Our values
Clear answers on selling, buying and renting in Geneva, without the jargon.
Valuing a house in Switzerland depends on location (municipality, view, quiet), living area and plot, the overall condition of the property and recent comparable transactions in the same area. A reliable valuation combines several methods: market comparison, intrinsic value and potential rental yield, rather than a simple price-per-sq-m calculation. In Geneva, price differences between neighbouring municipalities can be significant, which makes a local valuation more accurate than a generic national tool.
A property sells quickly when the asking price matches the real market, without an excessive negotiating margin that puts off serious buyers. A complete file from the moment it goes on sale (documents, surveys, quality photos and visuals) avoids the delays caused by administrative back-and-forth during negotiation. Availability for viewings and wide exposure on the relevant portals also speed up contact with qualified buyers. Preparing the property before it goes on sale, with home staging or small targeted works, can also shorten its time on the market by making it more appealing from the very first viewings.
Switzerland does not require a mandatory technical survey file before a property sale, unlike France. The seller nevertheless remains subject to a general duty to disclose known defects in the property, failing which the buyer may bring a claim after the sale. A cantonal energy certificate may be required depending on the property and the canton, and it is advisable to check this case by case before putting the property on the market.
The basic documents are the land registry extract, the cadastral plan, the mortgage certificate if the property is still encumbered by debt, and the building insurance certificate. If the property is condominium-owned (PPE), you also need the PPE regulations, the latest minutes of owners’ meetings and the statement of charges. The notary handling the sale deed will confirm the exact list depending on the property and the canton.
A reliable broker holds a cantonal real estate broker licence, has verifiable client reviews and a practical knowledge of the local market rather than a generic sales pitch. The terms of the mandate should be transparent from the first conversation: duration, exclusivity or not, fees and the services actually included. A serious service also offers an objective assessment of the property before it goes on sale, going beyond a simple price estimate, to identify what can genuinely increase its value.
Choosing an agency in Geneva depends on objective criteria: detailed knowledge of municipal specifics (PPE, development zones, local regulations), a genuine network of qualified buyers rather than a mere presence on the portals, and transparency on fees and the duration of the mandate. Agencies that offer strategic value enhancement before a property goes on sale, coordinating architects or engineers to identify the works that genuinely add value, stand out from those that limit themselves to advertising listings. Millenium Properties builds its service on this approach, with expertise concentrated on Geneva’s upmarket municipalities.
In Geneva, the most visited portals are Immoscout24 and Homegate, complemented by Comparis and ImmoStreet to widen visibility. For high-end properties, listing on international portals (Mansion Global, Le Figaro Propriétés) reaches wealthy foreign buyers that a local listing alone does not. The quality of visuals (HD photos, video, virtual tour) matters as much as the choice of platforms in the number of qualified enquiries generated.
In Switzerland, an exclusive sales mandate can be terminated at any time under the Code of Obligations, but in practice you must comply with the conditions set out in the contract signed with the agency. Most mandates include an irrevocability period, generally three months, during which termination is not possible. Once this period has passed, the owner can terminate the mandate by sending a registered letter with 15 days’ notice. The mandate does not renew automatically when it expires. Before taking any steps, it is advisable to read the contract clauses carefully, in particular those concerning duration, notice and the conditions for early termination in the event of inadequate service.
To sell a house without a broker in Switzerland, the owner must handle the entire process: price valuation, preparing the property, assembling the sales file, writing the listing, organising viewings, negotiating, and then attending the notary for the authenticated deed. The sales file must include a land registry extract, the property plans, the title deed and the mandatory technical documents, such as the cantonal energy certificate. The listing can be published on portals such as Homegate, ImmoScout24 or Newhome. Only 12% of property sales in Switzerland currently take place without an agency, which reflects the complexity of the process, particularly for price valuation and negotiation. Using a notary remains compulsory in every case, even for a sale between private individuals.
Look for a fiduciary firm or tax practice that explicitly offers IBGI (property profits and gains tax) among its services, with tax lawyers and strong experience in the canton where the property is located.
Where to look: fiduciary directories (e.g. fiduciaires.ch), cantonal property directories, or recommendations from your notary, broker or PPE manager.
What to check before appointing: recent IBGI experience in your canton, who signs the return (tax expert or lawyer), whether they can handle an appeal, and fees (fixed or hourly).
The right time depends mainly on the buyer’s personal situation: job stability, available deposit (at least 20% in Switzerland, of which 10% must be hard equity) and the ability to carry mortgage costs over the long term. On the market side, mortgage rates and the price level in the target canton affect the total cost of the purchase, but trying to predict the bottom of the market is risky and rarely reliable. Spring and autumn traditionally bring a wider supply of properties in Geneva, which widens the choice without guaranteeing better prices.
The choice of an agency for a purchase depends on its real knowledge of the target local market (price dynamics vary greatly from one canton to another, sometimes from one municipality to the next), on transparency about properties that are genuinely available rather than already under offer, and on its ability to guide the buyer through the regulatory points specific to Switzerland (LFAIE for foreign buyers, PPE specifics). A serious agency also informs you about the true condition of the property and any works to be expected, rather than limiting itself to the sales presentation of the listing. Millenium Properties supports buyers in Geneva with this approach, particularly for high-end properties.
Portals such as Immoscout24, Homegate or Comparis let you filter listings by municipality, budget and floor area, with automatic alerts as soon as a new property matching your criteria is published. Most reputable listings include HD visuals, a virtual tour and direct contact details for the agency or owner, so you can arrange a physical viewing before making any decision. An online platform makes searching and getting in touch easier, but it does not replace viewing the property and checking the documents before signing.
The CECB, or Cantonal Energy Certificate for Buildings (GEAK in German), is an official document that rates a property’s energy performance in Switzerland on a scale from A to G. It is based on three criteria: the efficiency of the building envelope, overall energy efficiency and direct CO₂ emissions. The CECB must be issued by a certified expert listed on the official national register managed by the Conference of Cantonal Energy Directors. It costs between CHF 500 and CHF 900 for a basic certificate and remains valid for ten years. There is also an extended version, the CECB Plus, which adds an advisory report with costed renovation proposals.
The CECB is not mandatory in every Swiss canton when a property is sold. It is required in the cantons of Vaud, Fribourg and Jura, where it must be provided to the buyer before or at the time the sale is concluded. In Geneva, however, the CECB is not mandatory for the sale or construction of a building: the canton favours a different indicator, the heat consumption index (IDC, indice de dépense de chaleur), which applies to buildings with at least five heat consumers. The CECB is still useful in Geneva for preparing a renovation, accessing energy subsidies or enhancing a property’s appeal on the market.
