A circle almost like winning the lottery

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“Finding an apartment like this for this price is like winning the lottery,” says Petra Heussi (42) happily. “So I accepted even though the rent was too high for me as a single parent.” He pays CHF 1,884 gross for his new four bedroom flat in Zurich.

The keys were delivered in mid-April. Since then, the mother has been transporting boxes and furniture to downtown Zurich with her sons Hunter (14) and Julian (13) and their friends. “In some, Mobility delivery vans and sometimes even trams,” he says with a laugh.

not yet furnished

The renovated old building apartment is on the third floor and has no elevator. Petra Heussi is still struggling to move from her three-room cooperative flat in Zurich-Seebach to her new home for 1,200 francs, including additional costs. “I underestimated your move. This was pretty boring as the stairwell was pretty narrow,” says Heussi.

The family with two house cats and three birds has not yet set everything up perfectly. Lamps and shelves will be installed. But the two teenagers’ rooms are long gone, and Hunter and Julian are enjoying the fact that everyone finally has their own kingdom.

bigger circle

Sons were also the main reason Petra Heussi sought apartments for a long time. There was no possibility of a larger flat for the family in the cooperative in Zurich-Seebach in the foreseeable future.

“Hunter and Julian shared a room, but things get tough with teenagers. This often led to conflicts. For example, one wants the window open at night and the other prefers to sleep with the window closed,” says the mother.

Along with 60 other apartment seekers, he was able to view the four-room apartment near the Urania observatory in January 2023, after submitting tax documents along with the city’s historic apartment application.

Squeaky floors and plenty of space

Petra Heussi immediately liked the squeaky wooden floor and plastered apartment. “It reminds me of our old house in Buchs SG, where I grew up. And it gives me a sense of security and safety.”

All rooms are large enough, and throughout the apartment there are a lot of walk-in closets and a spare. The bathroom is also spacious and offers space for a shelf. “The kitchen is a little smaller, there are fewer cupboards than before, but I cleaned and disposed of things to make sure there was enough room before I moved,” says Heussi.

Own balcony and terrace for common use

He was particularly enthusiastic about the balcony: “We have outside seating and it’s quiet here.” The top apartment of the multi-family house with five tenants also has a small roof terrace with a view of the Limmat, which the Heussi family can use in consultation.

“I would love to have coffee with a friend there in the summer. But most of all, I like to relax in my own home after work,” she says.

Closer to school and work

While viewing the apartment, the mother showed her sons, who could not be with her, photos and videos from her mobile phone. Petra Heussi’s two sons both have ADHD and go to school by train at an institution outside of Zurich, where they sometimes stay overnight.

It is planned that from the summer his eldest son will be able to attend his tenth school year in Zurich. “Because we live so close to the main train station, kids have 30 less minutes to get to school,” Heussi says happily. He also saves a lot of time by commuting to his full-time job in a lab in Basel using public transport.

Joy prevails despite existential fears

According to the pictures, Hunter and Julian were immediately excited about the new apartment with their own nursery, even though they knew the entire family would have to tighten their belts financially because of the higher rents. “I am very happy about the wonderful apartment, but I was already having sleepless nights when I accepted and signed the lease at the end of February,” Anne says.

In his old Minergie apartment, he took money off the heating bill at the end of the year. This is likely to change with rising energy prices and heating costs in the old town flat, which worries mom a little. It will literally save itself from high rental costs: “Instead of eating in the canteen, I will take my breakfast and lunch from home. That way I can save some more money.”

In addition, he will receive increasingly well-paid sentry and Sunday services at work, so that at the end of the month he will have a little more salary in his account. Petra Heussi: “As a single parent, I am used to existential fears. But now we’re just looking forward to our new home.”

Source : Blick