SWISS AUTHORITIES RESTRICT PROPERTY SALES TO FOREIGNERS in certain locations in the canton Valais

For more information on the restrictions by the authorities of canton Valais please contact us: info@swissgetaway.com

For their press release click on: www.vs.ch 

You can find hereunder a translation of the document aimed for media, translated by  Babel fisn (Altavista.com) We cannot accept any responsibility in the information in the document and in its translation.

Sale of second homes the abroads the Government calms the play and encourages the communes to take measures (Ventura SYSTRAN Interface). - Were worth saw an explosion of the sales of second homes to foreigners, without measurement with the annual quota of authorizations which is allotted to him.

The Council of State intends to remain credible towards the Confederation and to follow a durable policy of development. It thus decided to suspend in seven communes touched by overheating and for twelve months the stipulation of any sale contract émargeant with the quota. The Government incites the local communities in addition to envisage a limitation suitable with their situation. It finally charged the responsible committee with fixing the directives for the attribution of the quota 2007.

In the communes of Grimentz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Hérémence, Bagnes, Riddes and Val D' Illiez, the stipulation of new acts or commitments to sell concerning an acquisition of bearing building on residences of holidays to people to charge abroad to the quota will be suspended for twelve months as of January 1, 2007.

There will be however no complete blocking, since the sale from abroad with foreigner as within the framework of a complete project filed in before January 1, 2007 will be always possible.

Measurements in the medium and long term This measurement has as a top priority to limit in the medium term the legal insecurity reigning between the moment of the stipulation of the notarial act and that of its inscription to the Land register. In these communes, withdrawal periods higher than three years make very difficult the management of the quota. They will however continue to receive units, in order to sponge the delay and to restore an acceptable situation. In the longer term and in a development prospect durable, the Government invites the communes to envisage provisions of regulation, preferably by the means of their regulation on construction and through their payment on acquisition of buildings by people abroad.

The canton has on its side made up in December 2005 a working group which has just presented his report/ratio on the control of the development of the second homes Were worth some. It integrates a complete range of measures which could be proposed with the communes. The Service of the regional planning also works out proposals. Some 1' 000 files on standby on the whole of the canton On the basis of legislation relating to the acquisition of buildings by people abroad, Were worth it annually has 310 units for the residences of holidays and the units in apparthôtels.

In 2007, some 60 units will be assigned to a cantonal reserve intended for the judged projects of decisive importance, for the manufacturers of residences in a apparthôtel or with retailers of residences in multipropriété. The balance of the quota will be distributed between the tourist areas according to criteria's establish by the Ad hoc committee. With at the end of December 2006, some 1' 000 files will be on standby on all the canton. That represents on average a withdrawal period higher than 2 1/2 years. It is in Were worth French that one finds the situations most critical. The image of the canton is concerned: - the legal insecurity for the purchasers related to withdrawal periods increasingly longer delivers a message of uncertainty to the attention of our hosts. - Were worth, which always defended the idea that it is able to control its development, must show coherence. It must anticipate and avoid any seizure in a field which must remain cantonal competence. Nothing to make come down deliver a message of irresponsibility to the federal attention of Bern. - the Government follows a durable policy of development. It fights against the cold beds. Nothing to make come down deliver a message of impotence.