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23. May 2022

Practical Example «Schlosshof»: A residential project full of privacy and history

On a plot situated in an extraordinary location above Richterswil on Lake Zurich, Property One has created a development with nine exclusive residential units. The project showcases our entire range of services.

Surrounded by verdant nature and located in a quiet, sunny spot in Richterswil, the plot borders fields and forests. It is a stone’s throw away from a historical attraction: a more than 800-year-old castle that used to house the barons of Wädenswil. Today, it is the largest accessible castle ruin in the canton of Zurich.

A surprising turning point
When the owners of the property announced their intent to sell in 2017, Property One entered the scene. Our key competences lie in searching and identifying objects and investment opportunities, bringing sellers and buyers together and overseeing the acquisition of suitable plots. For the Schlosshof in Richterswil, we initially developed a project with six residential units following the acquisition of the property within the scope of a club deal with two investors. The project was subject to certain conditions, such as regulations concerning the distance of the property to the adjacent woodlands and the mandatory protection of wild meadows. One year later, we were unexpectedly presented with the option of acquiring an additional, neighbouring plot.

Two years, two stages
The new situation led to the decision of revising and expanding the original project. On the two plots, which have a combined size of 4,143 square metres, eight semi-detached houses and a detached house were built. The project took two years after construction started in 2020 and took place in two stages. The final handover of the houses to their buyers was completed in April 2022.

All buildings are individually designed and feature private terraces and private garden access. They were built in a hybrid style with wooden attic constructions. Large floor-to-ceiling windows allow plenty of natural light into the residential spaces, while the high-ceilinged gallery floors give the buildings a unique spatial atmosphere. All units have at least partial views over Lake Zurich, the Oberland, the Alps of Eastern Switzerland and the Glarus Alps.

A high-quality expansion with a future
The units in the semi-detached houses contain flats of approximately 200 square metres each, split across three levels. All interiors are of an outstanding quality, and the buyers were offered a choice from multiple options depending on their budget. In addition, the development meets the very latest environmental and energy standards.

Flexible realisation
The Schlosshof was a textbook project for Property One: it involved identifying a potential plot and the resulting investment opportunities, structuring a club deal for the investors, overseeing the transaction, arranging favourable financing, developing an object strategy for the property and realising the new builds. Within the scope of its buyer support service, Property One also took charge of the building consulting, overseeing all individual tasks and the precise realisation of each owner’s individual wishes. In addition to professional, needs-based advice, this involved quality inspections of all materials and finished sections and an exact cost, schedule and quality management. Thanks to flexible procurement channels, pandemic-related supply issues affecting individual components and appliances were swiftly overcome. Planning and implementation, including coordination between the main contractor and subcontractors, were carried out in house by the specialists of Property One, as was the entire marketing process. It is thanks to this close support that the project expenses stayed within the agreed-upon limit. It takes extensive, multi-dimensional knowledge of the marketing process, which far exceeds the mere provision of advice to potential buyers, to position a new build project such as the Schlosshof in the market and successfully market it. Much like with any other Property One project, a strategic potential analysis paved the way for a tailor-made marketing concept. The swift sale of all units added the finishing touch to this successful project.