Buying property: European banks have once again warned of further interest rate hikes and we have received many calls from clients asking if they should switch to a fixed-rate mortgage. Their concerns increased when Swiss banks recently decided to increase their variable lending rate from 3.0 per cent to 3.25 per cent, the first increase for many since 1995.

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Buying property: European banks have once again warned of further interest rate hikes and we have received many calls from clients asking if they should switch to a fixed-rate mortgage. Their concerns increased when Swiss banks recently decided to increase their variable lending rate from 3.0 per cent to 3.25 per cent, the first increase for many since 1995.

Renters in boom markets complain that they are wasting money but often do not take the time to calculate all the costs and risks of ownership. Ignoring capital gains and losses, the annual cost of renting is often cheaper than homeownership with a mortgage. Renting also gives a feeling of greater financial freedom and allows the client to move quickly if an out of town job opportunity arises or a noisy nei...

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