HouseScoutRelocation agency or apartment search service in Zurich?
Moving to Zurich for work usually raises one question first: do I need a full relocation agency, or just help finding a flat? The answer depends on what your employer covers, how much of the move you can handle yourself and how fast you need a home. Here is how the two options differ, and where HouseScout fits.
What a relocation agency does
A relocation agency organises the whole move. Typical services include registering with the local authorities, permits, school and childcare searches, bank and insurance set-up, settling-in tours, and often temporary accommodation and the search for a long-term home. Agencies usually work in packages, and in many cases the employer pays as part of a relocation budget.
That's ideal when your company offers it, when you're moving with a family and need everything at once, or when you'd rather hand over every step. The flat search is then one part of a larger package, handled with the time and focus the package allows.
What an apartment search service does
An apartment search service focuses on one thing: finding and securing your home. In Zurich that's often the hardest part of the move. Good flats are frequently taken within 48 hours, viewings happen during working hours, and property managers choose tenants on the strength of a complete application file.
HouseScout works exactly here. You pay for the part of the help you need, at a published price, and you can start before you arrive in Switzerland.
Who needs which
Choose a relocation agency if your employer pays for one, if you need help with permits, registration, schools and the rest of the move, or if you're moving a whole family on a tight timeline.
Choose an apartment search service if your company doesn't provide relocation support, if you can handle the paperwork yourself but need a flat fast, if your relocation package doesn't include a dedicated home search, or if you've already arrived and the search is taking too long.
Many people combine both: the agency handles the administration, and HouseScout covers the flat search or individual viewings when the timing is tight.
How HouseScout helps in Zurich
Radar emails you every new flat that fits your brief, the best within minutes of us finding them, with a price check against similar flats. It's for people who want to search themselves but see new listings first. CHF 39 for 15 days or CHF 59 for 30 days, with no subscription.
Scout Visit sends a scout to a flat you can't view yourself. You get photos, a video and a written report with an honest recommendation the same day, for CHF 100 per property.
Full Search runs the whole search for you: a shortlist of 5 to 20 suitable flats, viewings for up to 3 of them, up to 3 application packs and guidance until you sign. CHF 390 to start, plus a success fee only if you sign a lease.
Working alongside your relocation agency
If you already have an agency, HouseScout can still help. Use Radar to see new flats as soon as they appear, or book Scout Visits when the agency can't attend a viewing in time. We cover the whole canton of Zurich and the whole canton of Geneva.
No one can honestly guarantee you a flat in Zurich's market. What we can promise is speed, real viewings and well-prepared applications, which make the biggest difference in a tight market.
Our three services
- Radar: every new flat that fits your brief, by email. The best within minutes, with a price check. CHF 39 for 15 days or CHF 59 for 30 days.
- Scout Visit: we view a flat for you and send photos, a video and a written report the same day. CHF 100 per property.
- Full Search: we run your whole search, from shortlist to signing. CHF 390 to start, success fee only if you sign a lease.
Frequently asked questions
Is a relocation agency better than an apartment search service?
Neither is better in general. A relocation agency covers the whole move, often paid by the employer; an apartment search service focuses on finding and securing your flat at a published price. Many people use both.
Does HouseScout handle permits or registration?
No. HouseScout focuses on your home: new-flat alerts, viewings on your behalf and a full search until you sign. For permits and registration, your employer or a relocation agency is the right partner.
Can I use HouseScout if my employer already pays a relocation agency?
Yes. Radar shows you new flats as soon as they appear, and a Scout Visit covers viewings your agency can't attend in time.
How much does HouseScout cost?
Radar is CHF 39 for 15 days or CHF 59 for 30 days. A Scout Visit is CHF 100 per property. A Full Search is CHF 390 to start, plus a success fee only if you sign a lease.
Can I start before I move to Zurich?
Yes. Many clients start from abroad; we attend viewings on site and keep you updated with photos, videos and reports.