Removals to Switzerland | Moving to Switzerland: Finding and Buying a Property

Using specialists can make the sometimes-overwhelming process of moving from one country to another much easier, and for removals to Switzerland Hamiltons are the specialists. Hamiltons offer various levels of service depending on how involved you want to be, and will make your removals to Switzerland stress-free, smooth and painless.

Perfect for domestic, corporate and commercial clients alike, the tailored service offers everything you’re likely to need from packing and storage to cleaning and pet services, transportation and even part-load options. You will also get peace of mind - Hamiltons Removals have over 20 years’ experience of removals to Switzerland, and are also members of the British Association of Removals (BAR), giving you reassurance and ensuring high standards are always met.

When you need to organise your family, possessions and logistics for a move abroad, and are searching for a cost-effective, tailored and professional removals to Switzerland service, you need look no further than Hamiltons Removals.
Removals to Switzerland - click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or contact us now to discuss your move.

Finding and Buying a Property in Switzerland

Step One: Find a Property
If you have decided to permanently stay in Switzerland and have settled in a certain area then now is a good time to buy a property. Find yourself a trustworthy and experienced local estate agent who can assist you and find properties for you to view. 

Step Two: Organise Your Finances and Put in an Offer
Once you have found a suitable property then you need to check that you can get a mortgage and that, when combined with any savings you have, will cover the price of the property. Then you can put in an offer, which an estate agent can help you with.

You can also try to buy privately by contacting the owner of your chosen property directly. In this case the deposit would need to go directly to the seller but make sure you have it in writing that the deposit will be refunded to you should the seller pull out of the sale for any reason.

Step Three: Decide Whether to Have a Survey
It is important to know that in Switzerland structural surveys are not the norm, although you can ask to have one carried out should you wish to. Worth noting too is that estates agents in Switzerland are not legally bound to inform you of any pre-existing problems with a property or its location and in some cases will even gloss over these to make the sale. An architect’s valuation will be made available to you and will hold information on the property so it is worth reading this carefully.

Step Four: Negotiate a Moving Date
When negotiating a moving date it is common in Switzerland, more so than any other European country, to have a transition period where you may own or are paying for two properties while final decisions are made. These include things like agreeing on what fixtures and fittings will be left as part of the sale and if any work is to be done to the property before you actually move in.

Step Five: Deal With Paperwork, Taxes and Deeds
When dealing with the paperwork, taxes and deeds, a public notary will represent both parties and you will need to visit the notary’s office to agree and sign contracts. This service is chargeable up to 5% of the purchase price of the property depending upon the canton and is usually split between the buyer and seller. You can seek your own legal adviser if you are not happy with anything the notary allocated to you has done.

Types of Property for Sale in Switzerland

Most people live in apartments in Switzerland and typically these are rented. The Swiss do not hold the same aspirations we do in the UK to always own their own home as this is often a very expensive option. However owning a property is achievable and you have a variety of choices open to you when it comes to buying a home in Switzerland.

In the middle of the city the most common type of accommodation is pre-built apartments, often in renovated historic buildings. On the outskirts of towns are new apartments blocks sometimes with the option for you to buy off plan if a development is brand new.

Apartments typically come in the following types: attic apartment, garden apartment, or a floor in-between in a low-rise apartment building. No residential accommodation in Switzerland is built higher than a few stories. The architecture in Switzerland can vary from up to the minute trendy buildings designed by modern architects to the more traditional charm of a typically European painted townhouse with shutters in contrasting colours.

Houses are less common than apartments with most of them having been bought by property developers, who have divided them up into flats to be leased out. You will find some detached villas in smaller towns, but in cities most single occupancy housing is either semi-detached or terraced. 

Out in the countryside or up in the mountains there is the traditional and iconic Swiss chalet. This beautiful accommodation that many of us associate with Switzerland is not typical everyday housing and is usually reserved for holiday lettings.

Obtaining a Mortgage in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the mortgage rate is the leading interest rate indicator in the country so there is a lot of competition between mortgage providers. It is best to get quotes from at least three different banks and insurance companies for mortgages offers. Non-Swiss nationals can obtain between 60-80 percent of the house price as a mortgage so having an adequate deposit or savings is vital.

When you buy a property then land transfer tax is payable at around 4 percent but this does differ in different cantons. The land where the house or apartment is situated is used as collateral in Swiss mortgages. This means the owner has a right to credit depending on the value of the land and the lender has a right to use the land if the borrower is unable to meet their mortgage payments.
Removals to Switzerland - click here for full information on our removals to Switzerland service or contact us now to discuss your move.