Problem area holiday homes: The local population is crowded in these communities.

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Searching for an apartment does not only cause disappointment in major Swiss cities. There are also several municipalities in the canton of Graubünden where it is almost impossible to find an empty flat. One case is Disentis/Mustér, in which about 2,200 people live. On the online comparison portal Comparis there are currently only three apartments advertised in the municipality. Families are out of luck: existing apartments have 1 to 2.5 rooms. According to the Federal Statistical Office, only 0.13 percent of apartments were vacant in the summer of 2022.

There is also a shortage of vacant flats in Flims or Laax. Only seven of the approximately 5,200 apartments in Flims were vacant in 2022. UBS economist Maciej Skoczek (36) says the problem is particularly evident in the canton of Graubünden. “Construction activity in tourist centers is significantly lower than the number of first-home conversions.” According to the Second Housing Act, first residences built or approved before March 11, 2012 can be converted into second homes without any restrictions.

Big business with old apartments

And this happens especially often in Graubünden: from 2020 to 2023, the stock of second homes in the canton increased by 2.5 percent, despite adding only 0.5 percent. The remaining increase is due to conversions. According to Skoczek, the number of second homes in Samnaun or Disentis increased by more than 5 percent. The reason is simple. “We estimate a profit of between 15 and 20 percent can be made by converting an old flat,” Skoczek says.

Many Graubnden communities are in Zurich or St. Gallen centers can be reached in less than two hours by car. This creates a high demand for second homes, but also causes problems. “When the first homes are converted, there is a shortage of housing for local residents and seasonal workers,” says the economist. This issue is also known in Parpan. Blick reported that in March alone, a family rented a house in the village near Lenzerheide. But your home will most likely lead to vacation apartments.

A problem for second home owners too?

But in the long run, local displacement can also have negative consequences for second home owners, according to Skoczek: “If there are no residents in the area, tax revenue is lost. This could eventually lead to tax increases for vacation rental owners.”

The Canton of Graubünden has commissioned the Institute of Tourism and Leisure (ITF) at the University of Applied Sciences in Graubünden to monitor the development of conversions in various communities. The ITF found 22 applications per year between 2017 and 2021 in the municipality of Flims. This doesn’t sound like much. But combined with the low vacancy rate, it poses a problem for the local population.

Source : Blick