Property search and Lex Koller authorisation support

Finding the right home is often what makes a move to Switzerland feel real. It is also where rules on foreign ownership, cantonal practice and your tax position all meet. Our property service helps you search for, check and buy a home that fits your family, your permit and your tax plan, and it tells you early when renting first is the wiser choice.

What this service covers

• a clear view of whether, and what, you are allowed to buy under Lex Koller
• a search brief built around your lifestyle, schools, travel links and preferred region
• introductions to local agents and off-market sellers, and viewings arranged around your visits
• checks on each property: permitted use, second-home status of the commune, and any restrictions
• coordination with the notary, your bank and, where needed, the cantonal Lex Koller authority
• a check of how the home affects your lump-sum base, if you are applying for one

Who it is for

New residents buying a main home. EU and EFTA nationals who live in Switzerland, and non-EU nationals with a C permit, are not subject to Lex Koller. Non-EU nationals with a B permit are subject to it, but may buy a main residence at their lawful, actual domicile without authorisation. Actual domicile has to be real: a permit and commune registration alone are not enough. Authorities look at indicators such as the family household, vehicle registration, full tax liability and local ties.

Buyers of a holiday home. Persons abroad can only buy a holiday home where cantonal law provides for it, typically in tourist areas, and within an annual national cap of 1,500 quota units shared between the cantons. Net living area is normally limited to 200 m² and land to 1,000 m². Only one holiday or second home is allowed per family, and a holiday home may not be rented out all year.

Families still deciding whether to rent or buy. We are happy to advise renting first. It gives you time to learn a region and does not commit you before your permit and tax position are settled.

Two rules worth knowing early

Lex Weber. In communes where second homes already make up more than 20% of housing, no new second homes may be approved. This matters in many Alpine resorts, and it shapes what is actually on the market.

The 2026 Lex Koller proposal. On 15 April 2026 the Federal Council opened a consultation on tightening Lex Koller, which closed on 15 July 2026. Among the proposals: third-country nationals would need authorisation even to buy a main residence, and would have to sell within two years if they move away. Holiday-home quotas would also tighten. These are proposals, not law. We follow the process and factor it into our advice, but we do not treat it as settled.

How we work

1. Eligibility first. Before any viewing, we confirm what you may buy given your nationality, permit and plans.
2. Brief. We agree the region, commune type, size, budget range and must-haves with you.
3. Search and shortlist. We screen listings and off-market options, and only propose homes that pass the legal checks.
4. Due diligence. Land register, permitted use, second-home status, planning constraints and, for holiday homes, quota availability in the canton.
5. Tax check. If you plan lump-sum taxation, the rent test uses seven times the annual rent or rental value of your home. Buying a larger home can raise your base, so we model this before you commit.
6. Purchase. We coordinate the notary, the bank and any authorisation, and explain each document before you sign.
7. After completion. Transfer taxes and fees vary by canton, and some cantons levy no real transfer tax at all. Imputed rental value will be abolished from 1 January 2029, together with property maintenance deductions. We make sure these points are handled in your tax planning.

What you get

• a written note on your Lex Koller position and what it allows
• a shortlist of homes that are legally within reach
• due diligence on each serious candidate
• an indicative view of how the home affects your lump-sum base
• one coordinated process from search to completion

We cannot guarantee availability, quota allocation or a purchase price. Those depend on the market and, for holiday homes, on the canton.

Typical questions we solve

• "I have a B permit and a non-EU passport. Can I buy the flat I live in?"
• "Can we buy a chalet in Valais before we move, and use it as our home later?"
• "Will a bigger house push up our lump-sum base?"
• "Can we let the chalet when we are away?"
• "What does the proposed Lex Koller reform mean for a purchase we make now?"
• "Will buying help our residence permit?" No. Owning property gives no right to a permit.

Related reading

• Buying property in Switzerland: Lex Koller explained
• The 2026 Lex Koller reform proposal
• Holiday homes in the Alps
• Living in Valais
• Living in Graubünden
• Our lump-sum taxation service

Plan your purchase with us

If you are thinking about buying, the best time to talk to us is before the first viewing. Contact us and tell us what you have in mind.