Buying in Zurich? Here is what to check.

Before you make an offer, do three things in parallel. Get a financing confirmation from your bank, because the affordability calculation decides what you can actually buy. Request the building documents from the seller or the Verwaltung: the Grundbuchauszug, the Reglement, the last three years of Stockwerkeigentümerversammlung minutes, the Erneuerungsfonds statement and the GEAK. And book an independent inspection before the public deed, because in Switzerland the warranty is almost always contractually excluded and what you did not check becomes your cost.

There is no legal requirement, but the Swiss purchase contract usually excludes the seller's liability for defects. That means the condition of the building becomes your problem the moment the deed is signed. An inspection before you commit is the only point at which the information can still change the price or the decision. A Red Flag Check from CHF 750 covers the deal-breaker questions; a full survey from CHF 1'450 prices every defect.

They are the same thing described in different languages. 'Home inspection' is the North American term, 'building survey' the British one, and 'Baugutachten' the German and Swiss one. ABC Experts carries out the inspection to the same standard and issues the report in English or German, whichever you need for your bank, your lawyer or yourself.

Yes. Alice Carpenter inspects in Zurich and reports in English or German. Every finding is photographed, rated and costed in Swiss francs, and the document review covers the German-language Protokolle and Reglement so you do not have to read them yourself. The report is accepted by banks and can be used in price negotiation.

A Red Flag Check starts at CHF 750 and answers whether there are deal-breakers, with a traffic-light report usually the same day. A full building survey starts at CHF 1'450 and prices every defect for repair, including a review of the sale documents. A remote document review alone is CHF 250. Prices are fixed and agreed before booking.

The Erneuerungsfonds balance against the age of the roof, façade and heating, because an underfunded reserve means a Sonderumlage lands on you. The minutes of the last three owners' meetings, where disputes and planned works appear. The age of the heating system. Damp in the cellar and in external corners. The floor area against SIA 416, because listings routinely overstate it. And the Reglement, which governs what you may actually do with the flat.

It is the owners' joint reserve for future renovation. A common rule of thumb is annual contributions of 0.5 to 1 per cent of the building's insured value. If the fund is underfunded and a roof or façade renovation is due, your share arrives as an extraordinary contribution, regularly in the five-figure range. Checking this is often worth more than the inspection costs.

Normally at least 20 per cent of the purchase price, of which at least 10 per cent must come from your own funds rather than your pension. Banks then test affordability using an imputed interest rate of around 5 per cent plus roughly 1 per cent for maintenance and running costs, plus amortisation, and the total must not exceed one third of your gross income. Purchases fail more often on affordability than on equity.

This is governed by Lex Koller. With a C settlement permit you have the same rights as a Swiss citizen. With a B residence permit you may buy a primary residence at your place of residence without authorisation; second homes and holiday flats require one. Without residence in Switzerland there are substantial restrictions. Clarify your own case with the Notariat before making an offer.

For existing properties the statutory warranty is almost always contractually excluded. An exclusion is only invalid where the seller fraudulently concealed a defect, which is hard to prove in practice, and claims relating to buildings lapse five years after transfer of ownership. This is the single strongest argument for inspecting before the deed rather than after.

Often not. Swiss floor area is measured under SIA 416, and what counts as living space is narrower than most listings imply. Balconies, cellars and sloping ceilings are treated differently from what buyers expect. On a Zurich price per square metre, a discrepancy of a few square metres is a five-figure difference in what you are paying for.

We reply within one working day with available Zurich dates. The written report follows within 24 hours of the inspection, with photographs, traffic-light ratings and repair cost estimates. If you are under an offer deadline, say so when you enquire and we will tell you honestly whether it can be met.