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Buyer Guide

Can I buy residential property in Switzerland as a foreigner?

Regardless of nationality, moving into their own four walls is a big dream for many people. However, under the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad ("Lex Koller"), Swiss lawmakers make a distinction between Swiss and foreign property buyers. This is intended to prevent the "alienation of domestic land". To this end, the legislator makes the acquisition of property or building land subject to authorisation in certain cases.

  • 2 min read
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Special living: Buying a flat or house in Zurich Höngg

You can buy attractive flats and houses in Zurich Höngg in a green neighbourhood with its own village character. Fantastic flats in Höngg with sweeping views of Zurich city centre, the River Limmat and Lake Zurich are available primarily in the multi-party houses in a prime location on the southern slope of the Käferberg. Property in Zurich in district 10 offer an extraordinarily high living comfort. You live just a few minutes from the city centre and the financial centre of Zurich. At the same time, you have wonderful nature right on the doorstep of your new flat with balcony and parking space or your beautiful house with garden, terrace and garage. In Höngg you live in the centre of the city and yet in the countryside. The Limmat and Käferberg border the neighbourhood, which together with neighbouring Wipkingen to the southwest forms Zurich's District 10. Both neighbourhoods run along the eastern bank of the Limmat. The neighbourhood is characterised by a wide range of local recreational opportunities, peaceful living in green surroundings with panoramic views and fantastic flats as well as high-quality houses to buy or rent in Höngg.

  • 3 min read
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Co-ownership: buying or owning a property jointly

Sole ownership, joint ownership, co-ownership – when buying a property, there are different forms of home ownership. Co-ownership in particular is widespread in Switzerland. Whether you’re siblings, a married couple or business partners, it’s important to be aware of the differences, pros and cons.

  • 3 min read
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Brokerage commission for property sales

If you wish sell your property, you have many options. You can sell the property yourself – to do this, most vendors place listings in the appropriate online real estate portals. This is extremely economical as well as practical since these websites are specifically visited by prospective buyers searching for properties. As a vendor, you must of course take care to provide as much important information as possible since prospective purchasers can filter their searches according to various criteria. We have put together additional tips for you in this informational chart on the subject of selling property on your own.

  • 3 min read
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House for Bitcoin: Do cryptocurrencies have the potential to revolutionise the real estate industry?

Anyone who invested CHF 1,000 in Bitcoin five years ago can easily buy a nice flat with that money today. This is also being realised: Bitcoin millionaires are increasingly investing their money in property. But how does Bitcoin actually work and how is the hype surrounding the digital currency affecting the property market?

  • 3 min read
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More resources for buyers

Seller Guide

Calculating living space correctly

Anyone looking to sell their house or apartment is obliged to specify the exact area of the living space in the advertisement. But which areas actually count as living space, and how do you calculate that area accurately? Our property experts have put the most important information together for you here.

  • 3 min read
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Real estate gains tax

This tax is determined from the difference between a property’s purchase price and its sale price. Has the property currently being sold increased in value over time? If so, the real estate gains tax goes up correspondingly. However, the vendor may be able to claim investments or expenses here in order to reduce the tax burden.

  • 4 min read
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Security for your home - how to protect yourself properly!

The purchasing of a property is a wide-ranging matter - in the decision phase, prospective buyers concern themselves with the purchase price negotiations, the contract design, the financing, the conversion and the move. Time and again, however, it is clear that the security aspects are not being given sufficient attention.

  • 4 min read
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What costs are incurred when selling property?

If you’re looking to sell your house or apartment, you should familiarise yourself with the costs involved. Because even if you sell your property without using an estate agent, you still have to pay costs such as legal fees and property transfer tax. Read on to find out exactly what these are.

  • 2 min read
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Inheritance law in Switzerland: What is there to consider to when inheriting property?

With the help of the Swiss Civil Code, inheritance law in Switzerland governs succession, provided that the deceased has not left a will. The so-called parentelic system of succession determines which heirs are the main heirs to the inheritance and how large their share of the estate is. Especially with large hereditary communities, it is advisable to write a will in time. If property such as a house, land or an owner-occupied flat is in the estate, a will prevents disputes among the heirs. In addition, you distribute your inheritance to the heirs who appreciate your estate.

  • 3 min read
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More resources for buyers

Real Estate Agent Guide

Brokerage commission for property sales

If you wish sell your property, you have many options. You can sell the property yourself – to do this, most vendors place listings in the appropriate online real estate portals. This is extremely economical as well as practical since these websites are specifically visited by prospective buyers searching for properties. As a vendor, you must of course take care to provide as much important information as possible since prospective purchasers can filter their searches according to various criteria. We have put together additional tips for you in this informational chart on the subject of selling property on your own.

  • 3 min read
Brokerage commission for property sales

Overview of the latest lifestyle articles

The canton of Zug - Switzerland's tax haven

Zug is a canton in German-speaking Switzerland and is part of the greater Central Switzerland region (Central Switzerland) and the Zurich metropolitan region. Zug is one of the smallest cantons in Switzerland, but with a population of 126,837 (31 December 2018) and 500 inhabitants per square kilometer, it has a high population density by Swiss standards.

  • 5 min read
The canton of Zug - Switzerland's tax haven

Real Estate Guide

Rental guide for owners of residential real estate

Renting a property often involves more work and financial outlay than selling a property. With a sale, the contractual relationship between buyer and seller usually ends when the purchase price is paid. It is not relevant whether the future owner will treat the building with care or not. Exactly the opposite is true for renting! Here you are entering into a longer contract – one that may often last for many years.

  • 6 min read
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Guide Insurance - Comprehensive insurance coverage for private residential property

Safety is one of the most important housing needs because there is always the possibility of something going wrong and causing damage where you live and spend a lot of time. Questions about appropriate insurance solutions are therefore very diverse and individual, sometimes also requiring intensive consultation. For this reason, dealing with the topic of timely insurance for one’s own home is indispensable.

  • 5 min read
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Condominium ownership explained in brief

Your own four walls at last! Would you like to buy an apartment or have you already bought your own apartment? We explain the principles of condominium ownership and show you what you should pay particular attention to as a buyer or owner.

  • 3 min read
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Legal bases of condominium ownership

In Switzerland, the term “condominium” has been used since January 1965 and originates in Art. 712a et seqq of the Swiss Civil Code (CC).

  • 1 min read
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Property - related taxes Advisor

Property ownership can result in a variety of taxes. These are generally determined by the location of the property – namely, in the canton where the property is located. This means that one person owning property in various cantons may be liable to pay taxes to different cantons. In such cases, different cantonal taxation systems come into effect, with the result that the taxation of property can easily become a rather complicated issue.

  • 5 min read
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Contact

Contact your personal advisor

Engel & Völkers Switzerland

Poststrasse 26

6300 Zug | Switzerland

Tel: +41 41 500 06 06