World

Braunwald ski area closure threatens holiday-home values

Herz — World Desk · 27 August 2026 at 18:57 · 30s summary · 3 min read

The essentials

The board of Braunwald’s lift operator decided on Wednesday evening to close the ski area. Local businesses, residents and holiday-home owners fear weaker economic activity and falling property prices. UBS chief economist Claudio Saputelli says holiday homes could lose 10% to 20% of their value, or considerably less, although a precise forecast is impossible. Prices had already edged down in the 12 months before spring 2026. Other experts expect more limited discounts and believe a new clientele seeking peace and quiet could emerge if Braunwald expands its year-round activities.

Braunwald’s ski area is set to cease operations.
Holiday homes could lose 10% to 20% of their value.
Prices had already edged down before spring 2026.
Four Braunwald properties were listed when the source article was published.
Year-round activities could attract a new type of buyer.

Illustration image — Xnatedawgx, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

What we know

The board of Sportbahnen Braunwald, backed by a narrow majority of shares, decided on Wednesday evening to end operations at the ski area, according to Blick.

Local businesses, residents and holiday-home owners fear the closure will reduce economic activity in Braunwald and lead to a sharp decline in property prices.

Claudio Saputelli, chief economist at UBS, says the loss of skiing makes Braunwald less attractive. He estimates that holiday homes could lose 10% to 20% of their value, or considerably less.

Saputelli cautions that a precise forecast is impossible, meaning the eventual decline cannot yet be determined.

Prices were already declining

According to the latest UBS data, prices in Braunwald had already edged down during the 12 months before spring 2026, while uncertainty over the ski area’s future had persisted for some time.

Saputelli expects sellers seeking a quick transaction to accept a substantial price reduction. If owners initially resist steep discounts, their listings could remain on the market considerably longer.

Braunwald’s asking prices

When the source article was published, Homegate listed four properties in Braunwald: two holiday apartments and two chalets.

Three were advertised at CHF 7,850 to CHF 8,300 per square metre of living space. One chalet was listed at CHF 12,400 per square metre.

According to Wüest Partner, recent transaction prices for holiday homes ranged from CHF 7,500 to CHF 8,000 per square metre. Chalets could command more depending on their view and standard of finish.

properties listed in Braunwald when the source article was published

CHF 7,500–8,000/m²

recent transaction prices for holiday homes

10–20%

potential loss in value estimated by Claudio Saputelli

The precedent of Les Paccots

At Les Paccots and Châtel-Saint-Denis in the canton of Fribourg, ski-area operations were sharply reduced. Sellers of former holiday apartments have had to grant discounts of 10% to 15% in recent years.

Without those reductions, some properties could remain unsold for several years. The example illustrates the potential difficulties facing destinations that scale back their ski offering.