A local Swiss Public Notary will act for both the purchaser and vendor to complete the transaction. He is there to protect the interests of both parties and he will draw up the deeds and documents required for legal ownership.
Notary fees, land registry fees and Government purchase taxes vary from Canton to Canton, in Valais for example, you will need to budget for 2.6% of the total property purchase price in fees, whereas in Vaud that figure is 5% and Bern 3%. The fees are payable by the purchaser, not the vendor.
All contracts are carried out in Swiss Francs.
Once the purchaser has choses an apartment, chalet or land the purchasing procedure through the Notary is straightforward.
- Complete personal details forms and Power of Attorney documentation.
- Payment of the agreed deposit to the Notary account.
- Signing of the deed of sale.
If the property is being bought by a non-Swiss resident then the Notary will apply on their behalf to the Cantonal authorities for an authorisation permit. The time taken to receive authorisation varies from village to village and depends on the current status of permit allowances and allocations in each particular area.
Once the authorisation has been received and the property completed, the notary will record the deed of sale with the Land Register.
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