When a property changes hands, this gives rise to fees and taxes that may vary across cantons:
Notary’s costs
Land registry fees
Transfer tax
Fees for drafting or amending the borrower’s note
Property gains tax
If the sale results in a profit, that profit will be subject to property gains tax. In some cantons, when a home is sold, a transfer tax or fee is also payable in addition to the property gains tax. This is generally paid by the buyer, although buyers and sellers pay split the costs in some cases. In some cantons, an agreement can be drawn up to decide who pays the tax. There are big differences between cantons in terms of notary’s fees as well. As a private notary takes care of the notarisation process in many of the cantons in western Switzerland, the costs are often several times what they are in German-speaking Switzerland.