On Saturday, the 26th of September 2009, Sawiris officially launched construction for the new tourism-resort in Andermatt. Phase number one features a luxury hotel, a PGA golf course and all the infrastructure of the resort. The hotel is expected to open its doors in 2013 followed by more luxury hotels, apartments, villas, leisure and sport facilities. Andermatt, already known for some advanced skiing will be developed into a state-of-the-art ski, golf and wellness destination. A former military used area will be transformed into a jewel of alpine heaven featuring fine living and sporting beside of all amenities of a charming alpine village. With its close proximity to Zurich and Milan which are only a 2 hour drive away, Andermatt will become a meeting point for people living on both sides of the Alps. It will feature the luxury and uniqueness like St. Moritz, but on a more affordable level. Important to mention is the fact that interested buyers of apartments and/or villas can purchase their property without being effected by ‘Lex Koller’ law, what regulates the purchase by foreigners.

Posted By: Peter Rabitz

Mendrisio, a small city on the southern tip of Ticino and close to the boarder to Italy and well-known for its factory outlet center Foxtown, is hosting the UCI Road World Championships 2009 between the 23rd and the 27th of September 2009. The region, nestled between the Alps and the beautiful lakes like Lago di Como, has always attracted cyclists and now catches up with the legendary cycling. Memories of the fabulous Championships in 1953 which took place in Lugano – won by the great Fausto Coppi – and later on in Mendrisio in 1971, where a grandiose Eddy Merckx triumphed are still bright in the heart of all cycling sport lovers. Furthermore, the MTB Worlds erected their quarters on the hills of the Monte Tamaro Mountain.

Ticino with its mountains framing the lakes Lago Maggiore, Lago di Lugano and Lago di Como is a perfect spot for cyclists. Thanks to the mild Mediterranean climate, a variety of numerous cycling routs, all immersed in nature, can be explored at all seasons. The variety in landscape and altitude makes the region attractive for all type of cyclists: from the road professional to the mountain biker, without forgetting leisure cyclists. Lakes and wild valleys, glorious mountains and soft hills: in Ticino nature and man unite in a particular relationship and tradition integrates with modernity.

More information on the event can be found here: www.mendrisio09.ch

Source: http://www.mendrisiottotourism.ch/ and www.mendrisio09.ch

Posted By: Peter Rabitz

This year, the festival will be kicked off by Laura Pausini on Wednesday the 8th of July and followed by Deep Purple on the 9th of July. The festival continues with the following acts:

Gölä – Saturday, 11th of July

Duffy – Monday, 13th of July

Amy Macdonald – Tuesday, 14th of July

Tracy Chapman, Wednesday, 15th of July

Gloria Estefan – Friday, 17th of July

Katie Melua, Saturday, 18th of July and

Placebo, Sunday, 19th of July.

Posted By: Peter Rabitz

Ticino with its lakes Lago Maggiore and Lago di Lugano as well as its several valleys and mountains welcomes thousands of tourists again who swarm into cities like Ascona, Lugano, Locarno and Bellinzona. Great events like the Locarno Film Festival, Moon & Stars in Locarno, Estival Jazz in Lugano and the New Orleans Jazz Festival in Ascona are foreshadowed already. With the tourists visiting Ticino, we experiencing an increasing number of interested buyers as we did in the beginning this year and in a result to that and some recently great sales we are looking for quality real estate for sale. The market is very interesting right now and all good priced properties find their buyer quite fast. Buyers are pretty much aware of the still strong market in our area, but also the sellers who are challenged with the world wide changes in economy, are more sensible in terms pricing and marketing their property. In most of the cases where we suggested price reductions or improvements to the property, those listings sold in the end. It is not that we have a strong discounted market, but there are some good chances for negotiations. Another, even more looming trend than in the last years is the increase in foreign buyers especially from the UK, Netherlands, Germany and the US. More and more people take advantage of the great opportunities given in Switzerland. We get told by many of our clients that they appreciate the high quality of lifestyle, security and way of life – way more than the financial advantages which of course are also a decision maker to relocate to Switzerland. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information on relocation to Switzerland if you are thinking about that.

Posted By: Peter Rabitz

Lugano, Switzerland’s 3rd biggest banking centre and also 9th largest city of Switzerland by population, is often nicknamed the “Monte Carlo of Switzerland” due the fact that the city has attracted an ever growing number of celebs, entertainers, successful athletes and entrepreneurs. Situated right on the shores of Lago Lugano, opposite Campione, an Italian commune, occupying an enclave within the Swiss canton of Ticino and separated from the rest of Italy – Lugano features a nice setting on the north-western side of Lago Lugano and boast stunning lake views from almost everywhere.

Lugano and especially its city centre is not really recognized for its architectural significant and town planning appeal, but there are a few great examples of modern architecture, based on the well know Ticino school of architecture, which blends in its surrounding perfectly. The famous dynasty of Ticino architecture was established by the extent of Botta’s, Galfetti’s and Snozzi’s fame, just to name a few of the protagonists who made the Ticino architecture well known world wide. Thanks to aspiring elite of young and talented architects, there is a great movement to tie up with the architecture of their famous predecessors.

A new and stylish residential development called “lomocubes” by MPA architects is arising in Massagno. The cube like apartment building impresses with a glass and wooden mixture façade, providing virtual ease to its volume. Its magnificent glass façade with protruding volumes eludes the traditional heavy cement block architecture and re-elaborates the dichotomy between the interior and exterior, thus creating an innovative concept of living. The panorama windows and the glass cubes extending from the facade create multiple spectacular panoramas - boasting awesome views of Lago Lugano, the picturesque mountains surrounding the lake and Lugano’s city itself.

Each living environment is characterized by a diverse dimensional relationship between shapes, light and space. In order to guarantee the utmost comfort and quality of living all units are luminous, spacious and are finished with best quality natural materials and refined features.

Posted By: Peter Rabitz

Well, we still can’t read the crystal ball and so we won’t be able to predict when these turbulent times will finally be over, but there are more and more positive signs out there, showing at least the light at the end of the tunnel and some markets nearing the bottom.

Wall Street Journal recently reported the number of homes listed for sale in many U.S. cities continued to fall in April. Short sales and foreclosures has been, but more likely continue to be, the most influential indicators affecting the inventory what makes this picture a bit more clouded by uncertainty over how many foreclosed properties will hit the market. But, a decline of listings might show that the bottom in home prices is very close, maybe closer than you think.

In UK, a very bad hit market within Europe, signs are also showing an improving real estate market. Interest on properties is growing like figures of RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) are showing. Listing inquiries increased in April and agents sold one more home in average between February and April than they did in the three month before. Also the decrease in prices seems to level, getting closer to the bottom according to the statements by 59.6% of real estate professionals in contrast to 72.1% in March. Not to mention the declension of the British Pound what makes it very interesting right now to look for property investments in UK.

Good news also coming from our Partner Diana Morales in Spain, maybe the most troubled market in Europe. The company reports that they are finally starting to see sales materialize as property prices reach their lowest point and buyers realize the great possibility to purchase a good property at very good price – maybe the lowest price the property will be at in this current market.

Over the past weeks, we have also seen some good news from stock markets around the globe where most of the indexes increased from their lowest standings few weeks ago. This might not be the final call for the end of the recession and I am sure there is still bad news underway, but with all the effort by each single country and an increase in trust in most of the sectors responsible for all that trouble we will continue to see more and more positive signs for recovering markets. It’s on us to gain trust again and to educate our customers about current market situations as well as opportunities and where they might look for property investments right now. Please tell us your thoughts or just drop an email with your request. We are more than happy to hear what you have to say.

Posted By: Peter Rabitz

The British Empire gets unsettled by the announcement of the British government to increase tax rates for the upper incomes by 10% to 50%. People with salaries more than £150’000 are thinking about to leave or actually impend doing so.

While several British Medias feature articles on high profiles residents and their moving plans, another source, “Scorpio Partnership”, takes the same line and published a list of the most preferred locations for “tax refugees”. The specialty of this company is market research for the asset management industry. Scorpio compiled a list with eleven regions/cities which are considered first class locations to live and work for the wealthy. In that list, Switzerland has obtained first position right before locations such as Monaco and New York (please see the graphic). This reflects the overall opinion about Switzerland to be one of the most sought-after places in the world in terms of living. Standards in lifestyle, security and healthcare, just to name a few, are very high and really appreciated by foreigners. The favorable tax situation is just another advantageous issue on that list. On the topic of the lately heavy discussed Swiss tax issues, the country only holds the fifth place, what also reflects that’s its not only the tax situation which is so important to many of the wealthy. So the argument that Switzerland is a tax oasis can’t really rank that high as discussed in the past. Switzerland’s German speaking northern part of greater Zurich as well as the French speaking western part around Geneva are the traditional regions of interest to foreigners, but Ticino, the most southern part of Switzerland, is getting more and more interesting, especially for those coming from countries with a more comfortable climate or even very wet and cold climate like UK and therefore will enjoy the Mediterranean influenced climate of Ticino.

Also important to mention is the still stable real estate market and with some negotiations there can be achieved quite some good deals..

Scorpio Partnership 2009, NZZ am Sonntag – Selection of criterias chart

Posted By: Peter Rabitz

Switzerland is not only famous for its picturesque countryside with the Alps and lakes, great skiing, very tasty Chocolate and the world finest manufactured watches, but also for its architecture scene. Now, with the Pritzker Architecture Prize awarded to Peter Zumthor, the multifarious architecture of Switzerland has been gentled with this award handed to Peter Zumthor. Mr. Zumthor is very active in northern Switzerland, but also in Germany, where he could complete very strong examples of its proficiency like the ‘Brother Klaus Field Chapel’ Wachendorf, Eifel or the ‘Kolumba Art Museum of the Cologne Archdiocese’ (see image by Hélène Binet), Cologne. One of its most famous works in Switzerland is the ‘Thermal Bath Vals’, Graubünden, where he transformed a bankrupt hotel complex into a crisp and clean spa & thermal bath facility. We very much would like to congratulate Peter Zumthor for this achievement.

Posted By: Peter Rabitz