Self-employed borrowers face stricter rules than salaried applicants in Switzerland. Banks work with multi-year averages, conservative haircuts and their own reading of the income statement. Understanding the mechanics helps avoid rejections and negotiate better terms.

Between 2015 and 2022, Switzerland experienced an exceptional monetary policy situation: the era of negative interest rates. What began as a short-term measure by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to weaken the franc developed into a reality that lasted for years and fundamentally changed the behavior of savers, homeowners, and financial institutions.