Building plots for sale in Switzerland

Buying a plot and building your own house is the most direct route to a home that fits you, and the one that needs the most checking beforehand. Here you'll find building land and other plots for sale across Switzerland, from a level parcel in the Lucerne countryside to a sloping site above the Walensee. What you may build on it is set by the municipality's rules.

Zone and permitted density

First question: is the plot inside the building zone (Bauzone)? Outside it, building is allowed only in narrow exceptions. Next: which zone exactly, for example a two-storey residential zone? The municipality's building and zoning regulations set height, density and distance from the boundary. The floor area ratio (Ausnützungsziffer, replaced by a similar index in some cantons) sets how much floor space you can build on the plot. That's why two plots of the same size can be worth very different amounts.

Serviced and ready to build?

A plot is ready to build (baureif) only once it's serviced, meaning road access, water, sewage and power reach the boundary, and no legal obstacle stands in the way. If servicing (Erschliessung) is still missing, ask the municipality when it's planned and what contributions you'll be asked to pay.

Contamination and foreign buyers

Check the canton's register of contaminated sites (Altlastenkataster) to see whether the plot is listed, for instance because of an old workshop or landfill. Cleaning up soil can be expensive, and the contract should say who pays. For persons abroad the Lex Koller applies: buying building land generally needs a permit, and land bought purely as an investment is rarely approved.

Useful documents before you buy:

• the municipality's zoning plan and building regulations
• the land register extract with easements and building lines
• an extract from the register of contaminated sites

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