Selling property in Arth: figures and rules

Official statistics on prices paid are missing for Arth. The Canton of Schwyz does not collect them by municipality, unlike the Canton of Zurich. What portals quote for Arth are asking prices, not prices paid.

What is on record is the stock: Arth has 2,202 buildings with residential use in the Schwyz district. 987 of them are single-family houses, or 44.8%. The cantonal figure is 48.2%. Arth ranks 7 of 15 in the Schwyz district. In total, Arth has 6,174 dwellings. 48.0% were built before 1981, against 46.5% in the canton. 9.8 hectares of 250.3 hectares of building zone are undeveloped, or 3.9% (as of 2022). For the share of undeveloped zone, Arth ranks 23 of 29 in the canton.

The price of your house in Arth depends on location, plot and building, measured against similar sales. The free assessment gives you a written price range with its reasoning.

Arth-Goldau station is a development priority area under the cantonal structure plan. The Arth municipal council leads it, and the canton sits on the steering group.¹³ In 2018, the cantonal government wrote that the station area would become the main public transport hub in the inner canton. It expected this once the new Alpine rail link fully opened.¹³ Half-hourly direct trains towards Zurich, Lucerne and Ticino were planned from 2021.¹³

The station square was set to change as well. In 2017, Arth planned an open-air bus station with five step-free stops. It also planned an underground car park with 60 short-stay spaces and the demolition of the post office building.¹³ The cantonal government held out a 40 per cent cantonal contribution. This remained subject to a decision by the cantonal parliament.¹³

For owners in Arth and Goldau, this means proximity to the station carries particular weight here. Anyone selling should know which plans exist around the station and how far they have been carried out.

In Arth, 1,056 of 2,202 buildings with residential use date from before 1981. That is 48.0%. Among the 30 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 14, counting from the highest share. In the Schwyz district: rank 9 of 15. Arth therefore has a higher share than the canton at 46.5%. Compared with Arth, the figure in Schwyz is 50.8%.

In Arth, oil or gas heats 989 buildings with residential use, 44.9%, against 45.3% in the canton. Among the 30 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 11, counting from the highest share. In Arth, a smaller share of houses uses oil or gas than in the canton.

Records of heating, roof and windows therefore belong in the sale documents for Arth. For owner-occupied homes in Arth, the imputed rental value and the maintenance deduction end on 1 January 2029.¹ Whether a renovation in Arth still pays off first is covered in Renovate or sell.

Arth has 12,616 residents. 2,352 of them, 18.6%, are 65 or older, against 20.4% in the canton. Among the 30 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 20, counting from the highest share. In the Schwyz district: rank 9 of 15.

On 1 June 2026, 18 homes in Arth were empty, 0.29% of the stock, against 0.50% in the canton. Among the 30 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 12, counting from the lowest vacancy. In Arth, rented and owned homes are counted; the figure does not show how many houses are for sale.

The tax rate, municipality and district of Arth is 145%. Among the 30 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 9, counting from the lowest tax rate. How Arth compares for the same income and wealth is shown in the municipality atlas. By public transport, Zurich HB is 40 minutes away from the Arth-Goldau stop, with no change.

In the Canton of Schwyz, property gains tax rises from 8 to 30% of the gain.² The holding period also counts. Under four full years, a surcharge applies. From five full years, the tax falls by 10%, then 3 points more per full year. After 25 full years, the reduction reaches 70%.²

Sell your owner-occupied home, and a replacement purchase defers the tax on application.³ You need a new home in Switzerland, usually within four years before or after selling.³ Deferral applies only as far as the proceeds flow into the new home.³ Deferred does not mean waived: sell it later, and the deferred gain counts again.³

The canton has no property transfer tax, only fees for the notary and land registry.^{4 5} The transfer fee is around 0.09% of the transfer value, charged per started value band. Above a very high value, it is halved on the excess.⁵ Smaller registry fees apply.⁵ Only the official notary of the district where the property wholly or mostly lies may notarise it.⁶