Go  |
New |
Find |
Notify |
|
Reply |
|
Admin |
New PM! |
|
Hi Scottie_m,
Am really sorry, my knowledge is based on new build construction costs I'm afraid.
Sorry I can't help further.
Hi mdaws,
We've got to pay ours later this year. I'll check with my business partner and will post as soon as I hear from them. Sion probably is the best bet.
Cheers
|
| |
|
New Member
|
Thanks anyway Topper.
|
| |
|
New Member
|
I've had two posts deleted and I don't know why. The posts just said that we had finally been given permission to sell and if anyone knew of someone interested to contact us.
Does anyone know why they were deleted?
|
| |
|
Mod of all Ye Surveys
|
quote: Originally posted by Loup:
I've had two posts deleted and I don't know why. The posts just said that we had finally been given permission to sell and if anyone knew of someone interested to contact us.
Does anyone know why they were deleted?
We’re sorry but, for your own safety, we do not allow users to give out any kind of personal contact information or anything that would enable another forum user to find out who you are/where you live. This includes msn IDs, email addresses, phone numbers, exact places of work etc. You may think you know the people you are chatting to on the forum, but you do not know the many thousands of casual guests who wander the forums and can read what you post. |
| |
|
|
Loup has achieved something which I'd understood to be impossible in Swiss Law. Unfortunately, the details have been removed by moderator vahvahvoom, so, now I (and everyone else) have no chance of seeing the what they posted, which may have provided the "how".
|
| |
|
New Member
|
Well it's not 100%. This is the situation.
We were told it couldn't happen and then we were put in contact with a Notary who disagreed. After much to'ing and fro'ing we gave her a letter from both our accountant and my doctor. She (claims) that she has provisionally been given permission by the Commune due to our circumstances (financial hardship an illness) but that the official process means we need to find the buyer before we can submit the official request and therefore get offical permission.
When we have queried whether we will actually get permission she has got quite cross and said we should trust her!!
So, I was hoping to drum up interest in the chalet but the moderators won't let me post enough details.
Fingers crossed. All we can do is get a buyer and hope she knows what she is talking about.
|
| |
|
New Member
|
Loup
I fear you may have greatly offended your notary.
In my experience many swiss take personal honour very seriously. Perhaps your doubts reflect more the decline in standards in England than it does on yourself or the swiss notary.
I'm sure there will be dodgy people in legal services in Switzerland as there will be everywhere but personally I would take the word of a Swiss over that of an English person anytime.
Good luck and I hope I'm proved right!!
|
| |
|
|
Loup, I wish you the very best of luck with the sale of your chalet. Personally I would ask your Notary lots of really pointy questions, you have a right to know, you will be paying them.
My personal experience of a Swiss Notary is that mine was a bit too laid back, and when I wanted information she could not be bothered to respond. So I emailed the canton directly, they responded, and I then sent the reply to the Notary's office.
I hope she was suitably embarrassed.
|
| |
|
New Member
|
Scottie, I think that we did greatly offend our notary but we grovelled a lot and she seems ok now!!
Ski fan, If we did that she would probably have nothing more to do with us and considering she agreed to help us when other notaries refused, that's not a risk we're willing to take.We will trust her word.
If anyone knows anyone that wants to buy in Less Collons please post on here and we'll find a way of getting the info across.
Thanks
|
| |
|
New Member
|
I think that's the best way Loup. Hope it all goes through smoothly.
|
| |
|
|
Loup, you are in a totally different situation to the one we found ourselves in. We were mired in on the permit list, lacking any hard information about when (if) we were ever going to complete. Our Swiss Notary added to our stress by not answering our phone calls and not responding to emails. The buying process, and experiences elsewhere, have made me think that Customer Care as a concept is not part of the Swiss business model. If this situation arose again, I would do exactly the same....or alternatively use a different Notary  Good Luck with the sale. |
| |
|
New Member
|
Ski fan,
The notary that we used to buy the chalet was a nightmare. He never responded to our emails. However, we have a great bank manager over there and he seemed to have more influence than us and acted as an intermedary for us a lot of the time. We were lucky that we bought a second hand chalet with an exisitng permit so the hoops were not as many to jump through. But still we bought the place in April but didn't get the deeds until November, even though we were paying the mortgage and using it (how does that work!!)
That is why we have used a different notary to sell. She responds to us very quickly so I am prepared to put up with her fragile ego!!
On the whole I agree with you about the Swiss (except our bank manager who has been fantastic). I am very unimpressed with Swiss bureacracy and the way they keep everything close to their chest so you don't know what's going on.
If we are ever in a position to buy a chalet again in the distant future, I would not buy in Switzerland again. A beautiful country but infuriating with it!!
|
| |
|
New Member
|
It is strange to have bought a place in Haute Nendaz (cash purchase, no mortgage), and nearly 2 years later know that we still don't 'own' it. We've refurbished it, have enjoyed the income from renting it out, have been there countless times ourselves - and yet it's still not quite ours.
Due of course to the endless back-log of final deed ratification which is par for the course. In moments of London stress it irks me, but then having got to know a bit about how the Swiss authorities work - slowly, very slowly - it's all OK somehow. We've met the notary who'll be writing to us when the final paperwork eventually comes through, and this trust thing whilst not coming naturally to us in England, seems to work over there. They know us, and we know them. Our estate agent's son has attended our residents AGM in our absence, for example.
So we love the place, visit often, and wait patiently for some extraneous piece of paper that will tell us we are 'officially' the owners.
To anyone else in this position - fret not. The Swiss hate confrontation (just a bit less than tardiness) so it strikes us that the fuss we English are capable of making should anything go pear-shaped really isn't something that they'd wish to endure.
Rosied
|
| |
|
New Member
|
I would second those sentiments Rosied. We felt anxious for a while about the lack of email contact but everything was going ahead safely without our intervention. Rosied, I noticed you mentioned refurbishing your chalet. I have to do the same with mine - it's been neglected on a south facing slope and the temperature extremes coupled with lack of maintenance has wrecked the balcony ( which I plan to replace next year) and left the outside wood walls in need of repainting. It do you have any experience with the wood treatments / varnishes that are appropriate? The chalet is dark brown and one builder suggested it might be best to take it down to bare would and put a light finish on to reduce the effect of the sun. I'm going next week and dithering over what to do when I get there.
|
| |
|
New Member
|
Well, an update.
We found a buyer and the authorities have approved the early sale of the chalet. Hooray! (but we're not allowed to make any profit though). Still can't quite believe we actually got the permission in the end.
Fingers crossed the exchange happens on the 1st August and then we just have to wait for our capital to be released once it has been cleared from land registry. We're hoping that doesn't take too long as it took 7 months when we bought it and it seems unfair for our money to be sat in a Notary's account for that long.
Been a bit of mare really, worse than buying, not least because the Swiss Authorities don't recognise UK solicitors, not even to witness our signatures, so we've had to find a UK Notary, which was expensive, and the UK and Swiss Notaries clashed a bit.
Hey ho. Like I said fingers crossed that it should all now go through. We're are just so relieved that we have been given the official permission to sell.
I wish you all the very best with your homes in Switzerland, it is a beautiful country. For us, we will never buy in Switzerland again as it is bureacracy gone mad!! In fact it has put us off owning a second home anywhere. Next time we buy abroad it will be to go and live there (and it won't be in Switzerland)!
Bye!
|
| |
|
New Member
|
Does anyone know how to find out about zoning laws? We're looking into buying a plot in Val d'Anniviers area and have heard conflicting advice on whether we can build on 70%, 40% or even only 30% of the land.
|
| |
|
New Member
|
quote: Originally posted by Loup:
Well, an update.
We found a buyer and the authorities have approved the early sale of the chalet. Hooray! (but we're not allowed to make any profit though). Still can't quite believe we actually got the permission in the end.
Fingers crossed the exchange happens on the 1st August and then we just have to wait for our capital to be released once it has been cleared from land registry. We're hoping that doesn't take too long as it took 7 months when we bought it and it seems unfair for our money to be sat in a Notary's account for that long.
Been a bit of mare really, worse than buying, not least because the Swiss Authorities don't recognise UK solicitors, not even to witness our signatures, so we've had to find a UK Notary, which was expensive, and the UK and Swiss Notaries clashed a bit.
Hey ho. Like I said fingers crossed that it should all now go through. We're are just so relieved that we have been given the official permission to sell.
I wish you all the very best with your homes in Switzerland, it is a beautiful country. For us, we will never buy in Switzerland again as it is bureacracy gone mad!! In fact it has put us off owning a second home anywhere. Next time we buy abroad it will be to go and live there (and it won't be in Switzerland)!
Bye!
|
| |
|
New Member
|
quote: Originally posted by Loup:
Well, an update.
We found a buyer and the authorities have approved the early sale of the chalet. Hooray! (but we're not allowed to make any profit though). Still can't quite believe we actually got the permission in the end.
Fingers crossed the exchange happens on the 1st August and then we just have to wait for our capital to be released once it has been cleared from land registry. We're hoping that doesn't take too long as it took 7 months when we bought it and it seems unfair for our money to be sat in a Notary's account for that long.
Been a bit of mare really, worse than buying, not least because the Swiss Authorities don't recognise UK solicitors, not even to witness our signatures, so we've had to find a UK Notary, which was expensive, and the UK and Swiss Notaries clashed a bit.
Hey ho. Like I said fingers crossed that it should all now go through. We're are just so relieved that we have been given the official permission to sell.
I wish you all the very best with your homes in Switzerland, it is a beautiful country. For us, we will never buy in Switzerland again as it is bureacracy gone mad!! In fact it has put us off owning a second home anywhere. Next time we buy abroad it will be to go and live there (and it won't be in Switzerland)!
Bye!
Glad it all worked out in the end. Good luck |
| |
|
|
Loup, Congratulations and good luck for the future. Fingers crossed for you on 1st August. rosied, I know how you feel. We now have a permit, and were able to complete and get our keys after (only) waiting 26 months. Our seller wanted extra money from us to hand over the keys straight away, so we decided to wait. It was hard, mentally. Now we renovate!! Hmmm, money pit  Dvushka The regs may vary between the villages, even though it's now one unified commune. Either TopperT on here, may be worth contacting, or try contacting Immobilia Grimentz, or posting a question on their forum Place du Coher. If they don't "know" the answer, they will know someone who does! Another agent who may me able to give you guidance is Anniviers Immobilier, contact Remy Vouardoux. Both agencies are run by locals. Both sell building land. |
| |
|
New Member
|
Loup - sorry it didn't work out for you but glad it's sorted now.
Ski fan - not surprised to hear you had to wait 26 months. We were given the keys after 8 weeks without paying a surcharge, though still await the equivalent of the 'deeds'. I think they make up the rules as they go along depending on who the estate agent/notaire/solicitor is. Good luck with the renovation. Took us one year and we learned a great deal in terms of how the Swiss workmen prefer to work. The heated discussions about 'crepi rustique' versus 'lisse' plaster, and why we insisted upon 2mm of tile grout not their preferred 6mm will remain with me for some time!
Scottie_m, re varnishing/staining. Our chalet comprises 12 flats so as part of the 'collective' the piste-facing side of the chalet was all done at once. Sanding it down to bare wood then staining/varnishing seems the way to do it as these buildings are subject to extreme heat and cold. We'd have preferred a lighter finish than the dark nut brown though the entire building is that colour. If you get a good builder they should select the right varnish/stain - if you're doing it yourself I'd recommend taking it back to bare wood and asking a local builder what stain/varnish you should buy, and where from. DIY is a bit of a no-no in Switzerland - everyone seems to hire workmen for everything. We got some very strange looks from our workmen when we donned overalls and got stuck in - though this was probably because we were female ;-) Still, all done now and lovely to have got it done in one fell swoop.
|
| |
|
New Member
|
After some research, it seems as though the plot we are looking at in Val'dAnnivers will only allow us to build on 30%. While it's great if want a 200m chalet, I'm not sure if we can afford such a large one. I've gotten new build quotes from 3,500-4,000 to more realistically, 4,000-5,000chf for a basic build (whatever that means). The land is quite steep so I'm sure it'll cost more.
Do these seem like realistic build prices? I believe while the exterior would have to be typical chocolate box suisse for planning purposes, we would go for a modernist/minimalist interior. I've heard that area under stairs and closet/cupboard areas as well as unheated hallways and other storage spaces don't count as habitable meterage.
Originally we were looking at building a 100-120m chalet but I've been told that larger chalets also appreciate more and are more valued by purchasers and that build costs lessen per m the larger you go. We plan to keep the chalet for quite a while but need to rent it out to cover mortgage - as a smaller chalet it would be in competition with apts. in the area.
Any views on this?
Also, does anyone know how long it would take to get a permit in that area - estimates vary from 3 months - 1 year.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
|
| |
|
|
Hi Dvushka,
Re zoning of land, its quite straigt forward. Each parcel is assigned a building coefficient allowing you to build a chalet to a specific maximum size. Coefficients can be 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 etc.
For example, if you had a 1000m2 plot and it was zoned 0.2 it would allow you to build to a maximum of 200m2 on that plot. If the plot was 700m2 and zoned 0.25 it would allow you to build to 175m2 and so on.
What it sounds like is the plot you are being offered only has a low coefficient, hence you have to buy a big parcel of land. What size are you looking to build and where is the plot?
TopperT
|
| |
|
|
Hi Dvushka,
Sorry, just re-read your post and seen you've put 120m2. Whats your ideal size and budget? We maybe able to help you.
Thanks
|
| |
|
New Member
|
Have not been on here for ages. Reading Rosied's messages I had to post. We bought in Haute Nendaz also - the leaseback at Pracondu. It has been beset with legal and financial problems - none serious - but it has not dampened my enthusiasm. I love the place. Cracking little resort with just about everything. Feels like a proper town with community spirit. Cant wait for it to start snowing.
|
| |
|
|
