Houses for sale in Switzerland

Most houses for sale in Switzerland come in a few familiar shapes: a detached family home in a commuter town like Wallisellen or Muri bei Bern, a terraced house on the edge of a village, or an old farmhouse that needs work. You'll find them all here, along with semi-detached houses, villas and chalets, from Aarau to Chur. Alongside the price, budget for a few costs that listings rarely mention.

Costs on top of the price

Budget for the notary's fee for the public deed, the land register fee and, if your bank wants new ones, the cost of creating mortgage notes (Schuldbriefe). Each canton sets its own rates. Some cantons also charge a property transfer tax (Handänderungssteuer), others, Zurich among them, don't. Ask the notary's office before you finalise the budget, because these costs come out of your own funds, not the mortgage.

Paying down the second mortgage

Whatever you borrow above roughly 65 percent of the lending value has to be repaid within 15 years, and by retirement at the latest. Direct amortisation lowers the debt every year. Indirect amortisation sends the payments into a pillar 3a account pledged to the bank: the mortgage stays the same size, and the contributions are tax-deductible.

Imputed rent and upkeep

Under the long-standing system, owner-occupiers pay tax on an imputed rental value (Eigenmietwert) and deduct mortgage interest and maintenance in return. Swiss voters decided in 2025 to abolish it, along with most of those deductions, so check with your canton which rules apply to the tax year you buy in. Either way, put money aside for upkeep. Roof, heating and façade all come due eventually.

At a viewing, ask about:

• the year the roof, windows and heating were last renewed
• the type of heating and whether it's due for replacement
• easements in the land register, such as a neighbour's right of way

You contact the seller through the listing; imported listings link to their original source.