At VAL Group Zermatt, a commission is only due in case of success. Therefore, no costs are due in advance, since we pursue the same goal as our clients and also want to be measured by this goal: The sale of your property. Therefore we act in all areas for our customers according to the system of advance performance. This is both our risk and our motivation: only after the successful sale of your property will a commission be due.

Should you decide – for whatever reason – to no longer sell your property and consequently take it off the market, you will not incur any costs in this case. With VAL Group Zermatt, every brokerage contract can be cancelled at any time. So you do not take any financial risks.

On average, notary and land registry costs amount to around 2.0 percent, with the respective purchase price of the property representing the individual basis for calculation. In the canton of Valais, the notary and registration costs are generally paid by the buyer.

In addition to the notary and land registry costs, the following additional costs arise: Creation of a mortgage note: Depending on the type and method of financing, a corresponding mortgage note is created. In many cases, an existing mortgage note can be taken over by the buyer. Profit tax: If a corresponding profit is made on the sale of real estate, corresponding profit taxes are incurred. These taxes vary depending on the holding period of the property for sale and the amount of the profit. These costs are borne by the seller.

What is a secondary residence in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, a secondary residence is a residential unit that can be used freely and is not occupied as a primary residence, i.e. as a permanent residence. As a rule, this is consequently a vacation home. In Zermatt, such freely usable second homes are much more sought after than primary homes; they do not have to be newly built.It is therefore hardly surprising that the purchase prices are correspondingly higher; approx. 35 to 55 % higher than it is therefore hardly surprising that the purchase prices are correspondingly higher; approx. 35 to 55 % higher than primary residences.
In this context:
“Free to use” means: not subject to any conditions. For example, you are free to decide whether your apartment is rented out or whether you use it as a primary or secondary residence.

No new apartment as a second residence – why?
Municipalities in Switzerland that have a second residence share of more than 20% are no longer allowed to build new second residences by law. This regulation has been in force since 2012 and is intended to counteract the “cold beds”.

Until when were second residences allowed to be built?
In March 2012, the so-called second residence initiative was adopted by the Swiss people and then came into force directly. By the way, Valais, as a tourism canton, voted quite differently than the rest of Switzerland at that time and voted against it with a massive 80%. Thus, the last new construction projects with second residence status – as freely available – could also be created or legally approved in Zermatt by December 2012. The period from March to the end of December 2012 was considered the transition period. It then took three years from the beginning of January 2013 until the corresponding second residence law was drafted. Until then, the so-called second residence ordinance, which was formulated in a very rudimentary manner, was in force. Nevertheless, this was able to prevent the construction of freely usable apartments even in Zermatt, which had a second residence share of more than 20%.

What is a primary residence (also called main residence)?
A primary residence is a dwelling that is permanently occupied by persons who have their residence in Zermatt, regardless of whether they are owners or tenants.

Primary residences are registered in the land registry with the notation “main residence”, “primary residence” or “equivalent to a primary residence”. If a dwelling is permanently occupied for purposes of gainful employment or education, it is treated as equivalent to a primary residence. If an entrepreneur makes his own apartment available to personnel for a short period of time, it is still considered a primary residence. Service apartments, apartments for diplomatic staff and apartments for asylum seekers are also treated as primary residences, provided they are occupied permanently.

Please note: Even if you only use the apartment as a weekend residence, this does not count as a second home in Switzerland, but rather as a primary residence.

How is “permanently inhabited” defined?
The legal minimum requirements for permanent occupancy are not precisely described and thus allow for a certain degree of leeway. In the case of a stay for work purposes, it is at least 3 months per year.

Tourist managed primary residence:
This particular concept is very common in Zermatt. It is a second home with a limitation of use. This means that owners are obliged to rent out these units to vacationers for at least 45 days per year at local conditions. For this purpose, a permit must be obtained from the municipality every 3 years and the tourist tax bill must be submitted annually.

What happens if the permit is not renewed?
In such a case, the apartment would effectively have to be used as a primary residence and the owner would become liable to pay taxes as a resident of Zermatt. However, we are not aware of such a case at the moment.

Tourist apartments (according to the law on second residences)
These are apartments, chalets or single-family houses that are not designed and built to meet the personal needs of the owners. They must be rented out to vacationers for a short period of time at local conditions.

Apartment in condominium ownership
In the case of condominiums, owner-occupancy should be kept to a minimum. Likewise, a renovation fund must be available. Please note: The municipality of Zermatt issues a permit which entitles the owner to rent out the apartment to vacation guests.

What is the tax index/tax rate?
The terms tax index or tax rate mean the same thing. It is the factor by which the cantonal tax is multiplied to determine the actual communal tax due. The canton of Valais sets the margin for the communes. (Factors between a minimum of 1 and a maximum of factor 1.5 are possible). The effective tax indexation is determined by the respective communal council. The tax index of the municipality of Zermatt has remained unchanged for years; it is a factor of 1.1.

What is the tax coefficient?
The tax coefficient is used to compensate for inflation. The higher the coefficient, the lower the tax burden. The tax coefficient is also set by the canton. The current maximum tax rate is 170%. The minimum is currently 140%. The tax coefficient of the municipality of Zermatt has been the same for years; it is 170%.