Real estate investment:

The chart  highlights how, as far as the Swiss market is concerned, over a period of 20 years, a real estate investment has been significantly more profitable than any other form of traditional investment.

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What you need to know to calculate the possibility of financing your own home:

 

Own capital:​

The minimum equity capital required for the purchase of a home is 20%

(25%, if income-based)

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Equity capital can consist of the following elements:

- Money

- Pledge-free real estate and securities

- Advances paid (rents) in a rent to own contract

- Capitali available on Life policies,  3. pillars, storage plans

- Available capital on the 2nd pillar (BVG)

- Own works

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Sustainability of financing

(financeability):​

According to the interbank regulation, a loan for a primary home can be granted only if the charges of all the loans do not exceed 1 / 3 of the applicant's (generally gross) income. (this is the reason why small credits or private leasing considerably reduce sustainability (financeability).

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In the case of the purchase (or construction) of a house with several apartments, any rents that would be collected are considered as "additional income". In the calculation for sustainability, some institutions add them to the gross disposable income, others subtract them from the financing costs. (being able to rent a part of the property you buy could significantly increase your sustainability)

The cantons and communes generally orient themselves on the basis of federal tax deductions as regards the type of deduction. As for the amount of the deduction, however, as also for  the tax rate, there are big differences.

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Use of funds from the 2nd pillar:​

The law on occupational pensions (BVG) considers the primary residence as a form of pension.

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It is possible to withdraw what is available on the 2nd pillar for home ownership, for its purchase, depreciation, renovation or construction.

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The advance withdrawal is subject to a separate and facilitated taxation, equal to 1/5 of the ordinary taxation.

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It is possible (and advisable) to make up the pension gap that arose with the withdrawal, through additional payments made over the years, both with the 2nd and 3rd pillar.

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LIMITS TO WITHDRAWAL GENERALLY IN FORCE:

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1. Withdrawals are only possible for the primary residence.

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2. It is not possible to use the own capital from the LOB for "the first 10%" of the own capital entered for the purchase of the house (the first 10% must be from another source).

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3. At least CHF 25,000 must be available on your 2nd pillar account.

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4. A maximum of one withdrawal is possible every 5 years.

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5. Over i 50 years of age, it is possible to withdraw only one part of the available capital (50%)

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6. If you are married, the withdrawal is possible only with the authorization of the spouse.

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Buying with rent to own:

What is rent to own?

Rent to own is a rental contract combined with a right to purchase (generally with a maximum duration of 5 years). In this way, the rent paid (or part of it) is treated as "paid-up equity" and deducted from the purchase price.

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In Switzerland there are currently few real estate developers who grant this possibility, for those who do not have their own capital, it is nevertheless an excellent means of establishing it;  

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1. With a normal lease, what you pay each month is lost

2. With a rent to own contract, you have the ability to capitalize on what you pay for rent

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