realise that a country’s image involves L’écolepour tous, chacun pour soi! a number of components : its people, its politics, its culture, its economy, its investments, its science, its countryside and so on. All of these aspects taken together constitute the image of a country and create a reserve of goodwill. In general, a country’s image remains very stable because it rests on solid By Christine Esseiva Switzerland Johannes Matyassy, foundations. If a problem arises, that doesn’t mean the image Ambassador, head of will suffer. For that to happen, there would have to be several Présence Suisse. repetitions.

If we take a look at recent events – UBS, Libya, the financial crisis – it is apparent that, though they have left their mark on public opinion, this does not necessarily Questions mean that Switzerland’s image has been affected. We conducted a study in the ■ What is the mission of USA at the end of last year and compared it with another one done in the middle Présence Suisse ? of 2000. The comparison clearly showed that Switzerland’s image in the USA had – As a unit of the Swiss Federal remained unchanged. By digging a bit deeper and using more penetrating Department of Foreign Affairs, Présence questions, it could be seen that some traces remained but not enough to reflect Suisse is in charge of Switzerland’s on the country’s image. The image has to be cultivated and this is a long-term communication with the outside world, ongoing task. thus implementing the strategy laid down What actions are you going to conduct to improve the image of Switzerland ? by the Confederation for communicating Before any action is taken, we have to wait for the politicians to do their job of Switzerland at the international level. In defining the message. Within the administration, there are various working parties, other words, Présence Suisse seeks to such as the Swiss Bankers Association, who are studying the future of the financial promote the dissemination of general centre.We have various instruments that can be used for communication.As a rule, knowledge about Switzerland, to favour we work with our own network, which consists of people who know Switzerland the creation of a reserve of goodwill well and have a strong emotional attachment to the country. We continuously towards the country and to make its lobby the opinion-makers who serve to put the message across. diversity and attractiveness known to the What are the strong points of Switzerland that are most often emphasised ? wider world.We work in close cooperation Compared with other countries, Switzerland is well-known all over the world. with the diplomatic and consular While it’s true that people know mostly stereotypes, these are at least positive, representations of Switzerland abroad, such as the scenery and the country’s products and services. We put across with various organisations within the messages through concrete examples which tell and describe Swiss history rather federal administration, with third parties than by dreaming up slogans “Switzerland is innovative !” and trumpeting them in the field of communication abroad abroad. In this way, we ensure that our communication is always authentic and our and with Swiss companies. image is credible.

Isn’t Switzerland’s image a bit dated ?

■ What are your objectives and It’s true that people often do not think of Switzerland as belonging to the 21st what are your means of action ? century but we explain to them that the country has changed and evolved, that it has modernised and that it has become perfectly competitive. Take the example of ■ What is your target audience ?

ALP, the tunnel presently being constructed under the Alps : thanks to the beauty ■ What are your priority countries ? of our landscapes, we are able to communicate our capacity to create and use the very latest technologies. But I could equally well have cited the example of Geneva ■ What are your priority projects ? the international city with CERN and the large hadron collider or spoken of ■ How do you measure the e-voting for direct democracy or of culture or training.Traditional Switzerland and impact of your actions ? modern Switzerland go hand in hand.

Many people think that Switzerland should be doing more and better in terms of marketing and communicating itself abroad. What is your opinion ?

The answers to these last five questions on You have to draw a distinction.You mustn’t confuse Présence Suisse with the Swiss www.immorama.ch Tourist Office, which advertises through its poster campaigns. Our actions are primarily directed at the people we want to influence, namely the opinion leaders web+ in the fields of culture, science, politics and economics. When it comes to image, you can do a lot with very little in the way of resources. All that’s needed is a www.eda.admin.ch/eda/fr/home.html message and a reliable personality to mediate and transmit it. ■

Switzerland is a very attractive place

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ETANCHÉITÉ - FERBLANTERIE - COUVERTURE - MASTICAGE - FUITES - RÉSINE INJECTION DE RÉSINE - TOITURE ET ENTRETIEN

7, chemin de la Verseuse - CH-1219 Aïre - Genève Tél. : 022 797 14 82 - Mobile : 079 614 12 12 - Fax : 022 797 14 83 butikofer n24.pdf 02.02.2009 13:51:32

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sondage We want to hear your views

Please answer our questions and/or propose one of your friends for a subscription

Dear Reader, In order to know more about you and to better meet your needs, we would like to hear your views on IMMORAMA.To answer the questions, please tick the box corresponding to your choice.

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sondage We want to hear your views

Survey also available at www.immorama.ch Which columns do you read first in the magazine ? .........................................................................................................

Which subject or column would you like to see in the IMMORAMA magazine ?...............................................................

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Your suggestions for the editorial team :.............................. .........................................................................................................

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Do you want : More diversity in the subjects covered You think that the balance is right Which subjects interest you the most : Town planning Construction Legal Architecture Art Travel Heritage Other, specify............................ .........................................................................................................

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If yes, which ?............................................................................... ........................................................................................................

What else do you read ? Magazines women’s free people current events TV national dailies scientific regional dailies travel other, specify.............................. .........................................................................................................

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- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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www.spgimmeubles.ch

transactions Building sales, a real art

Selling, consulting, valuing and canvassing investment properties : these are the four main spheres of competence of the Building Sales Department of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE.

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Building sales, a real art

Selling, advising, valuing and finding investment properties : these are the four main spheres of competence of the Building Sales Department of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, we are told by Cedric Pidoux, real estate broker and expert. As the name suggests, the department is concerned chiefly with the sale of residential or commercial properties, whether individual or portfolios.

More rarely, the department is concerned with promoting condominiums or building land but never villas. “Our clients are institutional investors like pension funds or companies wishing to sell properties or to optimise returns on them. At the same time, we also deal with private owners. Our task is not only to value their assets but also to provide advice that will ensure optimal and sustainable management. In addition, we work with potential buyers who continue looking for a property after a particular deal has gone against them.”

The first step : valuation When it comes to handling a sale, the first step is to value the property and establish its market value. The valuer and his team begin by gathering all the practical information concerning the property. To this end, they have recourse to the Land Register data, noting particulars of the parcel, any easements, mentions, annotations, liens or other encumbrances and the like. They also consider any information concerning the management of the property hitherto, such as the rent roll, leases, operating accounts, mortgages, renovation works, etc. Then comes a visit to the property to enable the valuer to assess its advantages and disadvantages. On the basis of all this, the expert is able to make various calculations (yield, intrinsic value, discounted cash-flow value) so as to arrive at the market value of the property.

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By Evelyne Dubuis

“Our clients are institutional investors like pension funds or companies wishing to sell properties or to optimise returns on them. At the same time, we also deal with private owners. Our task is not only to value their assets but also to provide advice that will ensure optimal and sustainable management.”

■

Last publication :

Newsletter EDITO RIA L Experience is generally an invaluable asset when it comes to structuring property investments, but we still need to be wary of being held back by preconceived ideas, which are not necessarily relevant today.

For decades, it was established, in informed professional circles, that it was better to avoid S.I.s (“sociétés immobilières”– property companies) which were a source of complications with almost prohibitive tax costs (meant to increase further). Curiously, it is rather the opposite that has occurred over the past few years : the taxation of limited liability companies (a S.I. being a limited liability company), has been considerably reduced, and now it is no longer an obvious conclusion that it is inevitably preferable, for example, to own and operate a rental property “en nom” (as a private individual) rather than under a property company. All the more so since the S.I. has its own advantages : discretion, ease of transfer and absence of personal liability.

So which is best – ownership as an individual or under a property company ?

The fact that the answer to this question is no longer so obvious makes it all the more interesting, and this is what has led us to mainly dedicate this Newsletter to some of the tax aspects of this issue.

Thierry Barbier-Mueller Chief Executive Officer of the SPG Group

n° 20 w w w. s p g t r a n s i m . c h

Taxation of property investments in light of new legislative reforms The tax effects in connection with ownership of investment property(ies), in contrast to properties occupied by the investor, differ depending on the legal form chosen for the property investment. The objective of this study is to outline the differences between the two principal ways of owning property, i.e. ownership as an individual and ownership under a property company, by assessing the tax advantages of one form over another, in light of recent legislative changes.

capital investment. The way in which the profit in question is made, whether by using, selling, renting or leasing the property or even erecting buildings is of no importance in this respect.

The following points are aimed at the non-professional investor, resident in Geneva or the canton of Vaud, whose investment property, of a residential type, is situated in the canton of residence.

1. CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE REFORM OF COMPANY TAXATION II

It should be noted that the following information approaches the issue from a generalist viewpoint and that, in a real case, other elements could have an influence on the tax treatment of the type of property ownership, i.e. the size of the investments, the professional and financial situation of the investor, etc.

Among the batch of measures concerning various types of tax relief introduced with the second reform of company taxation, new provisions that came into effect on January 1st 2009 affect shareholders who own properties through property companies1.

A property company is a legal entity whose principal activity is the construction, operation, purchase or sale of properties. In practice, it is most frequently a limited liability company whose activity consists exclusively or principally of making an economic profit from the increase in value of the properties that it owns, or their use as a safe or profitable 1 Articles 20 paragraph 1bis of the Law on direct federal tax (LIFD), 22 paragraph 2 of the Law on taxation of individuals (LIPP/GE) and 23 paragraph 1bis of the Law on cantonal direct taxes (LI/VD).

In contrast to an operating property, an investment property is not used to exercise a part of the company’s commercial or industrial activity : an investment property is in particular the rented property generating rental income.

Before January 1st 2009, owning investment properties through a property company was often disadvantageous. In fact, since the property company is a separate taxable subject from its shareholder, the company’s profit was subject to corporate tax (maximum of approximately 25 % in the cantons of Geneva and Vaud), then the shareholder was taxed on distribution of earnings or other significant cash benefits by means of income tax (maximum of approximately 45 % in Geneva, 40 % in the canton of Vaud), guaranteed by the levying of withholding tax of 35 %, reimbursable when the shareholder is resident in Switzerland.

The example below illustrates this double economic taxation on distribution of earnings, before the reform of company taxation II : A property company generated profits before tax of CHF 100’000.

After deduction of corporate tax (CHF 25’000), there remained a profit of CHF 75’000, which was, in theory, fully distributed.

On this dividend of CHF 75’000, the shareholder had to pay income tax at a rate that could reach 45 % in Geneva and 40 % in the canton of Vaud (i.e. CHF 33’750 or CHF 30’000 respectively), so that in the end there remained an actual

Newsletter n° 20 Subject : tax on real estate investments in the light of the new legislative reforms.

To command : immeubles@spg.ch Letter_20_ang_11_sanc.indd 2

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transactions

Print run : 500 ex. in English | June 2010 | © SPG 2010 All rights reserved | photo iStock

T

he five staff employed in the building sales department of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE specialise in valuing real estate assets for owners and advising them on how to proceed. These are the prerequisites for anyone wishing to sell a property or to obtain the best returns from a real estate asset or portfolio. A portrait.

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transactions Building sales, a real art

For more information, please visit our website

www.spgimmeubles.ch Building Sales Department Route de Chêne 36 - 1208 Geneva Tel. +41 22 849 65 54/51 Fax +41 22 849 61 04 E-mail : immeubles@spg.ch www.spgimmeubles.ch

Bespoke advice Now, it is time to embark on the advice phase. Here, the department studies various solutions to obtain the best return on the investment by drawing up appropriate scenarios, whether in terms of an optimised management of the property or a specific and individual marketing strategy.

These strategies are based on the current and the anticipated market conditions, as well as the legislation in force and to come. “As of 31 December 2011, all buildings will have to be fitted with windows which comply with the applicable energy standards.” Considerations of this kind of expense sometimes lead the real estate specialist to defer a sale, taking into account the completion of works which add value and improve the profitability of the operation.

Rigorous follow-up Familiarity with the market and the ins and outs of the law play a crucial role during this sensitive phase and all the skills of SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE are called on. Once the various parameters have been established, the marketing process can go ahead. At this stage, the department organises visits and attends to all the requests and procedures associated with the dispatch of the sale documentation expected by the potential buyers.

A rigorous follow-up of all the various requests and attention to the responses will permit the estate agent to conclude the sale under optimum conditions.The key to success is to ensure that the buyer and seller are full partners who can agree on the exact terms of the sale. The department acts as the go-between and intervenes three or four months or even more, depending on the case, before the signature of the deed of sale at the notary’s office.

Pro-active approach Finally, we are left with buyers who have been unable to acquire the property that was proposed to them. To help them to conclude a future acquisition, the department has developed a pro-active approach, which involves defining the criteria for the property, the expected yield, the type of asset sought, its location, etc. “We select the files and communicate our analysis to the clients so that they are able to make an offer under the best conditions and so to win through in the end”, explains Cédric Pidoux. ■

Recent transactions of the SPG Building Sales Department Not to mention : Route de Frontenex. Sale of a commercial-residential building built in 1973 in the highly desirable Eaux-Vives district, right next to the future CEVA station.

One of the jewels of the Geneva waterfront on the right bank, Quai Wilson. Sale of the former Hotel Bellevue, built in 1901 in the purest Mediterranean style.

Rue du Rhône. Right in the heart of Geneva. Sale of a 100 % commercial building with a view of the jet d’eau and of the Pont Mont-Blanc.

Cité Léopard, sale of a complex of 17 properties.

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La Tour du Molard in Geneva city centre.

Shopping centre in Fribourg.

Rue des Vollandes. Situated in the popular Eaux-Vives district, an old building with charming period apartments – high ceilings, fireplaces and traditional parquet floors.

M

- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

11/10/2010 09:58:06

ur e is y !

PORTALES & BONNET Mazout

197, route du Mandement | 1242 Satigny | tél. 022 753 24 00

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mmonews location

Total

4 363

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L’augmentation de plus 195% des surfaces louées au cours du premier semestre 2007, par rapport à la même période en 2006, confirme la bonne tenue du secteur des locations commerciales en ville de Genève. Pour obtenir des renseignements, contactez le service des locations commerciales: spgcom@spg.ch et www.spg.ch �

ARTISANS ASSOCIÉS S.à r.l.

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- Automne 2007 - no 21

- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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14/10/2010 14:38:43

ecology Hazardous substances monitored

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The new plan of measures by the Department of Toxicology of the Built Environment of the State of Geneva. The purpose of the plan is to keep track of the many hazardous substances present in the air and in the walls of our buildings.

Hazardous substances monitored

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ince 2009, the Toxicology Department of the State of Geneva has been focusing attention on the hazardous substances in our built environment. This article reviews the various measures that will be introduced between now and 2013 in order to ensure that these substances are gradually eliminated.

The Ministry of Development’s Department of Toxicology of the Built Environment has introduced a raft of new measures which came into force at the end of 2009, following the amendment of the Environmental Protection Act promulgated by the Council of State the previous year. The purpose of these measures is to monitor the numerous hazardous substances present in the air and in the walls of our buildings, while focusing on their possible effects on human health. The existing and forthcoming actions will be spread over the period between now and 2013. The strategies for their implementation, ranging from in-depth research to active elimination, will vary case by case. In addition, preventive checks will be conducted on a number of sites. Emphasis will be placed on the training of construction industry professionals and on targeted information campaigns.

Asbestos, the invisible killer Hazardous substances in the built environment can be broken down into two categories. The first of these covers the substances the commercialisation of which is regulated or prohibited by the Federal Order concerning the reduction of hazards connected with chemical products generally contained in building materials such as asbestos (ORRChim). Until asbestos was banned in 1991, it was used in various forms for fire protection purposes, e.g. sprayed directly onto surfaces as flock, integrated into heat insulation materials or incorporated into textiles such as fire blankets and firemen’s clothing.

In the long term, the combined action of asbestos fibres and the immune system has a serious impact on health, damaging the pulmonary tissues and resulting in harm of various kinds, ranging from pulmonary fibrosis, through bronchial lung cancer to thickening of the pleura. Given the fact that the risk of developing a disease is proportional to the accumulated dose, asbestosis 8

ecology

By Alexander Zelenka

For further information, please contact :

■

Department of Toxicology of the Built Environment 23 Avenue Sainte-Clotilde PO Box 78 – 1211 Geneva 8 Tel. +41 22 388 80 70 http://etat.geneve.ch/dt/ toxicologie-pollutions/accueil.html

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di tha Ple sp t as ecology os th e ed is en Hazardous substances monitored of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly !

“According to SUVA mainly affects construction workers. In Switzerland, it is estimated that this

statistics dating from 2006, some 5,000 people are currently under medical observation following exposure to asbestos.”

Protecting children !

Volatile Organic Compounds : VOCs take the form of organic gases which evaporate more or less quickly at ambient temperatures and thus enter the air. They derive from solvents contained in adhesives, varnishes, paints and dyes. In the event of exposure to them, it is young children who are most at risk since their respiratory system has not finished developing and remains fragile. In order to raise awareness of the VOCs problem and to get people to take it into consideration as a matter of course, the department has published a document for the general public entitled “VOCs, are they a danger in the home ?”.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons : PAHs are present in asphalt, tar and bitumen. Apart from their carcinogenic properties, they may also result in a reduction in the response of the immune system, thus increasing the risk of infection. Certain types of building timber treated with coal oil are an active source of PAHs in the built environment and the same applies to the recycling of old railway sleepers for use in outside developments and playgrounds.

Lead : Exposure to deteriorated paints containing 0.5 % mass of lead or more constitutes a high risk of poisoning for children through the ingestion of the dust and flakes generated. Poisoning is possible even with paints containing less than 0.5 % mass of lead, depending on the quantities absorbed. Works carried out on paints containing lead without taking the necessary precautions may also be a source of contamination for building occupants up to six months after the completion of the works.

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substance is responsible for around 200 deaths per annum, most of them in the construction industry. According to SUVA statistics dating from 2006, some 5,000 people are currently under medical observation following exposure to asbestos.

Measures taken by the city to combat this plague include the removal of asbestos from 46 out of the 51 buildings in Geneva treated by flocking, including the TSR tower. In addition, most of the communes of Geneva have conducted inspections on all of the structures in their building stock dating back to earlier than 1991. Thanks to targeted information campaigns, the improper handling of elements of the built environment by workers or the general public due to ignorance should be eliminated by 2013, in line with the objectives laid down in the cantonal plan. In addition, after the time limit has passed, building conversions or demolitions may not be carried out without first properly separating and eliminating the elements treated with asbestos. Finally, on the assumption that it will need several more decades to eliminate the last traces of asbestos from buildings, the HES will be running courses to raise the awareness of hazardous substances among apprentices and students planning to enter the building sector.

PCBs – harmful for man and the environment Building materials may also contain PCBs, lead, PAHs, PCPs and freons which, like asbestos, are prohibited by Federal legislation. Polychlorobiphenyls (PCB) are particularly harmful. They belong to the twelve persistent organic contaminants recognised as being most dangerous for the environment. The commercial use of PCBs began at the end of the 1920s and continued up to the beginning of the 1970s, their popularity was based largely on their excellent heat resistance and non-inflammability. Their low production cost also favoured their use in civil engineering structures such as bridges and viaducts. Indeed, it is estimated that some 5,000 tonnes of products containing PCBs were used in Switzerland between 1900 and 1994 to prevent corrosion in structures of this type.

The measures envisaged to eradicate these substances gradually are similar to those laid down for asbestos. As well as campaigns to provide information and raise the awareness of building trade professionals and students, the cantonal plan stipulates the application of the federal directive on PCBs for sealing joints and for work on the joints of facades and metal structures. In addition, competences are to be developed at cantonal level in the field of expert examination and removal. Furthermore, owners are being required to face up to their responsibilities. Thus, the law now requires applications for authorisation to convert or demolish existing buildings to be accompanied by a certificate attesting the presence or absence of PCBs. As well as having a harmful impact on human health, ranging from modifications of liver metabolism to reproductive dysfunctions and carcinogenic effects, PCBs also cause serious ecological problems. Their dispersion into the environment due to defective elimination during demolition and renovation works can pollute the soil, air and rivers. PCB contents in excess of the permitted limits have recently been detected in fish in the Sarine (canton of Fribourg), the Birse (canton of Jura) and Lake Geneva, resulting in the imposition of fishing bans.

Carbon monoxide under surveillance This review of the situation would not be complete without a brief mention of some of the substances which, though not regulated by the ORRChim, can cause problems with the air in buildings and in the environment in general.

These may be present in paints and varnishes and in volatile organic 8

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di tha Ple sp t as ecology os th e ed is en Hazardous substances monitored of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly ! compounds. They may also be generated naturally, as is the case with radon, a radioactive gas which arises from the decay of uranium and is to be found in varying quantities in rocks and soils all over the planet. However, though other substances hazardous to man occur naturally in the atmosphere, the majority are generated by human activity and this is particularly true of carbon monoxide.

This notoriously dangerous gas may be given off into ill-ventilated spaces by boilers, fireplaces and heaters that are not properly maintained. The systems use up the oxygen available and discharge all of the combustion products into the room spaces. The longer the occupants are exposed, the greater the risk of serious poisoning or even death. The situation is all the worse during storms when the gas is blown back into the building by the wind.

The list of actions scheduled within the framework of the plan is not confined to the monitoring of existing dangerous substances. In the field of chemical products, innovations and new uses are legion and the built environment sector is no exception to the rule. To prevent unanticipated damage to public health and to prepare for problems, it is necessary not only to manage properly the substances whose effects are known but also to study the impact of those which are less known, i.e. to apply the principle of precaution. The advent of nanotechnologies is an example of the many problems emerging at the present time. Initially confined to leading-edge industries, these technologies are beginning to be used in residential properties, particularly in paints and in certain household cleaning products. However, it remains to be seen whether they are entirely harmless. This is one of the many tasks that the state will have to take over, with the cooperation of the Toxicology Department. We will have our hands full between now and 2013. ■

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patrimoine Hands off our architectural heritage !

© shutterstock

e ur et is rly ! s en fl e e lea rop s ea is f p Pl t th d o a e th os sp di

Hands off our architectural heritage !

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Yverdon-les-Bains. In 2009, the town at the end of Lake Neuchâtel was awarded the Wakker prize for exemplary management of its public spaces.

patrimoine

any old buildings and structures are already protected and there are others that should be. So, who deals with this protection in Switzerland ? It is organised on three levels: the Confederation, the cantons and private sector institutions.

By Jean-Louis Emmenegger

On walks and visits to certain Swiss towns, country villages and the mountains, you will certainly have admired fine buildings dating back anything from a few decades to a few centuries : castles, country houses, city mansions, town halls, schools, farms and so on.You may equally well have seen preserved or converted factories in towns or ancient chalets up in the mountains. That these structures are still here for us to feast our eyes is due to the fact that they have been recognised as having manifest historical interest and so being worthy of renovation and a conservation requiring regular maintenance. This conservation of the architectural heritage in Switzerland is organised on three levels : the Confederation, the cantons and private sector institutions The role of the Confederation The public body responsible for historic monuments, archaeology and the protection of sites is the Federal Office of Culture (FOC), a division of the Federal Department of the Interior (FDI). However, as we are reminded by Oliver Martin of the FDI, “the federal constitution stipulates that the protection of the heritage falls within the sphere of competence of the cantons. The work of the Confederation in this field is subsidiary. Its powers in this regard are governed by the Federal Act of 1 July 1966 concerning the protection of nature and the countryside.”

At the same time, however, in fulfilling its own tasks, such as constructing new motorways, administrative buildings and the like, the Confederation is also required to respect the heritage in the broad sense – i.e. buildings as well as countryside. Within the framework of its powers, the Confederation also oversees the granting of authorisations and applications for subsidies. “It regularly draws up federal inventories, including particularly the inventory of built sites to be protected in Switzerland (ISOS) and may grant financial assistance for the conservation of monuments and for the training of specialists. Finally, it supports the cantons by 8 making available federal experts on historical monuments and archaeological

“The conservation of the architectural heritage in Switzerland is organised on three levels : the Confederation, the cantons and private sector institutions.”

■ For more information, contact : Federal Office of Culture, Department of Cultural Heritage and Historic Monuments 15 Hallwylstrasse, CH - 3003 Berne E-mail: info@bak.admin.ch www.bak.admin.ch Swiss Heritage www.patrimoinesuisse.ch

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di tha Ple sp t as patrimoine os th e ed is en Hands off our architectural heritage ! of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly ! questions.” In addition, the FOC coordinates at national level the preparation of The Wakker Prize

Particularly well-known in Germanspeaking Switzerland, the Wakker Prize is awarded each year to a town that has made special efforts with regard to its urban development.

In French-speaking Switzerland, this prestigious prize has been awarded to Yverdon-les-Bains (2009), Delémont (2006), Geneva (2000), Montreux (1990) and Saint-Prex (1973) www.heimatschutz.ch

candidatures for listing as UNESCO world heritage sites, as well as European Heritage Days.

The cantons lead the way “The principle is clear”, adds Oliver Martin : “It is the canton which classifies objects on its territory as being worthy of protection.” A great deal of discretion is left to the canton, though it may be required to comply with directives issued by the Confederation in special cases. Each canton may refer to its own laws and regulations specifying what is to be protected, the competent body to take decisions concerning their and protection and preservation, the body responsible for monitoring and control, the budget modalities and so on. The cantonal architect also has a very important role to play in this domain. In certain cases, he may act in conjunction with the cantonal archaeologist.

Private sector institutions play a role as well Various private sector institutions also work for the preservation of the architectural heritage of our country. Sometimes, these may have the status of semi-state organisations if they are subsidised by the Confederation or the cantons. In this capacity, the institutions may indicate buildings which they consider should be protected and may even assume the cost of renovations, sometimes in cooperation with the district authorities. One of the most important private organisations working alongside Pro Natura is Patrimoine Suisse (the Swiss National Heritage League). This independent organisation which regularly awards its prize relies on the financial support of its membership.

It is also assisted by the Confederation in awareness-raising actions such as the Wakker Prize. The Swiss National Heritage League also enjoys a right of appeal at national level that enables it to oppose plans for the demolition of an object which it considers to form part of the national heritage.

Special cases If an object has previously been subsidised by the Confederation, it falls under federal protection. In this case, works or changes of any kind must be authorised by the Confederation acting through the FOC. In addition, the Nature Protection Act confers on the Confederation the right to place under emergency protection or even expropriate any object of national importance threatened by an imminent danger. If the canton has doubts as to the value of a monument or the consequences of the intended works, it may call for an expert opinion to be given by the Federal Commission for Historical Monuments. Though the expertise procedure conducted by the Commission is of a consultative nature, it represents the highest expert opinion in the country in heritage matters when it comes to legal actions (appeals, oppositions, etc) and so may be decisive in striking a balance between the various interests. ■

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e ur et is rly ! s en fl e e lea rop s ea is f p Pl t th d o a e th os sp di

Five years of six-star service

Prestige Property. This year, SPG Finest Properties, our department specialising in top-of-the-range residences, is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

© iStock

www.spgfinestproperties.ch

anniversary

SPG Finest Properties : Five years of six-star service

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n its five years of existence, SPG Finest Properties has risen to lead the field when it comes to buying and selling top-of-the-range private residential properties. Take a tour.

Yes, this is a niche market but it’s a six-star niche. The luxury property market is like no other. Its clients have their own codes and every property is a one-off, each one more elegant than the next. In this particular segment of the real estate market, the irrational impulse plays a crucial role. “As with haute couture ? Close,” replies Claude Atallah, the director of the service. “We deal with the exceptional, the rare, the refined. It’s a market very much like that of art.”

Hence, the affiliation with CHRISTIE’S and its specialist luxury property service CHRISTIE’S GREAT ESTATES, a mark of recognition awarded to SPG Finest Properties in 2009 for its first class international marketing. This partnership opens up a window on the world of super de luxe residential property and permits the company to showcase real estate that it represents, situated in French-speaking Switzerland and Gstaad. “Thanks to CHRISTIE’S, we also enjoy very interesting synergies with the art market and the Fine Arts department of the British parent firm,” notes Claude Atallah. “ For example, if one of our clients wants to sell a property together with all of the works it contains, we have the full range of services required at our disposal.”

Seven days a week In such a specialist market, this broad range of services is one of the keys to our success. It is a range that often stretches far beyond the ordinary routine of estate agency work. “The super-rich do not see things in the same way as everyone else. They want answers immediately and insist on full-time attention, seven days a week and this is all part of the service we provide. We need to listen, to have an intuitive understanding of what they want and to show them properties that are in line with their expectations. No litter – Please ensure that this leaflet is disposed of properly !” The majority of the clients come from Europe and the Middle East, with an increasing number of Qataris in particular being attracted 8

anniversary

By Evelyne Dubuis

“We deal with the exceptional, the rare, the refined. It’s a market very much like that of art.”

■ For more information, please contact :

Claude Atallah Manager of

Top-of-the-range sales and rentals Route de Frontenex 41 A 1207 Geneva Tel. +41 22 707 46 60 Fax +41 22 707 46 66 www.spgfinestproperties.ch E-mail : info@spgfinestproperties.ch

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anniversary Five years of six-star service

“Apart from finding properties for sale, SPG Finest Properties also offers a select letting service, catering for clients temporarily posted to Geneva such as a CEO on a three or four year assignment.”

Cover of CHRISTIE’S GREAT ESTATES magazine

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languages. “In my service, we speak seven,” remarks Claude Atallah, who will soon have been in the business for twenty years. “What has changed ? Tastes develop slowly. In terms of architecture, people still go for traditional styles but things are beginning to move. Whereas a few years ago, you could never have offered a property with a flat roof, modern architecture is now very much in demand. Indeed, there is not enough supply in this segment of the market.”

His finest commission to date is undoubtedly this Geneva property for CHF 120 million. “From Verbier to Gstaad, passing via Cologny and Neuchâtel, I’ve seen a lot of estates but this one really takes your breath away, from the point of view both of location and of quality.”

Word of mouth At the moment, there are around fifty properties on the books, leaving aside some which do not appear on the site for reasons of client confidentiality.

Apart from finding properties for sale, SPG Finest Properties also offers a select letting service, catering for clients temporarily posted to Geneva, such as a CEO on a three or four year assignment.

And how do clients come to find SPG Finest Properties ? “Well, one way is through SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE, which has always had its own national and international network. They also come to us on recommendation from family offices, lawyers, bankers and notaries. In addition, they may have read about us in the Christie’s Great Estates catalogue that we distribute to our bankers, lawyers and corporations having to do with this clientele. And then, of course, there are our affiliates abroad. “We set out from the very beginning to establish an easily recognisable brand identified with the idea of luxury – hence the use of the colour gold. We also wanted to underline our seriousness. For example, we send out Newsletters, edited by high-flying specialists, to disseminate information that is important for people wishing to acquire a property in Switzerland. For example, they deal with both legal issues (acquisition of real property by persons abroad under the Lex Friedrich) and with fiscal questions (taxation on an expenditure or a flat-rate basis).”

To find out exactly what we mean by a “Finest Property”, just click on www. finestproperties.ch to discover a world where the beauty of the architecture is perfectly set off by the mountains, waters and landscapes of the Lake Geneva region. ■

Existe en 3 langues : français, anglais et russe

Existe en 2 langues : français et anglais

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Newsletter

Canton de Fribourg (FR) le contingent 2008 dont bénéficie le canton s’élève à 50 unités pour les logements de vacances. l’autorité compétente pour l’octroi des autorisations est la Commission pour l’acquisition d’immeubles par des personnes à l’étranger.

ele dgouvernement i t o a arrêté r i une a liste l de 20

Un arrêté a précisé les communes à vocation touristique dans le canton, qui sont au nombre de 50, dont la Chaux-de-Fonds ou Neuchâtel. l’autorité de première instance compétente pour l’octroi des autorisations est la Commission cantonale pour la sanction d’acquisitions immobilières par des personnes à l’étranger. en règle générale, les autorisations faisant partie du contingent sont octroyées dans l’ordre des demandes présentées.

N°6

Newsletter

en juillet 2007, le Conseil fédéral avait adopté un message concernant l’abrogation de la lFAIe, ainsi qu’un message concernant la modification de la loi fédérale sur l’aménagement du territoire. Afin que l’abrogation de la lFAIe n’engendre pas un fort accroissement de la demande de résidences secondaires ou de logements de vacances dans les zones touristiques, la solution proposée était d’obliger les cantons à en réguler la construction au travers de leurs plans directeurs.

SPG Finest Properties route de Chêne 36 - CH-1208 Genève tél. +4122 707 4660 - Fax +4122 707 4666 1 vente@finestproperties.ch - www.finestproperties.ch

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Newsletter

N°5

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Comparaison fiscale entre l’acquisition d’une propriété immobilière en nom et l’achat d’actions d’une société immobilière*

Thierry Barbier-Mueller Administrateur délégué du Groupe SPG

Existe en 3 langues : français, anglais et russe

N°4

d’aménagement du territoire, et ce, quelle que soit la nationalité de l’acquéreur.

où l’acquisition dequ’une logements de La communes société immobilière – qui n’est vacances par des etrangers nécessaire société anonyme propriétaire d’unestbien immobilier – a été pendantduplusieurs décenau développement tourisme, dont Bulle, niesGruyères un véhicule ou de détenoud’acquisition Châtel-saint-Denis. tion d’un bien immobilier, fort répandu à Vers une abrogation de ces Genève et aussi, dans une moindre mesure, Canton Juraromands.

(JU) Il est vrai restrictions ? dans d'autresdu cantons Cependant, le Conseil National a refusé le 11 que les avantages de la formule étaient non Afin de la liquidation des sociétés actuelles, lesquelles sont naturellement négligeables : anonymat « propriétairemars 2008 d’abroger cette loi.suscepIl considère le contingent 2008du s’élève à 20 unités pour Unefavoriser procédure de consultation avait été inactionnaire », souplesse et gratuité du transimmobilières, autorités et l’opportucertibles notamment d’évoluer. Certains que leséléments mesuresparticuliers d’accompagneles logements de vacances. troduite les fin 2005 afin fédérales d’examiner fert. Sans doute l’investisseur de l’époque, taines nité autorités y compris à Genève, additionnels relatifs à lanesituation contriment envisagées sont pasduassez strictes Un arrêté a dressé une liste de 18 lieux au d’unecantonales, abrogation de la lFAIe. l’avant- et l’après-guerre, cherchait-il avant avaient décidé d’accorder temporairement, buablepour (par prévenir exemple localisation de sa fortune et la spéculation immobilière seinà préserver desquels l’acquisition de logements de tout son capital plus qu’un et prise jusqu’au 31 décembre 2003, un allégement en compte ses froids dettes, risque le problème desde« lits ». les craintes vacances peut être autorisée. l’autorité de en effet, suite aux amendements successifs rendement, lequel était en effet, toujours fiscal introduits en faveur des sociétés immobilières de qualification de commerçant dans le cas de instance la société immobilière, des différents intervenantsprofessionnel sont principalepremière compétenteassez pour receau sein de cette loi, son etchamp de leurs actionnaires en cas de liquidation. d'immeuble) peuvent avoir une incidence sur sérieusement écorné pard’autorisation la double imposivoir les demandes est le Ser- d’application s’en est vu considérablement ment la peur d’une emprise des spéculateurs Nombreux sont les propriétaires immobiliers le choix à effectuer, de sorte que celui-là aura tion (taxation du bénéfice dans du la société étrangers et la crainte d’une spéculation vice juridique du Canton Jura. restreint. qui ont saisi cette opportunité et qui sont intérêt à faire analyser sa situation de manière immobilière, puis une nouvelle fois en tant A l’heure actuelle, la priorité des autorités immobilière accrue. le Conseil Fédéral deque revenu-dividende de l’actionnaire). ainsi devenus les propriétaires directs, en nom, précise avant de procéder à une acquisition.

Canton de Neuchâtel (NE) fédérales davantageIl axée la limitation vra donc retravailler sa copie ; il est notamde leurs biens est immobiliers. n’en sur demeure L’augmentation des valeurs immobilières – ment envisagégénérale d'introduire une durée de dodu nombre de résidences secondaires pas moins que les sociétés immobilières sont et1 Distinction alors les valeurs historiques micilela minimale en suisse comme condition le que contingent 2008 s’élève àau35bilan unités pour de logements delevacances, pour toujours présentes sur marché et qu’ildes estques- entre propriété directe des sociétés immobilières étaient intangibles l’acquisition résidence secondaire. les logements de vacances. tions l’environnement courant pourdeunprotection propriétairedepotentiel de s’in- et età la détentiond’une au travers – a aussi progressivement compliqué et renle statu quo demeure donc à ce jour. terroger sur les avantages et les inconvénients d’une société immobilière chéri les financements que devait contracter l’actionnaire à l’achat d’une société immobid’acheter un bien sous l’une ou l’autre de ces * l’acquéreur SYNTHÈSE DEd’acquisition.

LOGEMENTS DE VACANCES : lors d’une acquisition en* *nom, lière. Bref, les avantagesPOUR ont perduL'ACQUISITION en valeur formes relative par rapport aux inconvénients, et devient propriétaire du bien immobilier, Aussi, même direct s’il faut parfois s’armer de surfaceattachent maximalededuplus terrain : 1000 m2 les investisseurs en plus l’objectif est ici d’offrir à tout futur propriétaire sans société intermédiaire.

Il devientd’un à ce logement titre patience pour l’acquisition surface plancher maximale : 200 m2 d’importance au cash-flow et plus seuleles principaux éléments de comparaison nécessoumisdedirectement à tous les impôts liés vacances dans certains lieux hautement ment à la le seule espérance dese plus-value en un lieu à vocation touristique logement doit situer dans saires pour sélectionner, d’un point de vue à l’immeuble (impôt sur le revenu, impôt sur par touristiques, la possibilité d’implantation capital, sil'etranger bien que cedoit mode de propriété obtenir une autorisation préalable à l'acquisition fiscal, l’option le mieux adaptée à sa situation la fortune, impôt immobilier complémenindirecte s’est raréfié ces dernières années les Etrangers reste largement ouverte et personnelle. Nous ne traiterons ici que de taire, l’assistance etc.). en revanche, lorsque (cela aussi à la faveur d’une incitation fiscale d’avocats ou del’immeuble notaires vous Quotas annuelspar Nombre de lieux à l’acquisitionCanton d’un bien immobilier résidentiel est détenu au travers d’une société immobitemporaire àCanton leur liquidation).vocation 2008 touristique permettra de lever les derniers obstacles sur un particulier soumis au régime fiscal ordinaire lière, l’acquisition vise les actions de la société, la voie de la propriété en suisse.

Au-delà de la «Valais mauvaise réputation » 117 actuValaisutilisation. Nous prendrons 330 pour sa propre à laquelle est à son tour propriétaire de l’imelle de la société immobilière, il nous a paru titre d’exemple la situation d’un résident Berne 140 gene- meuble. l’acquisition en société immobilière intéressant deBerne faire un point comparé52 obLes seuils indiqués dans cet article corresponvois, qui hésite entre une acquisition35 en nom et implique donc la coexistence de deux sujets jectif et factuel de la propriété immobilière Neuchâtel Neuchâtel 50 ceux adoptés pour d’une l’annéepart, 2008. une acquisition en société immobilière dont fiscauxdent : la àsociété immobilière, et directe (en nom) et de la propriété par le Vaudimmobilière, en fonction 26 le siège est Vaud à Genève. Il va de 175 soi que les son actionnaire, d’autre part, lequel est censé biais d'une société N.B. de le manière contenusemblable du présent est unide la situation fiscale actuelle, en soulignant Fribourg Fribourg 20 informations qui figurent ci-après 50 se fondent être traité à unarticle tiers qui quement deimmobilier portée générale.

Chaque cas que celle-ci a changé en 2009 sur le plan sur la législation prendrait un objet en location.

Jura et la pratique administrative 20 Jura 18 fédéral ainsi que sur le plan cantonal geneparticulier doit faire l’objet d’une analyse vois et vaudois, dans le sens d’un allègement spécifique. g sensible du coût de la double imposition * par Me Jérôme Meyer et Me Fouad Sayegh, Oberson Avocats (Genève / Lausanne) caractérisant la société immobilière (nous aurons l’occasion d’y revenir dans une prochaine newsletter). www.finestproperties.ch www.finestproperties.ch

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di tha Ple sp t as os th e ed is en of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly ! to Switzerland. This means the department also has to juggle cultures and

L

a législation concernant l’acquisition de biens immobiliers en Suisse par des personnes étrangères est décidément une affaire bien complexe. Que l’on songe que la situation juridique peut être différente tant par la nature de l’immeuble – affectation commerciale ou résidentielle – que par l’origine de l’acheteur étranger – ressortissant de l’Union européenne ou d’un autre pays, avec ou sans permis de résidence. De même, la situation du bien immobilier peut également changer la donne, que celui-ci soit situé dans une zone touristique ou non...

Par ailleurs, ce que nous envisagions il y a à peine un an se confirme aujourd’hui : la libéralisation totale n’est clairement plus à l’ordre du jour. Cela rend d’autant plus opportun de poursuivre la tâche que nous avions entreprise – rappelons en effet que cette newsletter est la troisième que nous consacrons au thème de la Lex Koller –, à savoir résumer de façon synthétique et accessible les différentes facettes de cette problématique légale propre à la Suisse. Nous considérons que cela est l’une des missions de SPG Finest Properties, dont une proportion non négligeable, et croissante, de la clientèle est d’origine étrangère.

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C

Acquisition de logements de vacances en Suisse par des Etrangers, hors UE et AELE, sans permis de séjour C en Suisse Par Me Cyril Troyanov et Mme Sophie Laurent, Secretan Troyanov Avocats. le bénéfice de l’une des meilleures qualités de vie au monde a fait de la suisse un pays attractif pour l’acquisition de biens immobiliers.

Considérant son environnement, sa stabilité économique, sa sécurité et ses atouts fiscaux, la suisse constitue un lieu de résidence et de vacances privilégié.

Cependant, face à la crainte d’une emprise étrangère sur le sol suisse, notamment dans certaines régions hautement touristiques, les autorités ont mis en place depuis le début des années 60 des dispositions de nature à restreindre l’accès à la propriété par les

étrangers en suisse. Actuellement, c’est la loi fédérale du 16 décembre 1983 sur l’acquisition d’immeubles par des personnes à l’étranger ( lFAIe – également désignée « lex Friedrich » ou « lex Koller » ) qui réglemente l’accession à la propriété.

Afin de déterminer si vous relevez du champ d’application de la lFAIe, vous devez considérer (1) votre pays d’origine, et ( 2 ), le cas échéant, si vous êtes titulaire d’un permis de séjour en suisse. en règle générale, les principes d’application de la lFAIe sont les suivants :

LES PRINCIPES D'APPLICATION DE LA LFAIE Permis

Sans permis de séjour en Suisse

Avec permis de séjour L (1)

Avec permis de séjour B ( 2 )

Avec permis de séjour C ( 3 )

Ressortissant UE ou AELE

soumis à la lFAIe

Même traitement que le citoyen suisse

Même traitement que le citoyen suisse

Même traitement que le citoyen suisse

Ressortissant autres pays

soumis à la lFAIe

soumis à la lFAIe

soumis à la lFAIe

Même traitement que le citoyen suisse

Origine

Il est donc aujourd’hui possible que la législation existante soit maintenue plus longtemps qu’initialement escompté (ou alors que d’autres dispositions de nature restrictive la remplacent).

Cela rend d’autant plus opportun de faire le point de la situation actuelle, et des limites qui concernent une éventuelle acquisition immobilière par des personnes domiciliées à l’étranger.

mai 2008/12 750

(1 ) Permis L : permis de séjour de courte durée en Suisse (moins d'un an) .

(2 ) Permis B : permis de séjour d'un an en Suisse (pour les ressortissants UE : valable 5 ans) .

(3 ) Permis C : permis d'établissement en Suisse qui s'obtient, selon la nationalité, après 5 ou 10 ans de séjour.

Thierry Barbier-Mueller Administrateur-délégué du Groupe SPG

ertaines choses évoluent décidément bien vite, et de façon parfois imprévisible : il y a un an, l’abrogation de la «Lex Koller» semblait acquise, en bénéficiant d’un large consensus. Le retournement constaté à l’heure actuelle est donc assez net et spectaculaire : pour diverses raisons, des personnes ou des organisations politiques émettent aujourd’hui des réserves ou y sont franchement opposées.

Il n’est pas inutile de préciser que les sentiments xénophobes ne sont de loin pas dominants dans ces réserves. Pour certains, ce sont des considérations d’ordre environnemental qui s’expriment ainsi ; pour d’autres, le marché immobilier serait déjà proche de la surchauffe en de nombreux endroits, et n’aurait surtout pas besoin de stimulation supplémentaire. Enfin, certains craignent que les acheteurs potentiels n’éliminent du marché les acheteurs indigènes en faisant monter les prix à un niveau dépassant les moyens de ceux-ci ; rappelons en effet que, en comparaison internationale, les prix immobiliers restent plutôt raisonnables dans notre pays.

www.finestproperties.ch

1

Thierry Barbier-Mueller Administrateur-délégué du Groupe SPG

Les conditions d’acquisition actuelles de biens immobiliers résidentiels en Suisse par des étrangers non-résidents Et les conséquences fiscales y relatives par Jérôme Meyer et Alexandre Faltin, Avocats fiscalistes, Oberson Avocats, www.oberson.ch la loi fédérale du 16 décembre 1983 (communément dénommée « lex Koller » du nom du conseiller fédéral l’ayant proposée) restreint l’acquisition de biens immobiliers résidentiels en suisse par des étrangers nonrésidents. Cette loi a déjà été assouplie pour permettre l’acquisition d’immeubles à vocation commerciale pour lesquels il n’existe plus aujourd’hui de restrictions envers les européens (voir Newsletter no 1 sPG Finest Properties). Nonobstant le fait que cette loi pourrait être prochainement abrogée, l’objet de la présente Newsletter consiste à décrire, dans l’état du droit actuel, les possibilités d’acquisitions immobilières de type résidentiel (résidences de vacances comprises) par des personnes physiques non-résidentes en suisse et à fournir des informations préliminaires sur les conséquences fiscales d’un tel investissement dans notre pays.

Les conditions d’acquisition actuelles les principales possibilités d’acquisition d’immeubles résidentiels par des étrangers sont les suivantes : – les ressortissants d’un etat membre de l’Union européenne, de l’Islande, de la Norvège ou du liechtenstein, qui, en tant que frontaliers, acquièrent une résidence secondaire dans la région de leur lieu de travail. l’acquisition doit alors intervenir en

nom et, si elle porte sur une villa, le terrain ne doit pas excéder 1 000 m2 ; – les cantons peuvent autoriser l’acquisition d’immeubles de rendement à caractère social (HLM par exemple) dans des lieux où sévit la pénurie de logements. le canton de Genève fait usage de cette faculté ; – ils peuvent également autoriser l’acquisition d’une résidence secondaire à une personne physique dans un lieu avec lequel elle entretient des relations extrêmement étroites et dignes d’être protégées, tant que celles-ci subsistent. Contrairement à Genève, les cantons de Vaud et du Valais ont fait usage de cette faculté. les conditions sont strictes et la surface de l’immeuble acquis est en règle générale restreinte. Celui-ci doit en principe être revendu dans un délai de deux ans, si son propriétaire ne l’utilise plus comme résidence secondaire ; – enfin et surtout, la plupart des cantons (mais pas le canton de Genève) disposent de contingents pour l’acquisition d’un logement de vacances dans une région à vocation touristique (Montreux, Villars, leysin, Crans-Montana, Verbier, Gstaad, saintMoritz, etc.). C’est ce cas que nous décrivons plus particulièrement ci-dessous. en ce qui concerne le canton de Genève, l’acquisition d’une résidence secondaire par un

n°1. Acquisition of real properties by persons abroad (“ Lex Friedrich ”) n°2. Partnership between SPG Finest Properties and Christie’s Great Estates n°3. Presentation of taxes either on an expenditure or a flat-rate basis. n°4. Current conditions for the acquisition of residential properties by non-resident foreigners and the related tax implications. n°5. Acquisition of holiday apartments in Switzerland by foreigners from outside the EU and EFTA who do not hold a Swiss “ C ” residence permit. n°6. Tax comparison between the acquisition of a real property under one’s own name and the purchase of shares in a real estate company.

- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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paradise The happiest caretaker in the world !

www.islandreefjob.com Hamilton Island. After a tough competition, Ben was finally selected to become the caretaker of the island.

His daily work schedule includes feeding the dolphins at SeaWorld.

The happiest caretaker in the world !

W

paradise

anted : Island Caretaker on Hamilton Island ”. When the tourist office of Queensland in north-eastern Australia published this notice on the Internet, tens of thousands of candidates from around two hundred countries rushed to apply by sending in the required sixty second video. Advertised as “the best job in the world”, the caretaker’s task was to spend six months exploring the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swimming and diving in the warm seas, making friends with local people and, more generally, enjoying Queensland’s tropical climate and laid-back lifestyle. A dream job with a salary of around € 80,000, plus food, accommodation and transport !

By Claudine Mulard

In these days of unemployment, with jobs few and far between, who wouldn’t dream of moving to Hamilton Island, a little paradise lying between the coast of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, of getting away from it all to a natural environment still virtually untouched by civilisation and pollution.

The job requirements were simple and straightforward : the applicant must be able to speak English fluently, be a good swimmer and, above all, be a good communicator because the caretaker has to share his discoveries through a daily blog, accompanied by his latest photos.

The winner : Ben from Britain The competition was ferocious, with the field whittled down from an initial 34,000 applicants to the sixteen finalists brought to Hamilton for the final selection. The winner was Ben Southall, aged 34, a tall fair-haired charity fundraiser from Hampshire in England, whose video showed him riding an ostrich.

His spirit of adventure, dynamism and passion for nature convinced the Australians that this was their man. His victory was announced by Anna Bligh, the president of the State of Queensland, on 7 May 2009. Finally, after a hero’s welcome on Hamilton Island, Ben, accompanied by his girlfriend Breanna Watkins, started work on 1 July.

Judging from his blog and photos, it’s an enviable life out there on the 8

“The applicant must be able to speak English fluently, be a good swimmer and, above all, be a good communicator because the caretaker has to share his discoveries through a daily blog, accompanied by his latest photos.”

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di tha Plea sp t s paradise os th e e ed is n The happiest caretaker in the world ! of lea sur pr fle e op t is er ly ! islands off the coast of Australia. No Robinson Crusoe tribulations for Ben who

“Ben is a bit like a sandwich-board man advertising a tourist destination !”

© Island Caretaker Blog

is sumptuously housed at the super de luxe Qualia complex, one of the few hotels with a six star rating. His Blue Pearl villa with its infinity pool gives directly onto the beach and he has a golf buggy for getting around. Ben and Breanna really look as though they are on holiday.

The caretaker feeds the animals Ben has his time cut out. Once he has finished feeding the island’s animals, fish and dolphins, he is whisked away by helicopter for a tour of the Gold Coast, where he lands in time for a foot massage at the Ruffles Lodge and Spa. Then he is off to a sports meeting followed by a gala dinner with the president of Queensland, Anna Bligh. In his blog, every mention of a hotel or spa is accompanied by a link. It seems that Ben is a bit like a sandwich-board man advertising a tourist destination !

The fact is that the international search launched by Tourism Queensland for “the best job in the world” was one of the most astute tourist marketing operations ever conducted. And the real winner was Australian tourism. So far, it seems to have been a real success. People from all around the world are checking in to see what Ben is up to and the number of tourists choosing this destination has doubled this season.

In any event, the “Best Job in the World” campaign created by the Nitro agency in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, received two of the top awards at the 56th International Advertising Festival in Cannes in 2009, namely the Public Relations Lion and the Direct Marketing Grand Prix. Relatively inexpensive thanks to its Internet launch, this notable campaign is said to have generated around AUD 80 million in advertising space. In spring 2009, moreover, Richard Branson’s Virgin Blue airline, introduced a direct flight from Sydney to Hamilton Island, having noted the sudden demand for this destination not only from Australians but also from foreign travellers.

Ben has proved to be not entirely gaffe-proof. Speaking about a delicious meal on his Twitter blog, he mistakenly wrote that he had enjoyed it on Hayward Island whereas he was in fact on Hayman Island. The error was immediately pounced on by twitters and bloggers – including unsuccessful contenders – to poke fun at his shortcomings in geography. And of course there are malicious tongues ready to claim that he was chosen because Great Britain is one of the countries being wooed by the Australian Tourist Office.

Meanwhile, with the TV reality formula having been worked to death in shows from Survivor to Temptation Island and Who wants to be a millionaire, the “Island Caretaker Blog” is just perfect for the new “staycation” phenomenon – holidaying at home or locally. What could be more relaxing and refreshing than the simple tale of an island caretaker who has virtually nothing to do but amble around one of the most beautiful spots on earth ! ■

Hamilton Island, Australia.

A dream landscape : long beaches of white sand, the crystal clear waters of a turquoise sea and, of course, palm trees all round.

the newspaper

TH E

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PA N O R A M A

Some recent feature issues : check them out at our Internet site www.immorama.ch

L E

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Jacques Follonier, Pierre Weiss,

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LES ÉCOLES DU MONDE Finlande, Suède, Etats-Unis, Royaume-Uni,

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CHF 920 000.– Page 71

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Bel appartement lumineux de 4 pièces, vue exceptionnelle.

CHF 920 000.– Page 71

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Veyrier (GE) – Vente

l ’ i m m o b i l i e r

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Bel appartement de 4 pièces d’environ 81 m2. Jardin: 193 m2 CHF 790 000.– Page 65

Belle villa de 240 m2.

Idéale pour grande famille.

CHF 1 700 000.– Page 64

P. 19 à 34

Les écoquartiers dans le monde Suède, Finlande, Royaume-Uni, Emirat d’Abu Dhabi, Italie, Suisse.

web+ : Allemagne (Hanovre –

Bel appartement lumineux de 4 pièces, vue exceptionnelle.

CHF 920 000.– Page 71

d e

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Interviews de :

Pages 11 à 26

Finlande, Suède, Etats-Unis, Royaume-Uni,

P a n o R a M a

Place aux ecoquartiers!

Anne Seydoux, Alfred Fernandez.

ImmoWeb+ Web+ :

Fribourg-en-Brisgau), Chine.

P. 35 à 49

Arzier (VD) – Vente

Chancy (GE) – Vente

PROGRAMME NEUF Magnifiques villas de 5,5 pièces CHF 995 000.– Page 84

Dans immeuble calme, appartement bien agencé avec cheminée.

CHF 850 000.– Page 66

Cuba, Afrique du Sud, Russie.

Pages 29 à 44

Pages 29 à 44

Interviews de :

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Gingins (VD) – Vente

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Beaucoup de charme et de cachet pour ce beau duplex en attique.

CHF 1 270 000.– Page 86

Beaucoup de charme et de cachet pour ce beau duplex en attique.

CHF 1 270 000.– Page 86

Beaucoup de charme et de cachet pour ce beau duplex en attique.

CHF 1 270 000.– Page 86

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Corsier (GE) – Vente

Près du lac, bel appartement traversant.

CHF 990 000.– Page 70

Suzanne Bergius, Hugues Hiltpold,

Amérique latine, Singapour, Chine, Inde, Australie.

Cuba, Afrique du Sud, Russie.

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Finlande, Suède, Etats-Unis, Royaume-Uni,

L ’ I M M O B I L I E R

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Anne Seydoux, Alfred Fernandez.

ImmoWeb+ Web+ :

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Près du lac, bel appartement traversant.

CHF 990 000.– Page 70

Suzanne Bergius, Hugues Hiltpold,

Amérique latine, Singapour, Chine, Inde, Australie.

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L’ÉCOLE POUR TOUS, CHACUN POUR SOI !

Corsier (GE) – Vente

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Peter Gerber, Sophie Meisser, Anne Bussy, Pierre Maudet, Jean-Paul Humair, Jean-François Bouvier, Georges Chevieux, Loredana Panaro

Magnifique villa jumelle de 5-pièces + cuisine. Jardin avec étang et piscine.

CHF 1 295 000.– Page 87

Union européenne, Etats-Unis, Brésil, Afrique du Sud, Inde, Singapour, Chine

Très joli town-house de 200 m2 sur magnifique parcelle avec jardin d’hiver et piscine.

CHF 1 750 000.– Page 68

How do we go about building “beautiful” in Geneva?

C1.indd 1

02.09.2008 15:15:18

Ang. pub immorama_sanc_2.indd 1

62

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Coup de Thônex (GE) – Vente

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Coup de Thônex (GE) – Vente

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VENTE ET LOCATION : VASTE CHOIX D’OFFRES À L’INTÉRIEUR Pages 64 à 94

VENTE ET LOCATION: VASTE CHOIX D’OFFRES À L’INTÉRIEUR Pages 64 à 94

Très joli town-house de 200 m2 sur magnifique parcelle avec jardin d’hiver et piscine.

CHF 1 750 000.– Page 68

Congestion charges – a decision will have to be made !

C1.indd 1

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VENTE ET LOCATION: VASTE CHOIX D’OFFRES À L’INTÉRIEUR Pages 64 à 94 C1.indd 1

!

Coup de Petit-Lancy (GE) – Vente

Très joli town-house de 200 m2 sur magnifique parcelle avec jardin d’hiver et piscine.

CHF 1 750 000.– Page 68 02.09.2008 15:15:18

Education for all and every man for himself !

vente et location : vaste choix d’offres à l’intérieur P. 61 à 94

Appartement de 4 - pièces doté de deux belles terrasses.

CHF 790 000.– Page 67

Make space for eco-districts !

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Chêne-Bourg (GE) – Vente Belle villa bourgeoise, 160 m2 avec combles et terrasse.

CHF 1 860 000.– Page 62

P. 23 à 35

Tour du monde des déchets

Dossier

de

Espagne, Finlande, Italie, Mexique P. 37 à 44

Vente et location : Vaste choix d’offres À l’intérieur P. 57 à 94 25_déchets_7_sanc.indd 1

! up

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Bel appartement d’angle d’une surface de 208 m2 CHF 2 900 00.– Page 65

05/02/2010 11:12:05

The world of waste

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dallais n26.pdf 02/02/2010 17:33:57

SANITAIRES - FERBLANTERIE

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n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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16:02

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seniors Senior citizens are moving to new retirement homes

Retirement homes are booming.

They are comfortable and offer a wide range of services (maid service, restaurant, beautician, etc).

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to new retirement homes

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ere and there in French-speaking Switzerland, we are starting to see the residential complexes springing up specially designed for “young” retirees. These new properties represent an original and apparently attractive niche in the real estate market.

By Peter Sanders

In recent years, Switzerland has been having to come to terms with the phenomenon of increased life expectancy. In other words, the fact that there is now a greater probability than in previous generations that we will live on well after the retirement age of 65. In the words of a specialist in occupational pensions designed to ensure payment of a monthly pension up to the death of the retiree : “Today, the average life expectancy is five years higher than it was thirty years ago.”

So, if people are living longer, where do they want to spend their sunset years ?

Those who need medical care or regular visits by nurses, physiotherapists and the like constitute a special group as they often elect to stay in a care home on the advice of their GP or the hospital in which they have been treated.

On the other hand, there are more and more retired people who, though in perfect health, no longer wish to carry on living alone in a house or an apartment that has become too big for them. The children have grown up and moved away and housework is now perceived as a real chore. At the same time, relations with neighbours are no longer what they used to be and their circle of friends is gradually shrinking.

There are times when they feel lonely and, at moments like these, they may well ask themselves whether it would be a good idea to go and live somewhere else.

Carefree living It is to meet the demand from these “young” retirees that a number of residential homes for senior citizens have begun to spring up in French-speaking Switzerland. They offer apartments that are comfortable but not too big and come with a well-equipped kitchen, living room and balcony. In short, a place in which elderly couples can feel at ease.

So, why not just a condominium in a good building ? The difference is that homes of this kind offer additional services that are particularly attractive to retired people.

For example, laundry and housekeeping services, a restaurant, deliveries of hot meals, hairdresser, cinema, library, club house, swimming pool or spa, 8

“It is to meet the demand from these ‘young’ retirees that a number of residential homes for senior citizens have begun to spring up in French-speaking Switzerland.”

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di tha Plea sp t s seniors os th e e ed is n Senior citizens are moving to new retirement homes of lea sur pr fle e op t is er ly ! events, leisure activities, lectures, excursions, visits to museums, travel, holidays, ■ For further information : Non-exhaustive list of retirement homes • Les Crêts de Vésenaz, Vésenaz (GE) • Senior Village, Vétroz (VS) • Résid. Claire-Fontaine,Chexbres (VD) • Résidence Le Bristol, Montreux (VD) • Résidence Nova Vita, Montreux (VD) • Domaine de la Gottaz, Morges (VD) • Résidence Carina, Rolle (VD) • Résidence du Château, Lucens (VD) • Résidence Le Pacific, Etoy (VD) • Domaine de La Gracieuse, Lonay (VD)

transport, the list goes on and on. It is the retiree’s dream, with everything professionally organised in such a way that they can enjoy the most pleasant life imaginable. This is a country house lifestyle for the city-dweller.

And then there is the medical aspect which must not be overlooked. A GP will often come in once a week for consultations so there is no need for residents to trek across town. And, if need be, the GP can refer the patient to a specialist and a car will be available to take him there and back. In case of medical problems, some retirement homes have a nurse in permanent residence while others have one on call 24 hours a day.

But it doesn’t come cheap !

In a market economy, you have to pay for everything but that’s normal and people expect it. Nevertheless, the fact remains that in retirement homes like the ones we have been considering, the range of services is very wide and the cost of this kind of accommodation can accordingly be high or indeed extremely high. This means that residents need to have substantial financial resources, whether in the form of a personal fortune or an old-age pension plus occupational pension plus savings.

Though some retirement homes offer apartments to rent, the majority are constrained by medium-term financial management considerations to sell them as condominium units. A manager is placed in charge of the apartments and shared facilities such as heating, lifts, garden maintenance and the like. As there are often long waiting lists, the apartments never stay empty for long. Given the purposebuilt design and high specifications of the homes, the rents and the purchase prices of the apartments are on the high side. Most of the apartments have three or four rooms and are intended for couples. If one of the partners passes away, a tworoom apartment can also be found for the survivor.

An attractive niche There is a growing sense among some real estate developers and promoters that the retirement home niche is set to grow in Switzerland. There are two reasons for this. On the one hand, the increase in life expectancy and the number of senior citizens and, on the other, the financial resources enjoyed by at least part of the baby-boomer generation. The question is whether this trend will continue for many more years to come ?

Occupational pension specialists are somewhat sceptical. They point out that while retirees continue to live a bit longer, retirement itself is becoming ever more expensive, with costs rising for virtually everything (health insurance premiums, electricity, rent, food, etc). At the same time, occupational pensions are likely to go down regularly.

So, while retirement homes may still be an interesting niche market today, their golden age may well not stretch very far into the future. ■

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66

Tél. 022 736 23 05 Fax 022 736 24 70 Natel 079 203 67 55

- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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re is y !

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cité Slow down : the Cittaslow challenge

© Cittaslow

e ur et is rly ! s en fl e e lea rop s ea is f p Pl t th d o a e th os sp di

Slow down : the Cittaslow challenge

T

he 100 mile an hour lifestyle has had its day. Instead, Cittaslow (Slow City) an association founded in Italy in 1999 encourages people to slow down, sculpts the city to the well-being of its inhabitants and blends music and gastronomy to create pleasure of a more subtle kind. A runaway success, the movement now extends to a score of countries and has a membership of 129 urban areas, most of them with a population of less than 50,000. Its manifesto is upheld simultaneously by places as varied as a little Norwegian town on the borders of Greenland, an African township and a sleepy sub-prefecture in deepest France. What is it then that enthuses all these adepts of a lifestyle which combines old-established traditions with the latest technologies ? Read on...

Mendrisio designated “energy town”.

This mediaeval town in the Ticino has been a member of Cittaslow since July 2009. It has gained a national reputation through an energy policy that focuses on economy and sustainability.

cité

By Danielle Rouard

“Against a background of frenetic urban life, Cittaslow encourages people ‘to slow down.’ ”

At Brussels on 4 May 2010, a thousand mayors signed up to the “Sustainability Pact” intended to guarantee the defence of the environment and ecological development between now and 2020. The signatories included a good number of mayors who proclaimed their allegiance to Cittaslow, clear evidence of how far the association has come in such a short time. In fact, the name “Cittaslow” does not tell the whole story.

It might indeed be more aptly called “the international network of towns in which it’s good to live”. Its joyful logo represents the brightly coloured tiled roofs of a town superimposed on a large snail which fills the foreground.The movement was founded in October 1999 by four small town mayors at Orvieto, itself perched on a rocky outcrop in Umbria in the centre of Italy.The mayors were an offshoot of Slowfood, an international organisation that fights against fast food and in favour of the development of local products. Slowfood was established in Turin, the city which remains its base and the venue for its annual international show. One of the founders recalls that “the moment was an occasion to extend the philosophy of Slowfood to local communities made up of individuals eager to ‘rediscover time past’ ”, a trend in direct contrast to the Fast Life.

Paul Lafargue wrote Le Droit à la paresse (The right to be lazy) back in the 19th century at a time when industry was booming. Against a background of frenetic urban life, Cittaslow encourages the contemporary world “to slow down”, the message of 8 n° 27 - Autumn 2010 -

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di tha Ple sp t as cité os th e ed is en Slow down : the Cittaslow challenge of lea sur pr fle e op t i er s ly ! its manifesto and of “Our philosophy”, a work written by its director Pier Giorgio

“Speed does not always equal efficiency and competitive advantage and Slowcities offer a model for a new concept of Living, Producing and Consuming, based on ‘slow quality’.”

Pier Giorgio Oliveti, director of Cittaslow.

The six criteria for membership:

■

Environmental policy, infrastructure policy, urban quality technology, development of local production, hospitality, degree of awareness. www.cittaslow.net

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Oliveti. “Speed does not always equal efficiency and competitive advantage and Slow Cities offer a model for a new concept of Living, Producing and Consuming, based on ‘slow quality’ ”, explains the director. This, of course, is the very opposite of the headlong pursuit of consumption advocated by the prevailing forces of globalisation.

At Orvieto Pier Giorgio Oliveti, born at Reggio Emilia in the centre of northern Italy, is a former journalist who lives and works tirelessly at the Palazzo del Gusto, located in the magnificent convent of San Giovanni. He has the knack of communicating his passion to the whole world and getting people to see what Cittaslow has achieved in his own town.The primary school is a laboratory for culinary culture where pupils rediscover the riches of traditional local cooking, learning how to cook snail-shaped bread (lumachella) and oven-baked aniseed biscuits.Throughout the school year, they follow the progress of vegetable gardens on seven farms in the region. When it comes to transport, CO2 emissions are being controlled by reducing town centre traffic through a variety of measures such as the construction of an external car park linked to the town by a pedestrian bridge with lifts, the installation of a cable car station outside the historic centre, the development of buses running on natural gas and so on. As a result, mobility within Orvieto has been considerably improved.

Pier Giorgio Oliveti likes to point out other achievements of the association : at Waldkirch in Germany, the town produces and consumes its own energy in a closed circuit ; in Norfolk in Great Britain, the townspeople take part in the developments themselves ; or at Segonzac near Cognac in France, which became an accredited member at the beginning of May 2010.To be admitted to the association, candidates have to prove their credentials by satisfying the six criteria for membership. “Good living means providing solutions and services which enable local people to enjoy the benefit of their town in an easy, simple and agreeable manner.” For any mayor faced with the enormous difficulties of day to day management and planning for the future, this obstacle course is understood to lead us precisely to what the founding fathers intended twelve years ago.

At Mendrisio In 2008, the association drew on its established know-how to create Cittaslow International, a worldwide body presided over by Gian Luca Marconi. Based at Orvieto, Cittaslow International has a coordination office which this year is located at Bra (Piedmont), one of the founder towns. The second world gathering of Cittaslow International was held in July 2009 in Mendrisio, a mediaeval town of 12,000 inhabitants in the Ticino which had just joined the movement. Its mayor, Carlo Croci, provided a magnificent reception for his guests – 120 participants coming from seventy towns in sixteen countries. “We were the first town in Switzerland to adopt electric vehicles, an essential move as we are a very busy traffic node. In our streets, the road signs tell pedestrians how long it will take to walk to any particular point. Our energy policy has been backed up at national level through our designation as an ‘energy town’. You could say, in short, that we were already Cittaslow in spirit before we received the name.” Mendrisio is also known as the home town of two big international stars, Roger Federer and the architect Mario Botta The latter, who actually attended the occasion commented : “The town is an historic reference point for civilisation. A new type of aggregation, more evolved, more complex, more extraordinary. The physical form of the aggregation of people, a sign of identity (I exist because I remember). The town is the testimony of the generations which have preceded us. It is what we have been left, it is what we are.”

Seoul in South Korea has offered to host the third assembly in 2010. It is a sign of the times that this huge megalopolis on the other side of the world has joined the network. Another sign of the times is that, from one end of Italy to the other, inquisitive gourmets are searching out other festivities under the Cittaslow label and these are sprouting up like mushrooms after rain. ■

- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

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G E N E V A

•

V A U D

•

V A L A I S

•

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•

G S T A A D

YOUR RE SIDE NCE IN TOWN C

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T

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Your apartment or house in Geneva, Ouchy, Montreux or elsewhere

Contact us

+41(0)22 707 46 60

SPG FINEST PROPERTIES • Route de Frontenex 41 A • CH-1207 Geneva • T +4122 707 46 60 • F +4122 707 46 66 • info@spgfinestproperties.ch • www.spgfinestproperties.ch

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The countryside in the heart of the town

GE R M A N Y

Switzerland - Cologny (Geneva)

FRANCE

AU S T R I A

SWITZERLAND

Attractive property of more than 340 sq. m. situated in a green setting on a plot of 2,940 sq .m. with a swimming pool.

Cologny (GE)

I TA LY

This residence has a pleasant living area on 2 levels with 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and a warm and spacious living room with a fireplace in which to spend cosy winter evenings. On the mezzanine between the ground floor and first floor wine lovers can enjoy the coolness of the air-conditioned wine cellar and the games room especially designed for family fun.

Furthermore, the property has an ideal setting on a plot planted with trees, ensuring complete privacy.

Price upon request.

SPG Finest Properties Route de Frontenex 41a CH-1207 Geneva T +4122 707 4660 F +4122 707 4666 info@spgfinestproperties.ch www.spgfinestproperties.ch

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The art of refinement

GE R M A N Y

Switzerland - Trélex (Vaud)

F RAN CE

AU S T R I A

SWITZERLAND Trelex (VD)

I TA LY

Volume, space and light characterize this sumptuous detached house with perfect finishings.

Boasting a living area of about 500 sq. m., this pleasant, modern-style residence designed by the architect Michel Racheter features generous living rooms, laid out to enhance daily well-being : a wellness space, a terrace and an office space opening onto a delightful balcony. This magnificent property benefits from a lovely garden, a fine swimming pool – one of the largest on the lake shore – and a panoramic view of mont Blanc.

Price upon request.

SPG Finest Properties Route de Frontenex 41a CH-1207 Geneva T +4122 707 4660 F +4122 707 4666 info@spgfinestproperties.ch www.spgfinestproperties.ch

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Property pages Houses for sale

SALES

v é s e n a z ( G E ) : F O R S A L E Houses THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

ne d’é on ati ption m som sum con con ible ergy a f n , vie r e de lowe lité life, a u f q o ure lity ille ua Me her q g Hi

rgi

e

In a quiet residential area, superb new development 10 contemporary houses to be built for sale • Exceptional location • Modern architecture • Quiet and green setting • Direct access to Geneva • Between the countryside and the shores of the lake • High quality finishings NEW

Pre-sales opening soon B

Sign up !

UILD

Information : Residential Sales – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – vente@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

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- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

Have you fallen in love with a house ? – Tel. 022 849 61 40

08/10/2010 15:18:29

Property pages Houses for sale

SALES

G E N E V A A N D S U R R O U N D I N G A R E A S : F O R S A L E Houses THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

1. CHAMBESY – Pretty semi-detached house, overlooking Lake Geneva with land of more than 300 m2. Offers the enjoyment of a quiet environment and complete privacy. Needs some renovation work. 3 bedrooms + large attic room. Living area : 200 m2.

CHF 2,300,000.–

2. ONEX – 6-room semi-detached house situated in a quiet area close to Parc Brot. Opens onto a terrace and a very well-kept garden and has the following layout : fitted kitchen, dining room with fireplace, lounge, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, office, games room, laundry room, cellar and double garage. Floor space : approximately 230 m2. CHF 1,980,000.–

3. TROINEX – This attractive detached house of 340 m2 plus basement, is situated in a quiet residential area. The plot of approximately 1,200 m2 has a swimming pool and a pool house that comprises a shower, sauna and cloakroom. Lock-up garage for two cars.

CHF 3,490,000.–

4. THÔNEX – Superb relatively new house (2004) with 4 bedrooms and attractive living spaces with plenty of light. Studio apartment.

CHF 1,700,000.–

5.VERSOIX – This magnificent property is situated on a plot of approximately 1,400 m2. It is very spacious and is in a quiet and sought-after residential environment. Large workshop of 60 m2 that could be converted into a studio apartment. South facing.

Price on request.

6. HERMANCE – On a plot of land planted with trees, with swimming pool, attractive house with plenty of light, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, living room with fireplace opening onto a terrace. Laundry room, cellar, outdoor parking. Living area : approximately 190 m2.

CHF 2,600,000.–

Information : Residential Sales – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – vente@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

Contact us to finance it. – Tel. 022 849 61 32

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Property pages Houses and apartments for sale

Fi re pl ac e

a re ar side ea n tia l

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

In 1. THÔNEX – This beautiful 6-room apartment, which runs from the front to the back of the building, is situated on an upper floor and has a relaxing view of Salève mountain. It is light and spacious and is comprised of a kitchen, living room, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, 2 balconies, a lock-up garage and an indoor parking space. Living area : 133 m2. CHF 1,040,000.–

2. old town (GE) – Close to Parc des Bastions, this warm 3-room apartment is situated in a building with character close to shops and public transport. It has the following layout : entrance hall, spacious living room with plenty of light, bedroom, bathroom, toilet, separate fitted kitchen and cellar. CHF 1,270,000.–

3. COINTRIN – Pleasant semi-detached house built in a contemporary style. Spacious and light, it has 3/4 bedrooms and a self-contained studio apartment. Outdoor pool. Plot : approximately 600 m2.

Private sale. CHF 2,480,000.–

4. PETIT-LANCY – This 7-room duplex apartment is situated in a renovated house in a green setting. The ground floor has a fitted kitchen, lounge/living room and dining room. On the first floor there are 3 bedrooms with a bathroom. Living area : 174 m2. CHF 1,550,000.–

5. CHÊNE-BOURG – 5-room apartment running from the front to the back of the building in a very sought-after residential area. It has an entrance hall, fitted kitchen, living room with fireplace and access onto the balcony, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.There is an exceptional roof terrace of 100 m2, which really makes this apartment stand out. Living area : 118 m2.

CHF 1,690,000.–

6. old town (GE) – 3-room apartment situated in a building with character with the following layout : entrance hall, a spacious living room with plenty of light, bedroom, bathroom, toilet, a separate fitted kitchen and a cellar. Rented out until May 2011.

CHF 1,420,000.–

Fi re pl ac e

Fi re pl ac e

SALES

g e n e v a a n d s urrou n di n g a r e a : for sale Houses and apartments

Information : Residential Sales – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – vente@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

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Do you have a house to sell ? – Tel. 022 849 61 40

08/10/2010 15:19:16

Property pages Houses and apartments for sale

SALES

g e n e v a a n d s urrou n di n g a r e a : for sale Houses and apartments THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

location

no of rooms

prices

advantages

area

Apartments Thônex

6 rooms

CHF 1,040,000.– This apartment is situated on an upper floor and has a view of Salève mountain. It is light and spacious and has a kitchen, living room, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, 2 balconies, a lock-up garage and an indoor parking space.

133 m2

Petit-Lancy

7 rooms

CHF 1,550,000.– Green setting. Duplex in a renovated house. Fitted kitchen, lounge and dining room, 3 bedrooms, bathroom.

174 m2

Old Town

Studio apartment

CHF 695,000.– Light studio apartment, renovated in 2009, situated in a building with character in the heart of the old town. Open view.

Equipped with a washing machine, fridge and electric hob.

41 m2

Old Town

3 rooms

CHF 1,420,000.– Beautiful view, light and spacious living room, bedroom, bathroom, fitted kitchen and cellar.

66 m2

Versoix

7 rooms

CHF 3,690,000.– Lovely apartment in a prestigious building close to the lake, in a large parc, quiet environment. Exceptional terrace of 90 m2, 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

211 m2

Cologny

4 rooms

CHF 2,250,000.– Apartment running from the front to the back of a prestigious apartment building with swimming pool and jacuzzi.

Relaxing environment. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 balconies and a lock-up garage.

134 m2

Chêne-Bourg

5 rooms

CHF 1,690,000.– Apartment running from the front to the back of the building situated in a residential area. It has a lounge with fireplace, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, balcony, cellar and an outdoor parking space. Exceptional roof terrace of 100 m2.

118 m2

Onex

6 rooms

CHF 2,100,000.– Relaxing setting. Semi-detached house, large lounge/living room. Beautiful terrace and double garage.

230 m2

Versoix

4 rooms

Price on request In a green setting, very beautiful XXth century house. Renovated in 2008, close to the International School. Double lounge with fireplace, 4 bedrooms. Plot: more than 1 400 m2.

160 m2

Thônex

4 rooms

Price on request Delightful house on a corner with garden, terrace and studio apartment. House with plenty of light, close to the town centre and with conservatory of 25 m2, 4 bedrooms.

200 m2

houses

Information : Residential Sales – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – vente@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

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Property pages

©iStock

FINANCING AND INSURANCE

Financing and insurance

Call on our advisers !  To

finance your property

 To

renegociate your mortgage

 To

find a building loan

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insure you

Contact-us !

022 849 61 32

SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE SPG Financing and Insurance Department Route de Frontenex 41 A - 1207 Geneva Tel 022 849 61 32 - Fax 022 849 67 72 financement-assurances@spg.ch SPG- RYTZ Group

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- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch 21/04/2010 16:01:21

08/10/2010 15:19:25

MULTISOL

CHAPES SA PARQUETS SA REVÊTEMENTS SA

Entreprise générale de revêtement de sols

105, route des Jeunes - 1227 Carouge Tél : 022 884 00 20 - Fax : 022 884 00 21 - www.multisol.ch

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Property pages Apartments for sale

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

va Situ st at ga ed te in d a pa rc

sales

g e n e v a a n d s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a : f o r s a l e Apartments

2. old town (GE) – This delightful 41 m2 studio apartment with plenty of light, renovated in 2009, is situated in a building with character in the heart of the old town. It has an open view and is equipped with a washing machine, fridge and electric hob.

CHF 695,000.–

A op ttic en w vie ith w

1. VERSOIX – Very attractive duplex a short distance from the lake with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, spacious living room with a fireplace. A 90 m2 terrace planted with trees, loggia and balcony. The basement is converted with an air-conditioned wine cellar, cellar and a lock-up garage. Living area : 260 m2. CHF 3,690,000.–

4. PETIT-SACONNEX – Spacious 6-room apartment in an attractive building, in one of the sought-after districts of Geneva, close to international organisations and the town centre. Large lounge, 3 bedrooms. Area : 192 m2. Balcony : 21 m2.

Lock-up garage.

CHF 2,500,000.–

va Situ st at ga ed te in d a pa rc

3. CHAMPEL PARC RESIDENCE – Magnificent and spacious 7-room apartments to be built for sale. 199 m2 + 47 m2 of balconies, including one with a roof terrace of 157 m2. The proximity of shops, buses, parks and the city centre make this an ideal place to live.

From CHF 16,520.–/m2

5. MEINIER – Situated in a small rural property, this charming triplex is surrounded by greenery. It is close to buses, schools and shops.This 179 m2 of living space has a spacious lounge/dining room, 3 bedrooms, dressing room, 2 bathrooms, a 15 m2 balcony and a double lock-up garage.

CHF 1,550,000.–

6. VERSOIX –Elegant 4-room apartment situated on the ground floor, in the heart of a secure prestigious apartment building. It is in a quiet environment close to the lake and has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a fireplace, a hall that opens onto the living room and an open fitted kitchen. Living area : 137 m2.

CHF 2,250,000.–

Information : Residential Sales – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – vente@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

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14/10/2010 16:56:01

Property pages Apartments for sale

sales

g e n e v a a n d s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a : f o r s a l e Apartments

7. CHÊNE-BOURG – Attractive 6-room apartment in a fairly new residential building with open view, situated in a quiet environment, with services and school nearby. It is comprised of a hall, lounge/living room, bedroom with balcony, 4 bedrooms, kitchen, 2 bathrooms and large balcony.Available April 2011. CHF 1,490,000.–

8. COLOGNY – In a prestigious apartment building with swimming pool and jacuzzi, this 4-room apartment running from the front to the back of the building offers an ideal living environment due to its relaxing setting.

Living area : 134 m2.

CHF 2,250,000.–

Ex ce pt io na l

M ag tr nif ip ice le n x t

In

a re ar side ea n tia l

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

9. GENeVA - left bank – This superb 10-room duplex apartment running from the front to the back of the building, is situated close to public transport, services and the Bertrand park. It has a panoramic view of the city.The rooms are light and open onto large terraces and a balcony. Living area : approximately 300 m2. CHF 5,800,000.–

10. COLLONGE-BELLERIVE – Triplex apartment running from the front to the back of the building with a garden of 100 m2 and a view of Mont Blanc, in a quiet setting. Situated close to amenities, it has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Living area : approximately 300 m2.

CHF 2,700,000.–

NO T I C E T O O W NERS

11. GENeva - Right bank – Spacious 6-room apartment situated in one of the most sought-after areas of Geneva. It stands out due to its generous volumes, its well-kept finishings and its abundant amount of light.

It has 2 entrances, a spacious lounge/dining room, 3 bedrooms, dressing room, 2 bathrooms and a lock-up garage. Close to U.N. and embassies.

CHF 2,500,000.–

For our exclusive clients we are seeking in Geneva on the left bank : DETACHED HOUSE, LAND AND APARTMENT FOR SALE. Quick sale and discretion guaranteed.

Contact us on 022 849 61 40.

Information : Residential Sales – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Frontenex 41 A – 1207 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 40 – vente@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

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Property pages Buildings for sale

sales

g e n e v a a n d s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a : f o r s a l e Buildings

2. city centre (GE) – 66 m2 air-conditioned shop fully renovated in 2009 with equipped kitchenette. Available immediately. Any type of business possible except for a restaurant. Private sale and under commonhold.Theoretical gross return : 5.78 %. Sale to foreigners authorised.

CHF 970,000.–

To w n

ho us e

© iStock

1. PETIT-LANCY – Attractive property dated 1920 fully renovated in 2009 with a gross surface area of 165 m2 on 3 levels, with rented restaurant on the ground floor and 2 apartments (3 rooms + studio apartment) on the upper floors.Apartments available shortly and possible hand over of the restaurant.

Gross return : 5.39 %. CHF 1,370,000.–

Fo bu r s sin ma es ll s

Id or eal in for ve u st se or r

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

Non-contractual photo

3. CAROUGE – In a commercial and small business building dated 1990, commonhold area of 1 336 m2 on 2 levels. Ground floor (745 m2) + 1st floor (590 m2) with lift and goods lift. Small business obligatory. 3 indoor parking spaces + a warehouse. Free from lease. Private sale and under commonhold.

Mortgage note available. Theoretical gross return : 7.38 %.

CHF 3,250,000.–

4. GENeva – At the crossroads of the Tranchées, Bastions and Russian Church districts, this XIXth century town house, fully renovated and in excellent condition, has a converted basement, ground floor, 2 upper floors and an attic. It has high ceilings, wooden floor and mouldings : charm and character guaranteed ! Sold free of occupants.

Confidential private sale. Price on request.

Information : Bulding Sales – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 65 54/51 – immeubles@spg.ch – www.spgimmeubles.ch – www.spg.ch

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The panorama of property – www.immorama.ch

15/10/2010 09:34:29

Property pages

ew Visit our n website at s.ch meuble www.spgim

The Building Sales department offers : SALES, CONSULTING, VALUATION ANd prOSpECTING As part of these activities, we offer

Building sales

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Building sales

As part of these activities, we offerall private or professional building owners the following services :  Portfolio

valuation  Strategic analysis  Determining current values  Drawing up scenarios  Consulting

Contact us on 022 849 65 54/51 Information provided without obligation

Société Privée de Gérance Building Sales Route de Chêne 36 - 1208 Geneva Tel 022 849 61 54/51 - Fax 022 849 61 04 immeubles@spg.ch - www.spgimmeubles.ch Groupe SPG- RYTZ

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch Autopub ventes d'immeubles_1_n°27_ang.indd 1

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Property pages Buildings for sale

SALES

G E N E VA A N D S U R R O U N D I N G A R E A : F O R S A L E Buildings THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

DO YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR BUILDING ?

We can introduce you to some serious investors.

Are you planning to buy a shop or more spacious offices ?

We are your contact throughout French-speaking Switzerland.

Contact us on 022 849 65 54 /51 immeubles@spg.ch | www.spgimmeubles.ch

5. CITY CENTRE (GE) – Left bank, close to the city centre, on the ground floor of a mixed-use commonhold property dated 1992, 4 lots of rented shops and offices for sale from 64 m2 to 287 m2 + warehouses with a gross return of 4.92 % to 6.63 %.

Lots from CHF 485,000.–

6. CAROUGE – Under commonhold, 415 m2 of offices and 7 parking spaces in an industrial and small business zone. 100 % administrative business welcome.Very good general condition: air-conditioning, conference rooms, reception, lift, etc. Free from lease and available quickly. Theoretical gross return: 7.89 %. Sale to foreigners authorised.

CHF 1,990,000.–

Building Sales SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Route de Chêne 36 - 1208 Geneva immeubles@spg.ch Groupe SPG-RYTZ

7. LAUSANNE – Mixed-use building built in 1575 and renovated in 1988 comprised of 260 m2 of shops and 7 apartments of a total area of 390 m2.

Ideal location in a pedestrian zone close to place de la Riponne and the M2 underground. Gross return : 4.64 % with high potential for improvement.

CHF 5,175,000.–

Information : Bulding Sales – SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 65 54/51 – immeubles@spg.ch – www.spgimmeubles.ch – www.spg.ch

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15/10/2010 09:34:55

Property pages Apartment for rent

rentals

G e n e v a - T u l i p i e r s : f o r r e n t Apartment THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

Magnificent attic apartment of approximately 180 m2 Terraces of approximately 160 m2 with views of the Jura, the Lake Geneva fountain, Mont Blanc and Salève mountain • Direct lift • Entrance hall with light shaft • Large lounge/dining room with wooden floor • Fully fitted kitchen with dining area • Master bedroom with cupboards and access to the bathroom/shower • Bedroom with wardrobes and ensuite bathroom • Halls with shelves and cupboards • Bedroom/office with wardrobes • Toilet Available immediately. Rent on request.

Information : Residential rentals – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – locresid@spg.ch – www.spgfinestproperties.ch

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

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Property pages Apartments and houses for rent

to

N G O s

Pa no ra m ic vie w

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

C lo se

RENTALS

g e n e v a a n d s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a : f o r r e n t Apartments and houses

2. MATUTINA-PARC – Spacious 11-room attic apartment of 350 m2.

Attractive living room linked to a 2nd living room with fireplace, large dining room, fitted kitchen with eating area, 5 bedrooms, TV room and office, 4 bathrooms/shower rooms, hall and toilet. Beautiful terraces and balcony. 2 lock-up garages in the basement. Available immediately. Rent on request.

Fa m ily

3. GENTHOD – In a large town house, garden level/duplex 5.5-room fully renovated apartment with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms/shower rooms, open fitted kitchen, attractive living room with fireplace and terrace and garden access, 2 halls with fireplace. Garage and 2 outdoor parking spaces. Large cellar. Available immediately. Rent on request.

4. THÔNEX – Large 7-room detached house of approximately 275 m² with fenced garden of approximately 627 m², 4 bedrooms, modern fully fitted kitchen, living room/dining room, 2 bathrooms and a shower room.

Converted basement with sauna and wine cellar. Garage and 2 outdoor parking spaces. Available immediately. Rent on request.

Sp ac io us

Re sid en ce

Vi ew

of th e

ho m e

lak e

1. PETIT-SACONNEX – Elegant 9-room apartment running from the front to the back of the building of approximately 200 m2 situated on the 5th floor with an entrance hall, 3 reception rooms with balconies, 3 bedrooms with balconies, a dining room with cloakroom and toilet, a new fitted kitchen, a trades-men’s entrance, 2 bathrooms and a dressing room. Rent on request.

5.Grand-saconnex – Large 8.5-room semi-detached house of approximately 250 m² with garden of approximately 180 m², 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms/shower rooms, fully fitted kitchen, dining room/living room with fireplace, sauna and jacuzzi. Converted basement with games room, cellar, laundry room and shower room. Garage and outdoor parking space. Available immediately.

Rent on request.

6. COLOGNY – Pretty 7-room adjoining house on 3 levels of approximately 250 m² with terrace and small garden, 4 bedrooms, modern fully fitted kitchen, veranda, living room/dining room, balcony, 3 bathrooms/shower rooms.

Converted basement. Double garage. Available immediately.

Rent on request.

Information: Residential rentals – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – locresid@spg.ch – www.spgfinestproperties.ch

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Have you fallen in love with a house ? – Tel. 022 849 61 40

11/10/2010 11:24:39

Property pages House for rent

rentals

C O l l o n g e - b e l l e r i v e ( GE ) : f o r r e n t House THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

Spacious house situated close to the lake and 15 minutes from the centre of Geneva Authentic charm • House of 300 m2 on 2 levels + basement.

• Ground floor: living room with fireplace opening onto the dining room with access to a fully enclosed garden of 2,400 m2, fitted kitchen, bedroom with shower room and office.

• First floor : 3 shower rooms, 4 bedrooms including master bedroom with bathroom, dressing room and balcony. This house can be rented furnished.

Availability : to be agreed. Rent on request

Information: Residential rentals – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – locresid@spg.ch – www.spgfinestproperties.ch

You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

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Property pages House for rent

RENTALS

V é s e n a z ( G E ) : f o r r e n t House THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

2,800 m2 of land with swimming pool and 11-room property of 500 m2 Magnificent panorama with superb view of the lake This house has a living room with fireplace, dining room, kitchen, veranda and toilet.

The sleeping quarters have a master bedroom with bathroom and dressing room, 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms/shower rooms. A self-contained studio apartment completes this living area. There is a converted basement with laundry room, large and small cellar, wine cellar, games room, shower room and toilet.

Available from 1st December 2010. Rent on request.

Information : Residential rentals – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – locresid@spg.ch – www.spgfinestproperties.ch

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Have you fallen in love with this house ? – Tel. 022 849 61 50

14/10/2010 14:46:28

Property pages House for rent

RENTALS

C o l o g n y ( g e ) : f o r r e n t House

La ke

vie w

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

Lovely 11.5-room semi-detached house of approximately 450 m² Exceptional view of the lake The garden level includes a large hall, fitted kitchen (direct access to the terrace), a veranda with a view of the lake, a lounge with library and fireplace. On the 1st floor there are 3 bedrooms, a master bedroom, 2 bathrooms/shower rooms. On the 2nd floor there are 2 bedrooms with box rooms, 2 bathrooms and separate toilets. Above this there is a loft. The lower ground floor has 2 rooms, a shower room, a boiler room, cellar and equipped laundry room. Lock-up garage.

Outhouses. Garden of approximately 800 m2.

Available immediately. Rent on request.

Information : Residential rentals – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 61 50 – locresid@spg.ch – www.spgfinestproperties.ch

Subscribe to our Newsletters : publications@spg.ch

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Property pages

RENTALS

Parking area for rent

Your personal parking space for the price of a parking fine !*

AVA I L A B L E R E G I O N S : Geneva (city centre, left bank and right bank) / Eaux-Vives / Malagnou Grange-Canal / Chêne-Bourg / Chêne-Bougeries / Thônex / Puplinge Vandœuvres / Veyrier / Vessy / Carouge / Plan-les-Ouates / Meyrin Saint-Jean / Charmilles / Sécheron / Montbrillant / Grand-Pré / Versoix Châtelaine / Vernier / Petit-Saconnex / Grand-Saconnex / Le Bouchet Plainpalais / Vésenaz / Bernex / Perly / Satigny / Le Lignon / Grand-Lancy Petit-Lancy / Avully / Onex / Meinier / Corsier / Cologny. * Monthly rent from CHF 50.–

Open continuously from 8:30 to 16:30

SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE Rentals Service Route de Chêne 36 - 1208 Geneva Tél 022 707 46 46 - Fax 022 849 61 07 location@spg.ch - www.spg.ch SPG-RYTZ Group

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Subscribe to our Newsletters : publications@spg.ch

07/10/2010 15:13:28

08/10/2010 15:28:05

Property pages Commercial premises

RENTALS

G E N E V A A N D S U R R O U N D I N G A R E A : F O R R E N T Commercial premises THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

1. INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS – Fully equipped luxury offices of 120 m² to 150 m². Ideal for watchmaking company.

CHF 500.– /m²

2. EUROPE 11 – Very attractive area of 119 m². Open plan, conference room. Ultra-modern finishings. Plenty of light, running from the front to the back of the building.

CHF 420.– /m2

3. plainpalais – Very attractive shop situated a few metres from rue de Carouge and tram no. 12. Approximately 80 m², double glazing and attractive finishings. Available immediately.

CHF 435.– m²/an

4.vernier AIrport – Panoramic attic offices in a brand new shopping centre in Vernier. 5,000 m² ultra modern.Available from 800 m². Raw finishings.

CHF 390.– m2/an.

Information : Commercial Rentals Société Privée de Gérance – Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 62 00 – locom@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

Do you have offices to let ? – Tel. 022 849 62 00

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Property pages Commercial premises for rent

G E N E V A A N D S U R R O U N D I N G A R E A : F O R R E N T Commercial premises

RENTALS

business for high technology and innovation RedefiningRedefining business space for space high technology and innovation Redefining business space for high technology and innovation Redefining business space for high technology and innovation

Redefining business space for high technology and innovation

charmilles new tech center charmilles newnew tech center charmilles tech center charmilles newcenter tech center charmilles new tech Rue deLyon 105 111 1203 Gen eva Rue de à to 111 —— 1203 Genève Rue de Lyon 105 àLyon 111105 — 1203 Genève Rue de Lyon 105 à 111 — 1203 Genève Rue de Lyon 105 à 111 — 1203 Genève – – – –

Areas Surfaces Surfaces 2 –– surfaces disponibles 154m m2 6857 m2 m2 available areas from 154 m2 toà 6857 surfaces disponibles de 154 m2 àde 6857 Surfaces 2 2 ou 2000 m 2 possibilité disposer plateaux de 1000 possibilité de disposer de 1000 2000 ––– surfaces disponibles 154 m2oou àr 2000 6857 mm 1000 m2 option to rentplateaux floorsdeofde 2 ––dès 340.-prix dès 340.-/ m 2 / m2 prix /m –disponibles possibilité de340.-surfaces de 154 m2 àdisposer 6857 m 2de plateaux de 1000 ou 2000 m 2 price from disponibilité :: automne disponibilité : availability automne 2010 –––de disposer prix dèsplateaux 340.-/m possibilité de de2 10002010 ou 2000 m 2 October – prix dès 340.-/ m 2disponibilité : automne 2010 disponibilité : automne 2010

– – – – – – – – –

Domaines Domaines d’activités Fields of d’activités activities Domaines d’activités – électronique électronique – Domaines –d’activitéselectronics mécatronique mécatronique – ––– électronique mechatronics médical médical – –– mécatronique électronique – – medical arts graphiques arts – –– graphiques médical mécatronique – – graphics agro-alimentaire – –– arts graphiques médicalagro-alimentaire – – agrifoo d stuffs technologies de l’information technologies de l’information – –– agro-alimentaire arts graphiques – – information technologies construction de l’information construction – –– technologies agro-alimentaire – – construction pharma et chimie pharma chimie –– deetl’information construction technologies – – pharma ceuticals and chemistry horlogerie horlogerie –– pharma et chimie construction – – watchma� king – chimie horlogerie pharma et horlogerie

Surfaces

– – – –

– – – – – – – – –

Spécifications techniques Spécifications techniquesspecifications Technical Spécifications techniques – – techniques contrôle contrôle d’accès Spécifications accessd’accès control ascenceurs et monte-charges ascenceurs et monte-charges –– – contrôle d’accès lifts and goods lifts – faux plancher technique faux plancher technique – ascenceurs et monte-charges contrôle d’accès – technical false floor air rafraîchi air––rafraîchi faux plancher technique ascenceurs et monte-charges – cooled air fibre optique fibre –– optique air rafraîchi faux plancher technique – fibre optics tuneloptique accès camion tunel camion –– accès fibre air rafraîchi – truc� k�access tunnel dépots en sous-sol dépots en sous-sol –– tunel accès camion fibre optique – warehouses in the basement – camiondépots en sous-sol tunel accès dépots en sous-sol

Commercialisation Commercialisation Rentals Commercialisation Commercialisation SOCIÉTÉ DE GÉRANCE SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE PRIVÉE GÉRANCE

+41 849 6262 0000 +41 22 849 62 002222 SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE +41 849 Locations PRIVÉE commerciales +4104 22(fax) 849 62 67 00 04 (fax) Locations commerciales +41 22 849 +41 67 SOCIÉTÉ DE GÉRANCE 22 849 Commercial rentals +41 22 849 67 04 (fax) Route Chêne 36 locom@spg.ch Route de Chêne 36de commerciales Locations 22 849 67 04 (fax) SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE +41 22 locom@spg.ch 849 62 00 +41 Route de Chêne 36 locom@spg.ch 1208 Genève www.spg.ch 1208 Genève Route de Chêne 36 locom@spg.ch Locations commerciales +41 22 www.spg.ch 849 67 04 (fax) 1208 Geneva www.spg.ch www.spg.ch Route de Chêne 361208 Genève locom@spg.ch 1208 Genève www.spg.ch

Gérance Gérance � a nagement M� Gérance Gérance SOCIÉTÉ DE GÉRANCE SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE PRIVÉE GÉRANCE

+416022 849 62 60 +41 22 849 62 SOCIÉTÉ GÉRANCE +41 22 849 Shopping & PRIVÉE Business Centers +41 22(fax) 849 6762 6160 (fax) Shopping & SOCIÉTÉ Business Centers +41 22 849 +41 67 61 PRIVÉE DEDE GÉRANCE 22 849 62 60 Shopping & Business Centers +41 22 sbcenters@spg.ch +41 (fax) Route Chêne 36 Centers sbcenters@spg.ch Route de Chêne 36de & Shopping Business 22 22 849849 67 67 61 61 (fax) SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE 849 62 60 +41 Route Chêne sbcenters@spg.ch 1208 Genève www.spg.ch 1208 Genève Route dede Chêne 3636 sbcenters@spg.ch Shopping & Business Centers +41 22 www.spg.ch 849 67 61 (fax) Geneva 1208 www.spg.ch Genève Route de Chêne 361208 sbcenters@spg.ch www.spg.ch 1208 Genève www.spg.ch

Information immobiliere.indd 1

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10.08.09 15:13

Are you looking for new premises ? – Tel. 022 849 62 00

08/10/2010 15:31:00

Property pages Commercial premises for rent

RENTALS

G E N E V A A N D S U R R O U N D I N G A R E A : F O R R E N T Commercial premises THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

5. UNITED NATIONS – Close to the airport and the Geneva-Lausanne motorway, renovated offices, only 340 m2, 700 m2 or 1,000 m² remaining.

Large car park in the basement.

CHF 470.– /m2

6. RUE DE LYON - CHARMILLES – Very attractive offices of approximately 270 m² close to the city centre and airport in a modern building. Fully equipped. Available immediately. Short-term let possible.

CHF 462.– /m2

7. ACACIAS – Very attractive area of approximately 165 m² in the raised part of a building. Space with a designer look, understated, uncluttered, with plenty of light and running from the front to the back of the building.

Parking spaces available.

CHF 340.– m2/year

8. Chêne-bougeries – In a renovated and busy shopping centre in the middle of a prestigious area, shop of approximately 72 m².

CHF 360.– /m2

Information : Commercial Rentals Société Privée de Gérance – Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 62 00 – locom@spg.ch – www.spg.ch

Are you looking for offices in the city centre ? – Tel. 022 849 62 00

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Property pages Commercial premises for rent

RENTALS

G E N E V A A N D S U R R O U N D I N G A R E A : F O R R E N T Commercial premises outstanding, daring, ecological

brillant, audacieux, écologique 8,500 mécologique to let \ available by floor of 980 m nt, audacieux, 2

2

The Stm² Georges \ 16, bdpar Saint-Georges in Geneva 8500 à louerCenter \ disponible plateau de 980 m² ² à louer \ disponible par plateau de 980 m² In the heart of the international metropolis \ Ideal for the headquarters of a

Le St Georges Center \ 16, bd Saint-Georges à Genève eorges Center \ 16, Saint-Georges à aGenève largebd company \ A building with strong personality in a lively area \ Good

nt, audacieux, écologique

location bank (close to city centre\ and \ Exceptional Au cœurondethelaleft métropole internationale Idéalmajor pourroads) le siège d’une grande de la métropole internationale \ Idéal pour le siège d’une grande ® design (architects Sauerbruch Hutton, Berlin) \ dans MINERGIE ecological \ société \ Un immeuble à forte personnalité un quartier vivantlabel \ Belle Un immeuble à forte personnalité dans un quartier vivant \ Belle 2 a private et cardes parkaxes withde 50communication) spaces \ Free floorsrive of 980 m , basement situation gauche (près du and centre-ville ²ve à louer \ disponible par plateau de 980 m² gauche (près du centre-ville et des axes de communication) the tenant's specifications \Fittings Designtoexceptionnel (architectes Sauerbruch Hutton, Berlin) \ Label xceptionnel (architectes Sauerbruch Hutton, à Berlin) \ Label eorges Center \ 16, bd Saint-Georges Genève ® écologique MINERGIE \ Plateaux libres de 980 m², sous-sol et un parking www.st-gc.com e MINERGIE ® \ Plateaux libres de 980 m², sous-sol et un parking privé de 50\places \ Aménagements au gré du preneur de la métropole internationale Idéal pour le siège d’une grande 0 places \ Aménagements au gré du preneur Un immeuble à forte personnalité dans un quartier vivant \ Belle

www.st-gc.com st-gc.com ve gauche (près du centre-ville et des axes de communication)

xceptionnel (architectes Sauerbruch Hutton, Berlin) \ Label Completion Livraison étésummer 2012 2012 2012 ® etéMINERGIE \ Plateaux libres de 980 m², sous-sol et un parking SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE SOCIÉTÉ PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE GÉRANCE Route de - 1208 Genève 0PRIVÉE places \DE Aménagements auChêne gré du36 preneur Route de Chêne 36 - 1208 Geneva Chêne 36 - 1208 Genève www.spg.ch www.spg.ch ch Ê st-gc.com Pilotage: Developer

té 2012

e-mail: asset@spg.ch email: asset@spg.ch PRIVÉE DE GÉRANCE et@spg.ch tt. +41 849.64.00 +41 22 22 849.64.00 Chêne 36 - 1208 Genève 849.64.00 ff. +41 22 849.61.00 +41 22 849.61.00 ch 849.61.00

alisation:

Letting agents Commercialisation:

e-mail:francois.delaite@spg.ch francois.delaite@spg.ch et@spg.ch cois.delaite@spg.chtemail: +41 22 849.62.26 t. +41 22 849.62.26 849.64.00 849.62.26 ff. +41 22 849.67.04 +41 22 849.67.04 849.61.00 849.67.04

alisation:

MINERGIE®

cois.delaite@spg.ch 849.62.26 94 849.67.04

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You can find all our offers at www.spg.ch

08/10/2010 15:31:19

Property pages Commercial premises for rent

RENTALS

G E N E VA : F O R R E N T Commercial premises

GENEVA | Les pléaides

FOR RENT | Divisible office space

Total area of 3,600 sq.m. t hat can be divided up into areas of 723 sq.m. upwards • Green sett ing • In t he heart of Geneva on t he Champel plateau • Adequate parking INFORMATION :

Are you looking for new premises ? – Tel. 022 707 46 00

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Property pages Commercial premises for rent

RENTALS

G E N E VA : F O R R E N T Commercial premises

GENEVA | Opposite to Geneva airport

FOR RENT | Prest igious administrat ive buildings

Prest igious, independent office building to be built Area of 2,400 sq.m. fitted-out according to t he tenant’s specificat ions.

Complet ion : Summer 2012 INFORMATION :

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08/10/2010 15:31:30

Property pages Commercial premises for rent

RENTALS

G E N E VA A N D S U R R O U N D I N G A R E A : F O R R E N T Commercial premises

ARCENTER | Geneva

FOR RENT | Office space above a new shopping centre

Offices : 8,400 sq.m. on 3 levels, can be divided into areas of 500 sq.m. and more 210 parking spaces, including 75 spaces reserved for the shopping centre Availability : January 2012 (construct ion in progress) INFORMATION :

Are you looking for new premises ? – Tel. 022 707 46 00

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Property pages Commercial premises for rent

RENTALS

MORGES : FOR RENT Commercial premises

LAKE GENEVA PARK | Morges FOR RENT | Divisible office space

Administrat ive offices from 380 to 11,800 sq.m.

Business centre comprised of t hree connected buildings Opt imum locat ion and access www.lakegenevapark.com INFORMATION :

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Do you have offices to rent ? – Tel. 022 707 46 00

15/10/2010 10:56:30

Property pages Commercial premises for rent

RENTALS

YVerdON : FOR RENT Commercial premises

YVETECH | Yverdon-les-Bains

FOR RENT | High-tech industrial site

3,688 sq.m. of offices, laboratories and logist ics premises Available immediately Parking spaces available 3,000 sq.m. of land available for a new bulding of 3’500 sq.m.

INFORMATION :

Are you interested in 300 m 2 of offices ? – Tel. 022 707 46 00

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Property pages Houses and properties for sale

of th Go e o lak d e vie an w dA lp s

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

Ex ce pt io na l

SALES

V a u d : F O R S A L E Houses and properties

1. ARZIER – Magnificent house of 9 rooms + kitchen built in 1987 on a plot of approximately 1,200 m2. It is in an ideal location in the south-east of the village of Arzier. It has a great view of Lake Geneva and the Alps in a quiet setting.The property is complemented by a magnificent garden planted with many trees. Garage for 2 cars. CHF 1,990,000.–

2. BELLEVUE – Beautiful detached house built in 1926, fully renovated in 2001 on a very attractive plot of approximately 1,800 m2 with a view of the lake and Alps. Close to Geneva.

CHF 3,200,000.–

3. BEGNINS – Exceptional location for this detached house on a plot of approximately 5,170 m2 surrounded by vines with a panoramic view of the lake and Alps. Possible to extend by up to approximately 200 m2.

CHF 3,500,000.–

4. LE VAUD – This charming detached house of 4 rooms + kitchen built in 1975 is situated in a quiet area in the west of the village, close to the bus stop. It has a very large garden harmoniously planted with trees. Attractive plot of 1,740 m2 fully enclosed by a fence. Extension possible.

CHF 1,200,000.–

5. DUILLIER – Magnificent chalet on a plot of approximately 1,000 m2. Close to the centre of the village. Quiet location, without disturbances, close to amenities and public transport, 5 minutes from Nyon. Open view in a green setting and gets plenty of sunshine.

CHF 1,470,000.–

6. CHAVANNES-DES-BOIS – Quality construction and choice of finishings on an attractive plot of 660 m2. Floor space of 220 m2. Very quiet environment. Close to main access routes. Heating by heat pump and solar sensors.

Completion summer 2011.

CHF 1,760,000.–

Information : RYTZ & CIE S.A. Avenue Alfred-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

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You can find all our offers at www.rytz.ch

14/10/2010 14:58:22

Property pages Houses for sale

SALES

a r z i e r ( V d ) : F O R S A L E Houses

la Vie ke w an of d th A e lp s

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

Spacious contemporary detached houses to be built In a prime location with first-rate finishings • Possibility of an area of approximately 350 m2 to 485 m2 • 5 to 7 ensuite bedrooms • Vast living room (with fireplace) and very well-equipped kitchen • Large terrace (deck type) • Garage, option of a swimming pool, heat pump and solar panels • Many opportunities to personalise the layout • Quiet environment in a high-quality complex • Modern architecture • Train station (Nyon – St-Cergue), shops, school and Genolier clinic nearby

Price on request.

Information : RYTZ & CIE S.A. Avenue Alfred-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

Are you looking for a house to buy ? – Tel. 022 36 36 010

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Property pages Properties for sale

SALES

v a u d : F O R S A L E Properties THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

of Pa th no e ra lak m e ic v an ie dA w lp s

1. GILLY – Winegrower’s estate dated 1780 renovated with character.

The south and north of this property are surrounded by terraces and gardens and there is a storage hangar/shelter and 4 parking spaces. The last renovation carried out in 2002 has conserved the style of the period while bringing character and high quality finishings. Floor space : approximately 485 m2 . Quiet and sunny location.

Price on request.

2. LUTRY – High-quality apartment building under construction. The building is comprised of 2 apartments : one with 3 rooms + kitchen of approximately 117 m2 and one with 8 rooms + kitchen of approximately 452 m2. With terrace, balconies, indoor parking spaces, secure gate, large cellar, lift and perimeter overflow pool. Completion end 2010.

Price on request.

Information : RYTZ & CIE S.A. Avenue Alfred-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

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Do you want to sell your house ? – Tel. 022 36 36 010

08/10/2010 15:36:50

RYTZ

DEVELOPMENT · SALES · RENTALS · PPE (COMMONHOLD) · MANAGEMENT

YOUR PROPERTY IN FRENCH-SPEAKING SWITZERLAND

RYTZ & Cie S.A. is the leading property company on the Vaud coast between Geneva and Lausanne and is a subsidiary of the SPG Group, providing its clients with expertise in rental management, brokering, valuation and property developments. It was established in 1947 and has all types of properties in its portfolio : houses, apartments, PPE (commonhold), parking spaces, plots of land and luxury properties. ISO 9001 certified, it offers a high quality, efficient and local service. As part of the SPG Group, which is solidly established in Switzerland, RYTZ & Cie S.A. can provide its customers with a network of skills and multi-service know-how.

RYTZ & CIE S.A. Avenue Alfred-Cortot, 7 1260 Nyon Tel. : +41 22 363 60 00 Fax : +41 22 363 60 20 E-mail : info@rytz.com www.rytz.com

SPG GROUP, A NETWORK OF EXPERTISE FOR COMPREHENSIVE PROPERTY ADVICE

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Property pages Apartments for sale

SALES

v a u d : F O R S A L E Apartments THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

2. FOUNEX – Luxury duplex attic apartment of 5.5 rooms + kitchen in a prestigious building. Close to the village centre and away from all disturbances.

Every detail of the equipment and materials has been selected in order to give this property superb architectural harmony.

CHF 1,890,000.–

3. NYON – Apartment of 3.5 rooms + kitchen with balcony and outdoor parking space. Situated in the centre of Nyon, close to the train station, schools and shops.

CHF 590,000.–

4. FOUNEX – This spacious duplex apartment of 5.5 rooms + kitchen in the loft and roof-space gallery is situated in the centre of the village. Commonhold area of approximately 222 m2 + balcony of 30 m2, fireplace, cellar, wine cellar, gym and carnotzet cellar. Completion autumn/winter 2011.

CHF 2,048,000.–

N ew

N ew

1. CHAVANNES-DES-BOIS – Apartment of 3.5 rooms + kitchen with floor space of approximately 98 m2, situated on the 1st floor of a village house under commonhold of 7 apartments, in a quiet and sunny green area. Communal garden available, one indoor parking space and one outdoor parking space.

CHF 820,000.–

5. FOUNEX – This sumptuous duplex apartment of 5.5 rooms + kitchen in the loft and roof-space gallery is situated in the centre of the village. Commonhold area of approximately 225 m2 + balcony of 30 m2, fireplace, cellar, wine cellar, gym and carnotzet cellar. Completion autumn/winter 2011.

CHF 2,024,000.–

6. GLAND – Splendid duplex of 4.5 rooms + kitchen situated at Domaine Impérial. Living area of approximately 140 m2 including entrance hall, lounge with fireplace, 3 bedrooms, 3 bath or shower rooms, balcony, cellar and attic.

2 indoor parking spaces. Quiet location planted with many trees. Shops, golf course and public transport nearby.

CHF 1,380,000.–

Information : RYTZ & CIE S.A. Avenue Alfred-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

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Do you want to sell your house ? – Tel. 022 36 36 010

08/10/2010 15:43:06

Property pages Apartments for sale

SALES

v a u d : F O R S A L E Apartments

N ew

THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

1. FOUNEX – In the centre of the village, a splendid new apartment of 2.5 rooms + kitchen. Commonhold area of approximately 80 m2 + 2 balconies, cellar, air-conditioned wine cellar, gym and carnotzet cellar. Completion autumn-winter 2011.

CHF 753,000.– + garage

2. CHAVANNES-DES-BOIS – Magnificent apartment of 4.5 rooms + kitchen on garden level. Living area of approximately 140 m2 + insulated and heated basement of 37 m2. Lovely garden of approximately 700 m2 with pergola. 2 indoor parking spaces and one outdoor parking space.

CHF 1,480,000.–

3. COPPET – Prestigious attic with plenty of light, 5 rooms + kitchen, situated in the Domaine des Perrières residential complex, in the north-east of the village of Coppet.This attic is in an excellent location (quiet and wooded), close to the lake. Living area of 200 m2 + terrace of 200 m2.

CHF 2,950,000.–

4. AUBONNE – Sumptuous duplex attic of 4.5 rooms + kitchen situated in a building with character, in the heart of the old quarter with a view of the lake and Alps. Its generous volumes, high ceilings and pleasant amount of light give the whole property warmth and character.

CHF 1,550,000.–

5. CRASSIER – This sumptuous duplex is comprised of 5 rooms + converted loft with private access by lift. This apartment has the character of visible beams, large volumes and wooden floors, all with high quality finishings. It has 4 indoor parking spaces.

CHF 1,790,000.–

6.ARNEX – Luxurious apartment under construction of 5.5 rooms + kitchen of 240 m2 under commonhold with large private garden of approximately 600 m2 + garages. Benefits from a maximum amount of sunshine. High-quality construction and finishings. In a unique green and quiet setting. Completion spring 2011.

CHF 2,275,000.–

Information : RYTZ & CIE S.A. Avenue Alfred-Cortot 7 – 1260 Nyon – Tel. 022 36 36 010 – vente@rytz.com – www.rytz.com

You can find all our offers at www.rytz.ch

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Property pages Houses for sale

SALES

f r e n c h b o r d e r a r e a : F O r s a l e Houses CES OBJETS CONSTITUENT THESE PROPERTIES UNE SÉLECTION ARE A SELECTION DE NOTRE FROM PORTEFEUILLE. OUR PORTFOLIO. CONSULTEZ-NOUS CONTACT US FOR POUR AN UNE EXHAUSTIVE PRÉSENTATION LIST EXHAUSTIVE.

1. VÉTRAZ-MONTHOUX – Attractive detached house on one level with basement. It has a fitted kitchen, a lounge/dining room with fireplace, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a basement with a self-contained apartment, a garage for 2 cars and cellars. Enclosed land planted with trees of 967 m².

Viewing essential.

Euros 495,000.–

2. ANTHY-SUR-LÉMAN – Pretty house on 2 levels + basement. It is comprised of a fitted kitchen, one lounge, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.

Garages. Enclosed land planted with trees of 1,600 m2 with swimming pool, quiet guaranteed, not overlooked.

Euros 580,000.–

Information : IFA 3, place Porte de France (50 m from the Moillesulaz border crossing point) – FR - 74240 Gaillard Tel. +33 (0) 450 87 05 80 – Fax +33 (0) 450 87 08 23 – ifa@wanadoo.fr – www.agence-ifa.fr

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Are you looking for a house in neighbouring France ? – Tel. +33 (0) 450 87 05 80

14/10/2010 15:09:19

Property pages Houses for sale

U sa nde le r s a pr gr ov ee isi m on en al t

CES OBJETS CONSTITUENT THESE PROPERTIES UNE SÉLECTION ARE A SELECTION DE NOTRE FROM PORTEFEUILLE. OUR PORTFOLIO. CONSULTEZ-NOUS CONTACT US FOR POUR AN UNE EXHAUSTIVE PRÉSENTATION LIST EXHAUSTIVE.

SALES

f r e n c h b o r d e r a r e a : F O r s a l e Houses

3. VÉTRAZ-MONTHOUX – Lovely location for this detached house with a fitted kitchen opening onto a lounge dining room, 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, basement, garage for 2 cars, plot of 1,335 m². Open view.

Viewing essential !

Euros 450,000.–

4. GAILLARD – Attractive renovated property on 3 levels + basement. It has 1 kitchen that opens onto the dining room, 1 lounge, 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. 2 garages. Plot of 1,200 m2 sunny and quiet. Viewing essential.

Euros 850,000.–

Information : IFA 3, place Porte de France (50 m from the Moillesulaz border crossing point) – FR - 74240 Gaillard Tel. +33 (0) 450 87 05 80 – Fax +33 (0) 450 87 08 23 – ifa@wanadoo.fr – www.agence-ifa.fr

Are you looking for a house in neighbouring France ? – Tel. +33 (0) 450 87 05 80

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bernardino n24.pdf 27.01.2009 16:23:37

berclaz n°27.pdf 29/07/2010 11:31:01

BERNARDINO

Carrelages • Revêtements Mosaïques • Marbres

OQ ETS UE - P TT ON ES ÇA - N GE ET TO YA

GE

ENTREPRISE DE REVÊTEMENT DE SOLS

M

PA R

QU

13, PROMENADE CHAMPS-FRÉCHETS 1217 MEYRIN

E-mail : bernardino-sols@bluewin.ch

TÉL.: 022 782 45 67 FAX : 022 782 45 78

edouard.berclaz@bluewin.ch 12, chemin du Chasselas 1246 Corsier - Genève

atelverre n24.pdf 27.01.2009 16:13:43

Téléphone: 022 751 08 80 Fax: 022 751 08 90 Mobile: 079 436 92 28

Rodriguez&Alvarez_pavé_vec_27.pdf 06/09/2010 17:44:21

Ch. des Vuattes 1263 Crassier T. 022 367 27 07 · F. 022 367 27 71 info@miraco.ch · www.miraco.ch

Sarl

24/24 DépannageDépannage 24/24

chemin des Batailles 22, chemin des 22, Batailles 1214 Vernier 1214 Vernier Tél. : +41 22 341Tél.

43 10: +41 22 341 43 10 Fax : +41 22 341 Fax 43 11: +41 22 341 43 11 Entreprise Entreprise générale générale Natel +41 76 582Natel 44 36 +41 76 582 44 36 d’électricité www.appelec.ch d’électricité vg@appelec.ch www.appelec.ch griot n24.pdf 02.02.2009 16:33:39

miraco_n°27.indd 1

02/09/2010 11:18:45 appelec n24.indd 1

SaNITaIRE LaBORaTOIRE FERBLaNTERIE RÉaLISaTIONS THERMOPLaSTIQuES

GRIOT André & Cie

Tapernoux s.a. 1233 Bernex-Genève tél.: 022 757 11 06 fax: 022 757 61 55

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e-mail: info@tapernoux-sa.ch

10, chemin du Château-Bloch 1219 Le Lignon-GE Tél.: 022 970 16 70 Fax: 022 970 16 74

04.02.2009 09:24:52

Eclairages - luminescents - incandescents - halogènes - décharges - armatures www.griot.ch e-mail: info@griot.ch

- Autumn 2010 - n° 27

08/10/2010 15:43:31

Property pages Be extravagant !

SALES

B E E X T R AVA G A N T !

F R A N C E : M A N S I O N S A N D M A N O R H O U S E S F O R S A L E THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

1. MAINE-ET-LOIRE – In the Loire region, on the outskirts of a village, in a superb environment on the banks of a river that is passable by boats, beautiful XIXth century mansion. Garden floor : an old-style kitchen, boiler room, office, cellars and servants’ rooms. Ground floor : entrance, small and large lounge, office, dining room and kitchen. First floor : 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Second floor : secondary bedrooms, bathroom and loft. Oak wood floors, marble fireplaces, panelling and overmantels. Domestic oil central heating. Approximately 800 m² of living area. Outhouses housing the former stables, garages, sheds and orangery. Superb English-style grounds and several meadows on 23 hectares.

EUROS 1,200,000.–

2. MAYENNE – In the Laval region that can be reached by motorway and high-speed train 290 km west of Paris and 1 km from a village with essential shops, pretty XIXth century mansion. Elevated ground floor : entrance, 2 lounges, dining room, small office in a tower and a small library in another, kitchen, toilet. First floor : 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms or shower rooms.

Second floor : 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, games room and toilet. Garden floor : office, cellar and boiler room (gas). Living area : 200 m2 per floor.

Outhouses used as a garage for cars, former horse boxes and hay store.

Small water feature and beautiful grounds of 5 hectares.

EUROS 1,070,000.–

3. MAINE-ET-LOIRE – To the south of Angers and the Loire, a beautiful mansion of 450 m². On the garden floor : kitchen, scullery, boiler room and cellar. Ground floor : an open gallery supported by an elegant colonnade provides access to the entrance, which leads to a large lounge, dining room, office and small kitchen. Mezzanine : laundry room, toilet and bathroom.

First floor : 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, toilet ; access onto a pleasant terrace. Second floor : 5 bedrooms, bathroom and toilet. Domestic oil central heating. Stairway with wrought iron banister, attractive wooden floors, panelling, pretty marble fireplaces, ceilings decorated with mouldings.

Secondary house, former hunting lodge. Outhouses, chapel and swimming pool. Pretty English-style grounds of 8.40 hectares.

EUROS 890,000.–

4. ALLIER – 290 km from Geneva, in the Moulins region, in the countryside while still being close to shops and motorway junctions, beautiful mansion from the XVIIIth and XIXth centuries with a living area of approximately 450 m2 . On the ground floor there are a series of linked rooms with plenty of light : entrance hall with an attractive staircase, large and small lounge, dining room, office, kitchen, laundry room, and toilet.

First floor: 6 bedrooms, office, 3 bathrooms and toilet. Second floor : 2 bedrooms, sauna and loft. Cellars under part of the house. Caretaker’s house of 70 m2 and outhouses housing stables, garages and sheds. Swimming pool. Lovely driveway, orchard, vegetable garden and beautiful grounds planted with hundred-year-old trees over 11.60 hectares.

EUROS 790,000.-

Information available from Béatrice Repole Société Privée de Gérance – Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 65 63 – beatrice.repole@spg.ch

Visit our website www.immorama.ch

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Property pages ...Another extravagance !

SALES

. . . a nother extr a v a g a nce !

C A V E C AY : E X U M A , B A H A M A S THESE PROPERTIES ARE A SELECTION FROM OUR PORTFOLIO. CONTACT US FOR AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST

Etats -Unis Mexique

OCÉAN ATLANTIQUE Floride

BAHAMAS Exumas, Cave Cay

Cuba

A

nti

Haïti

lles

Venezuela

OCÉAN PACIFIQUE

Colombie Pérou

Brésil

Paradisiacal beaches and views Lush vegetation covers this island situated in the heart of the Bahamas.

12-meter high hills offer views of exceptional beauty Many development opportunities.

Price on request.

Information available from Béatrice Repole – Société Privée de Gérance Route de Chêne 36 – 1208 Geneva – Tel. 022 849 65 63 – beatrice.repole@spg.ch

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Visit our website www.immorama.ch

08/10/2010 15:43:43

NOUS VOUS OFFRONS 1000 MOYENS DE PRÉSERVER L’ENVIRONNEMENT. Nos 1000 collaborateurs agissent selon le principe de la durabilité, dans le souci de protéger au mieux notre environnement. Depuis plusieurs années, nous diminuons constamment nos émissions de CO2 et compensons les rejets inévitables avec des certificats Gold Standard de myclimate. Nous vous proposons ainsi des services d’impression climatiquement neutre. www.swissprinters.ch Swissprinters Lausanne SA – Tél. +41 58 787 48 00 – lausanne@swissprinters.ch

TOUT MATÉRIEL ET PRODUITS DE NETTOYAGE POUR PROFESSIONNELS ET PARTICULIERS GENÈVE-CAROUGE • TÉL. 022 307 14 14 CLIENTS

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Les pros l’adorent.

www.grellor.com 08/10/2010 15:43:46