Real Estate - Selling

The main way to sell a Swiss property is either privately or with an estate agent. The easiest way is with an estate agent although be careful as many will suggest a price under the actual market value in order to sell quickly and pocket their commission. In Switzerland property is sold by estate agents, property developers, accountants and IFA’s. Estate agents charge between 2% and 3% of the sales price and you also pay additionally for the advertisements. A private sale will save you the agents commission but it is complicated therefore we recommend that expats use a professional.

Determine your price – An estate agent will have an opinion but do your homework and compare with similar local properties. If you are unhappy with the proposal then pay for a professional valuation which is not cheap but if favourable will enhance the impact of your sales documents.

Presentation – First impressions are critical – therefore tidy the garden, clean the house, remove your junk and make sure the house smells fresh. Unfortunately most people rate a room based on the furniture and decoration even when they aren't getting these with the house.

Finally – It is easy to get sentimental about your home but try to keep your emotions out of negotiations.