Updated August 2026
A property sale is not decided on signing day but in the weeks that precede it. The files that drag on are almost always those with missing documents, an asking price set too high, or a seller who discovered the capital gains tax at the last minute. Here is the sequence, in order.
1. Gather the file, before even valuing
Land registry extract, plans, year of construction, invoices for work carried out, cantonal energy certificate (CECB) where one exists. For a flat held in condominium you also need the co-ownership rules, minutes of the recent general meetings, the state of the renovation fund and the annual charges. A serious buyer will ask for all of it; having it ready shortens the sale by several weeks and spares you negotiating under pressure.
2. Set a price, not a hope
An overpriced property does not sell for more: it sells later and for less. After six to eight weeks without a serious viewing, the market has answered, and a visible price cut weakens your position. Better to start right and let competition between buyers do the rest. A valuation combines comparable transactions in your municipality with what a screen cannot see: the view, the floor, the aspect, the real condition.
3. The brokerage mandate
The mandate sets out in writing the duration, the commission and what triggers it. An exclusive mandate commits the agency to invest: photographer, staging, paid distribution, because it knows it will see the matter through; a simple mandate, given to several agencies, often has the opposite effect: the property appears everywhere at diverging prices, and the market concludes the seller is in a hurry. Commission falls due only if a sale is actually concluded.
4. From offer to deed
An accepted offer is not a sale. In Switzerland only the authentic form binds: until the deed is executed before a notary, either side may walk away. Between the two often sits a sale agreement, also notarised, with a deposit and conditions, obtaining financing being the first. Allow four to eight weeks between agreement and deed, the time the buyer’s bank needs to decide.
5. Tax on real estate capital gains
This is the item sellers discover too late. The tax bites on the gain: sale price less acquisition price, less costs and duly documented value-adding works. Its rate falls with the length of ownership: heavy on a quick resale, markedly lighter after several years. So keep the invoices for your works: they are what reduces the base. The notary generally withholds the estimated amount from the proceeds until the cantonal assessment.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to sell?
- Around Lake Geneva, allow six to nine months between the decision to sell and payment of the price: including two to four months of marketing for a correctly priced property, and four to eight weeks between agreement and notarial deed. A property mispriced at the outset easily doubles that.
- Can the capital gains tax be deferred?
- Yes, in one specific case: replacement purchase. If you sell the home you occupied and reinvest the proceeds in a new main residence in Switzerland within a reasonable period, taxation is deferred to the extent of the amount reinvested. Deferral is not exemption: the tax resurfaces on the next sale. Have your case confirmed by your notary or accountant before signing.
- Should you sell before buying?
- In a tight market, buying first exposes you to carrying two properties; selling first exposes you to rehousing in a hurry. The usual answer is to stagger the dates in the deeds: a sale with deferred possession, or a purchase promise conditional on the sale. This is a point to settle with the notary at the promise stage, not afterwards.
A question about your own situation?
Every file is different. Tell us about yours and we will tell you what applies.
Get in touch