Every three months the rate of interest used to set Swiss rents is reviewed. If it goes down some renters have the right to request a decrease in rent. This time it remains unchanged at 2.00%. The interest rate used to set the reference rate was the average rate on Swiss mortgages at 31 December […]
French tax on Swiss inheritance becomes a reality
Since 1 January 2015 French residents receiving Swiss inheritance are subject to French taxes on it. Many are up in arms at what they see as a predatory French tax grab and are calling for further negotiations to establish a new agreement to replace the 60 year Franco-Swiss accord that ended at the end of […]
Property taxes: Is it worth buying in Switzerland?
Ever contemplated buying a property in Switzerland? Reading further might put you off. Providing useful information on the taxation of property in Switzerland is daunting. Given that the country effectively has 26 different systems – one for each canton – it is virtually impossible to say anything on the subject that can be used in […]
Property taxes: Is it worth buying in Switzerland?
Ever contemplated buying a property in Switzerland? Reading further might put you off. Providing useful information on the taxation of property in Switzerland is daunting. Given that the country effectively has 26 different systems – one for each canton – it is virtually impossible to say anything on the subject that can be used in […]
Swiss vacancy rates increasing
According to data recently released by the Federal Office of Statistics 45,748 dwellings were vacant in Switzerland at 1 June 2014. This is just over 1% of all dwellings and represents an annual 14% increase in vacancy rates. The biggest increases were in the Lake Geneva region, followed by the Mittelland, Zurich and eastern Switzerland. […]
Housing: Going up or down?
Given a growing return migration of Swiss and expatriate residents from across the border in France, but also economic uncertainty in Switzerland itself, there appears to be a contradiction in the way property prices are moving. Nation-wide, prices have continued to rise in 2014 – albeit at a slower rate. The Lake Geneva region, however, […]
Property buyers rush to dip into pension
BERN More and more people are rushing to use the second pillar of their pension plan to purchase a primary residence in the face of high prices and limited housing stock. While this may give a boost to the economy, especially the property market, not everyone is happy with the trend. There are three pillars […]
Why people are leaving Verbier
An increasing number of avid skiers are choosing to purchase or rent an alpine retreat away from the busy, hard-core party and ski scene of Verbier. The reasons for moving go beyond Verbier’s high prices. Over the last decade many local business owners in Verbier have moved “down the valley”. Instead of working and living […]
Trusting a stranger with your home
With summer holidays around the corner, many people will soon be heading off to exotic holiday destinations. Many holidaymakers will pay to stay in expensive hotels and resorts while leaving their homes in the beautiful Lake Geneva region empty. There is, however, a way to put your empty home to good use, save money and […]
Tenants happy – landlords not
GENEVA Those arriving in Switzerland to work, and those who have lived here for years, know well how expensive it can be to rent a house or an apartment in the Lake Geneva region – and that’s if you are lucky enough to find something. Negotiating contracts and understanding tenants’ rights may prove equally daunting, […]
