How a first letting works for you
In a first letting (Erstvermietung) a whole new building is let at once. Expect to choose from floor plans, because letting can start before the building is finished.
- Find projects early. Search for Erstvermietung with the town and the year, and note the project name on building sites in the area you want.
- Register your interest. Where a project offers a list for interested people, sign up and ask when letting starts.
- Complete the dossier before letting starts. ID, proof of income, debt extract, references.
- Apply for several flat types. Give your order of preference: size, floor, side of the building.
- Check the dates. Ask for the planned move-in date and what happens if the building is late. Compare it with the notice date of your current flat.
- Ask about ancillary costs. A new building has no past bills, so ask how the amount was estimated.
What official numbers show
| Figure for 1 June 2026 | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Empty new-build flats, canton of Zurich (built 2024 or later) | 600 | Canton of Zurich, 18 August 2026 |
| Vacancy rate of new builds, canton of Zurich | 3.02% | Canton of Zurich, 18 August 2026 |
| Vacancy rate of all dwellings, canton of Zurich | 0.52% | Canton of Zurich, 18 August 2026 |
| Empty new-build dwellings, Switzerland (up to two years old) | 3,910 | Federal Statistical Office, 10 September 2026 |
In the canton of Zurich a new-build flat was almost six times as likely to stand empty as the average dwelling. That is still about 3 in 100.
How aptari helps
- Saved search with alerts. Save a search for the town and size. On Pro (CHF 9.90 a month, launch price), Ultra and in the 14-day trial, aptari alerts you to new listings on it.
- The honest limit. aptari does not list all new buildings. Its feed holds the rental listings of Homegate, ImmoScout24, Flatfox and about 800 housing cooperative websites. A project advertised on its own website alone is not in it.
- Tenant Passport. Build the dossier once. aptari reads each document at upload and shows what is missing.
- Apply with Aptari. On listings from other Swiss portals and from cooperatives, wherever the button shows, it writes your message in the listing's language, adds a private link to your dossier and copies it. You paste and send.