{"id":39157,"date":"2025-03-21T15:49:40","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:49:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fidulex.ch\/?p=39157"},"modified":"2025-04-28T14:30:57","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:30:57","slug":"what-to-know-about-buying-a-second-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fidulex.ch\/en\/what-to-know-about-buying-a-second-home\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Know Before Buying a Secondary Residence?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

What Qualifies As a Secondary Residence?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

As its name suggests, a second home<\/strong> is distinguished from the main home, where a person spends the majority of his or her time.\u00a0<\/p>

In Switzerland, a second home is usually a place that you use for vacation.<\/strong>This means that you use it for occasional visits, and that it is located in a different municipality from your own.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Secondary Residence vs. Secondary Domicile<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The second home<\/strong> differs from secondary domicile.<\/strong>In fact, these are two distinct types of housing. A secondary domicile is often used for business purposes. A secondary residence is subject to federal law LRS <\/a>whereas a principal residence is not.<\/p>

Under the LRS Act, a principal residence is any dwelling or premises occupied for a long period of time<\/strong> while art. 2 para. 4 defines a secondary residence as \"any dwelling which is neither a principal residence nor a dwelling or premises assimilated to a principal residence.\"<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Restrictions on Secondary Residences<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The cantons are obliged to avoid too many second homes and to promote other types of accommodation, such as hotels or affordable housing for permanent residents.<\/p>

In order to achieve this, Swiss municipalities must not exceed a threshold of 20%<\/strong> of second homes. Cantons are allowed to be stricter, if they so wish. In principle, dwellings used for accommodation<\/strong> tourist<\/strong> may be authorized.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Tax Considerations<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

In principle, the taxation of second homes in Switzerland is similar to that of principal residences. A second home must be included in your tax return, where it will be treated as an asset.<\/p>

In all cases, there is no tax benefits<\/a> when you own a second home, because it's seen as a privilege.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Rental Value<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

As with the main properties, the rental value<\/a><\/strong> is also valid for second homes. The rental value is considered fictitious income and is calculated on the profit that an owner could generate if he rented out the property in question.\u00a0<\/p>

If the owner of a second home rents out the property in question, he or she will have to pay part of the rental value. The canton of Berne is an exception, as only the highest rental value (that used for direct federal taxation) is also applied for cantonal taxation of second homes.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Property Gains Tax<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

As with the sale of a principal residence, when you decide to sell a second home, you will have to pay property gains tax <\/a>if you make a profit (i.e. if the sale price is higher than the purchase price of the property).<\/p>

If you've owned your second home for a long time, the tax on the property gain will be lower. If, on the other hand, you sell your property shortly after acquiring it, the tax will be much higher. You may also be required to pay a speculation surcharge.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t