You Can Afford It. That Doesn’t Mean You Can Buy It - The Truth About Buying Property in Switzerland with Peter Bloemsma
- Julia Tatje
- 29. Apr.
- 2 Min. Lesezeit
The One Where the Dream Property Comes With a Permission Slip
The mountains are perfect. The infrastructure works. The idea of having a place here feels grounding. And then comes the sentence no one expects: you are actually not allowed to buy that.
In this episode, Julia Tatje sits down with Peter Bloemsma, founder and Managing Partner of Swiss Advisory Services, to pull back the curtain on why buying a holiday home in Switzerland is far more restricted than most internationals expect and why understanding the rules early is the only thing that gives you back control.
Peter has been guiding international clients through Swiss real estate since 2009, combining global perspective with deep local expertise. He has heard every version of the wishlist. Freestanding chalet, ski in ski out, seven bedrooms, garage for five cars. And he has had to explain, more than once, that the problem is not the budget. It is the law.
In this Episode
Lex Koller explained: the protective framework that shocks even well-prepared buyers
Who can buy what, where, and how much: the 1,500 annual permits, the 200m2 net limit, and why cantonal quotas matter
The building stop since 2012
Residents vs. non-residents: why your Swiss permit type changes everything
The company workaround myth: why it does not work the way people think
What the Swiss tax return looks like when you own property here but live elsewhere - including the worldwide income surprise
What actually shifted demand over the last decade: global warming, remote work, Covid, the strong franc, and the Plan B mentality
Where taxes quietly enter the picture, and why late planning makes everything harder
The Bottom Line
Internationals looking to buy in Switzerland: Affordability is not the bottleneck. Permission is. The sooner you understand Lex Koller, the sooner you can plan around it rather than be stopped by it.
Anyone who has heard about company structures as a workaround: This is one of the most persistent myths in Swiss property. Lex Koller looks at the private person, not the company. Commercial property is a different conversation entirely.
Non-residents who already own property here: Switzerland will ask you to file a tax return and may require you to declare your worldwide income and assets, not just the property. It is manageable, but only if you do not ignore it.
For everyone: Good decisions start with honest conversations, ideally before you fall in love with a property you may never be allowed to own.
Host and Guest
Julia Tatje - Swiss tax specialist for internationals. Founder, taxum AG.
Peter Bloemsma - Founder and Managing Partner, Swiss Advisory Services. Guiding international clients discreetly and strategically through Swiss real estate since 2009.
Swiss Advisory Services - swissadvisoryservices.com
Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterbloemsma/
Listen und Connect
→ Website: https://www.taxum.ch/
→ LinkedIn: Julia Tatje - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-tatje/
→ Blog "Tax and the City": https://www.taxum.ch/blog
→ Podcast "Tax and the City": https://youtube.com/@tax_and_the_city?si=YE6SgrVTCu4pBUsc
→ Contact Julia: https://www.taxum.ch/kontakt
→ Contact Peter at Swiss Advisory Services: swissadvisoryservices.com
Song: InRp - Golden Hour Music provided by Vlog No Copyright Music.
Video Link: InRp - Golden Hour (Vlog No Copyright Music)
This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Always consult a qualified tax professional regarding your individual situation.
