Moving to a new location is always scary and intimidating. Moving to a new country where you don’t have an apartment is 10 times more terrifying. We arrived in Zurich on December 5th and finally got the keys to our flat February 25th. Quite a bit of time to be living out of our suitcases if you ask me! Here’s how we found our apartment in Zurich.
Prior to the Move
Before we left we had started apartment searching. So many to choose from. We had no clue what the areas were like or how far was too far from the city center. We even applied for an apartment only to realize that if you’re not physically in Zurich you might as well not even bother. So we kept looking at the listings on HomeGate – their version of Zillow – and saved the ones that we thought may be good candidates once we arrived.
Newsflash to Us
- Getting a flat here in Zurich is VERY competitive.
- We needed a letter explaining who we are and one for Finn as well. Are we applying for a job or apartment!?
- Flats that allow dogs really narrowed down the search
- Expensive compared to our mortgage back in Michigan
- Older European buildings were very closed off and not the open concept vibe
- Making a good first impression counts! The current flat owner can recommend who they wish to take over the apartment.
- You have to act quick. Multiple times I’d receive an email for an available flat and 3 hours later it was already off the market.
As you can see here, how we found our apartment in Zurich was going to be quite the challenge.
What’s Included in Most Apartments
- Washer & Dryer are shared in a communal area in the basement of most older buildings. New builds had private washers and dryers in their own flat.
- Each flat had their own storage unit in a basement area. Super convenient for our winter sport gear.
- Cold water
What’s Not Included in Most Apartments
- Light fixtures – mind blowing to us these were only in the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Closet / storage – we were finding SO many older buildings to have very limited storage if any at all. This would mean buying lots of Ikea wardrobes. YIKES!
- Hot water, heating and electricity utilities are to be paid – pretty normal from back in the states.
How our Story Unfolds
Alright, now that you have some background information here’s how our story unfolds. Moving for Anthony’s job we were provided a relocation agent to help us sort through all the ins and outs. Honestly, without her, I don’t think we would have been able to successfully get the place we are in today.
The Search in Zurich Begins
The first flat
I was blown away. It was an open floor concept and seemed very welcoming. The lady who was currently living there was selling all of her furniture which was going to be a big plus for us since we weren’t bringing many large items over from our home back in Michigan.
The second flat
Located in a really cool European style area not too far from the city. There was an amazing rooftop terrace that everyone was allowed to use that had spectacular views. I could totally picture myself with a book and a glass of Sauvy B in the summer months out there. However, the inside of the apartment didn’t vibe with me. It was quite tight and dark with basically no kitchen. We know I NEED a place to cook and entertain.
The third flat
Came with an open concept, a nice balcony and close to work. Overall a decent vibe but it wasn’t my absolute favorite. It had dark gray granite type floors that I could just picture all of Finn’s hair covering and me going crazy trying to keep it constantly cleaned.
The fourth flat
Located in the same building as the third but the layout was different. A much smaller kitchen and seemed to be a bit dark and less welcoming. The benefit of this place was that it was opening up in the middle of January which sounded like heaven to us to get into our actual place we’d be living. But was time really worth not having what we needed?
The fifth flat
Love at first sight. I walked into an open concept. High ceilings and beautiful floor to ceiling windows with doors leading out to the large patio that was outside. It was on the ground floor which was super nice for Finn. The kitchen was spectacular and perfect for cooking and entertaining. The owners were extremely friendly and explained the area and many aspects of the flat to us.
The Verdict of our Apartment Search
For all of the flats we viewed we put in our application because we were so nervous we wouldn’t find one. We only had 10 viewings with our relocation agent so knew every application counted.
The first flat: denied.
The second flat: approved. Something inside me told me no so we ended up declining.
The third flat: no response.
The fourth flat: no response.
The fifth flat: approved!! The feeling of why everything else didn’t work out before became crystal clear.
I was manifesting all the thoughts that the fifth apartment would become our new place and it happened! We received the news just after the New Year and I thought what a gift to start out our year.
What Happened Next?
The downfall; this apartment wasn’t available until March 1st which meant all of January and February living in temporary housing. Then found out we had to be out of our temporary housing by February 18th due to another family moving in. Technically, most temporary housing is only available for a month. Since we came over the holiday season when businesses close down and people go on vacation the last two weeks of December it was harder to go to viewings.
So, we packed up all of our items and move to another temporary location. This flat was quite small, but thankfully we were only going to be there for 7 days. The new place put us closer to the city as well. This allowed for some more exploring and a new view of Zurich. We moved all our stuff by Uber or public transportation may I add. Another fun perk on how we found our apartment in Zurich. By fun, I mean not at all!
Gimme the Keys!
The day finally came when we got our keys to our flat. We couldn’t be happier than where we are today. I know that this will help our journey in Switzerland feel so much more like home. Of course, I had some Prosecco in my bag to pop and celebrate the next step in our adventure abroad!
I feel there were SO many more details to elaborate on with how we found our apartment in Zurich. If you have any further questions or want to know how we navigated certain things feel free to comment below!
