What are the main stages in selling property in Switzerland?

Good preparation: the key to a successful selling process. If you’re thinking of selling a house or flat, you need to look ahead to the major stages that lie ahead. There are a number of essential steps that need to be taken between the start of your project and its completion. What exactly are the stages involved in selling a property in Switzerland?

First and foremost: define the scope of your sales project

Before you embark on the steps involved in selling a property, you need to define the scope of your project. Starting with your motivations: what are your reasons for selling? A family event (birth, marriage, divorce, death)? A career change? A desire to move to another canton? Moving abroad?

This phase of reflection will help you to consider the next step, for example: buying another home. It will also enable you to clearly identify the stages involved in selling your property.

You also need to consider the financial consequences of the sale, especially if the property in question is encumbered by one or more mortgages. Your options depend on the mortgage model you choose: a fixed-rate mortgage can be terminated (subject to penalties), passed on to the buyer, or transferred to the new purchase project. In the case of a variable-rate mortgage, termination is possible at any time, subject to the agreed notice period.

Finally, think about the costs that await you:

• Costs of putting the property up for sale: broker’s commission, cost of publishing the advertisement, etc.
• Tax on property gains.
• Notary fees on purchase.

With these prerequisites out of the way, it’s time to look at the steps involved in selling a property in Switzerland.

The stages involved in selling a property in Switzerland

There are 7 main stages in a property transaction, all of which must be followed closely to ensure success.

1. Choosing the right broker and the right sales mandate

You can, of course, decide to sell your home yourself, but professional help is highly recommended: it’s the key to selling faster, more efficiently and at the right price.

Nevertheless, choosing the right broker is essential. They must have a thorough knowledge of the local market, be able to produce a quality estimate, and have solid experience and proven skills. Not to mention inspiring confidence.

The question of the mandate is at least as important. The sales mandate is a contract that provides a framework for working together and gives the broker the means to take charge of every stage in the sale of the property. We advise you to opt for an exclusive mandate: your property can only be sold by this broker, who will therefore be more involved in the transaction. What’s more, exclusivity confers greater value on the property and avoids it being over-exposed in several agencies.

2. Set the right selling price (following an estimate)

The valuation is one of the most important stages in the sale of a property. The selling price should not be set lightly: too high, and you run the risk of prolonging your time unnecessarily. Too low and you’ll lose money.

That’s why an appraisal is essential, as it enables us to determine the property’s market value: the amount that buyers will be prepared to pay for it, depending on the state of the market. This value depends on a number of parameters:

• The location of the property (canton, town, district, street).
• The condition of the building (age, quality of materials).
• The characteristics of the property (number of rooms, living area, general condition).
• The services on offer (what your accommodation has “extra” compared with others).

Only a broker is in a position to assess a sale price accurately, using methods that are proven to be effective, but also impartial. This is difficult for an owner who is too emotionally attached to his property.

3. Gathering documentation on the home

In order to sell a property, you need to compile a certain number of documents in an ad hoc file:

• An extract from the land register.
• A plan of the building.
• Financing documents.
• A list of the investments made in the property.
• Mandatory diagnostics (asbestos, lead, gas, electricity, radon, CECB energy diagnostics, etc. depending on the situation).

4. Promote the property and publish an advert

The next step is to enhance the value of your property by taking attractive photographs. These will be published in your sales ad and/or included in a professional brochure. It is also possible to make a video of the property.

In any case, it’s important to give the best possible impression of your property, right from the advertisement. On the one hand, you need to choose the best visuals and take care with the descriptive text, including the information that buyers are looking for: location, surface area, number of rooms, services, etc. On the other hand, you need to select the most relevant advertising platforms, so as to reach as many potential buyers as possible. Secondly, you need to select the most relevant advertising platforms, so as to reach as many potential buyers as possible.

Note that by working with a broker, this phase of the transaction – like all the stages in the sale of the property – is taken care of.

5. Organise visits to the property

Viewings are a crucial stage in the sale of a property: it’ s when they see your house or flat that buyers decide to make an offer. It is therefore essential to prepare these visits carefully:

• Set aside time to conduct each visit, without rushing buyers.
• Make appointments at times of day when the natural light is favourable.
• Prepare your home before each visit (tidying, cleaning, de-personalisation).
• Organise a thorough and conscientious visit to the property.
• Anticipate the questions that buyers may ask so that you can answer them as accurately as possible.

6. Receive and study purchase offers

If your property has been advertised at the right price and viewings go well, you will receive several offers to buy it. It is essential to study them carefully, if possible with the help of a broker.

The first thing to do is to rule out from the outset any proposals that lack seriousness, such as those that are not based on a rigorous financing plan. Of the remaining offers, don’t necessarily choose the highest, but the one that seems most solid. If none of them suits you, you also have the option of declining them all or making a counter-offer.

7. Preparing and signing deeds at the notary’s office

Once the price and date have been agreed, the final stages of selling a property can begin. This involves preparing and signing the official transaction documents.

• First, the draft deed of sale. The most common form is the forward sale: the buyer pays a deposit of 10% into the notary’s account, and the balance is paid on final signature.
• Next comes the actual contract of sale. If the previous stage has been carried out properly, this one is just a formality: the notary reads the entire contract before having it signed by both parties. This is the time to ask any questions you may have.

Once you have signed, you will receive the balance of the sale price (paid into the notary’s account a few days beforehand) and hand over the keys to the buyer. Don’t forget to sign the transfer requisition, which allows the land register to change the names of the owners of the plot sold.

You now know the steps involved in selling a property. For maximum security and efficiency, enlist the help of a broker.