What a location check examines
The location determines quality of life and resale value, and it cannot be renovated. You can replace the kitchen, but not the mountain in front of the window. That’s why it pays to check the location before the viewing, with the publicly available geodata of the Confederation and the cantons.
| Question | Data source | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| How much sun in winter? | Terrain, buildings and trees in 3D (swisstopo) | A neighbouring building or a slope can put a south-facing location in shade from November to February. |
| What can you see from the balcony and façade? | 3D model with mountain names, building zones (ARE) | The view is quality of life and price. A meadow opposite only stays a meadow if it is not building land. |
| How loud is it by day and by night? | FOEN noise maps, limit values of the Noise Abatement Ordinance | At a Saturday viewing, every street is quiet. |
| What natural hazards are there? | Cantonal hazard maps, surface runoff, earthquakes, hail | Flooding and landslides affect insurance, conversions and the basement. |
| How well connected is it? | Public transport quality classes (ARE), stops (FOT), shopping, school | Your daily journeys determine whether a second car is needed. |
| Is solar on the roof worthwhile? | sonnendach.ch (SFOE) with shading | For owners, a cost factor over decades. |
How to go about it
- Check the address: The checker below shows which data is available for the address and which chapters the report will include.
- View the report: Hours of sunshine for every day of the year, shadow casting in 3D, the view from every façade, plus all maps at the property. As a link on your phone or computer.
- Compare on site: With the report in hand, you ask targeted questions at the viewing: Why is the seating area in shade at 15:00? Who is building on the plot opposite?
- Compare two properties: With a subscription, you put two addresses side by side with the same calculation.
What the check is not
A location check replaces neither a building acceptance inspection nor a property valuation. It says nothing about the condition of the house, the pipes, the roof or the heating. It answers the questions about the location, with numbers instead of the adjectives in the listing.
The report’s up to 33 chapters
- Hours of sunshine, annual overview, shadow sources, sun path, moon path, shadows on the reference dates, shadow-hours map.
- View from the façades, visible mountains, panoramic view.
- Natural hazards, surface runoff, groundwater and soil, noise, air, building zones, road accidents, nuisances, protection and inventories, plot and land-use planning.
- Surroundings, public transport access, internet and mobile network, solar potential, time travel through aerial photos, climate.
Short answers
What does a location check include?
Sun and shadow throughout the year, view, noise by day and night, natural hazards, access by public transport, shopping and school, and the building zones in the surroundings. SunPlot calculates this for every address in Switzerland from official data of the Confederation and the cantons.
Can I check a location beforehand?
Yes. The checker on sunplot.ch shows for every address which data is available and which chapters the report contains. The full report with hours of sunshine, 3D shadows and all maps costs CHF 49.
Does the location check replace a property valuation?
No. It assesses the location, not the price and not the condition of the building. Valuers use it as evidence of the micro-location, buyers as a basis for the viewing.