1) Purchase procedure for a holiday home
Once the client has made his choice, the procedure is as follows :

a) To complete a civil status questionnaire

b) To sign a Power of Attorney which states :

• the name and full address of the purchaser(s)
• the location of the plot and/or name of the chalet
• the number of the apartment and preferably its size and its floor
• the number of the parking bay (if applicable)
• the detailed sale price : price of the apartment, land or chalet
• + price of the parking bay (if applicable)
• + price of any furnishings (if applicable)

= Total Sale Price

c) To provide copies of each vendor’s passport or identity card duly signed. The signature of the vendors on the copy of the passport or identity card must be authenticated by a Notary and if possible with an official stamp.

These documents (a, b, c) are normally completed and forwarded to the Notary by our office.

Only once all these documents (see a, b, c.) have been received will the notary take the following steps :

1. Sign a sale contract or conditional sale contract (acte de vente ou vente à terme conditionnelle).

2. Apply for the authorisation to purchase on behalf of those who are not resident in Switzerland.

No request can be made until the sale contract has been signed. The administrative time taken to obtain the authorisations is usually two to three months from the date the application is submitted. Longer if the annual quota has been fulfilled.

Once the authorisation has been received from the cantonal department and ratified by the Federal authority, the Notary will sign the transfer document requisition to the Land Registry on the basis of conditional sale.

There is no need to worry about not receiving an authorisation to purchase as long as the future owner does not own another property in Switzerland and the size conditions have been fulfilled.

An official notary (practising in the Canton of Vaud) will act for both the vendor and purchaser. He will complete all the documents required for the legal acquisition and will protect the interests of both parties.