Selling property in Balgach: canton's lowest tax rate

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

What is on record is the stock: Balgach has 1,312 buildings with residential use in the Rheintal constituency. 888 of them are single-family houses, or 67.7%. The cantonal figure is 59.2%. Balgach ranks 9 of 13 in the Rheintal constituency. In total, Balgach has 2,577 dwellings. 55.9% were built before 1981, against 58.9% in the canton. 8.9 hectares of 164.9 hectares of building zone are undeveloped, or 5.4% (as of 2022). For the share of undeveloped zone, Balgach ranks 49 of 75 in the canton.

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

Balgach has the lowest municipal tax rate of any municipality in the canton of St. Gallen.¹⁴ That can make the village all the more attractive to buyers. At the same time, the municipality is overhauling its entire zoning framework. In November 2024, it put the new framework adopted by the council on public display.¹⁵ This includes the new zoning plan and building code. The municipal structure plan was published at the same time.¹⁵

The display ran from 18 November to 17 December 2024. During that period, those affected could lodge objections to the zoning plan and building code.¹⁵ New rules only apply once they have legal force. Until then, the previous rules still govern a sale. Anyone selling a house now appeals to buyers who value the low tax rate. That holds however far the zoning revision has got. The documents can be viewed on the municipality's website.¹⁵

In Balgach, 734 of 1,312 buildings with residential use date from before 1981. That is 55.9%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 39, counting from the highest share. In the Rheintal constituency: rank 5 of 13. Balgach therefore has a lower share than the canton at 58.9%. Compared with Balgach, the figure in Altstätten is 59.7%.

In Balgach, oil or gas heats 817 buildings with residential use, 62.3%, against 50.0% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 13, counting from the highest share. For many owners in Balgach, the heating is therefore a topic.

Anyone selling in Balgach adds records of heating, roof and windows to the sale documents. From 1 January 2029, owners living in their home in Balgach lose the imputed rental value and the maintenance deduction.¹ The calculation before a renovation is in Renovate or sell.

Balgach has 5,229 residents. 939 of them, 18.0%, are 65 or older, against 19.9% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 59, counting from the highest share. In the Rheintal constituency: rank 9 of 13. Compared with Balgach, the figure in Altstätten is 19.8%.

On 1 June 2026, 28 homes in Balgach were empty, 1.09% of the stock, against 1.16% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 51, counting from the lowest vacancy. In Balgach, rented and owned homes are counted; the figure does not show how many houses are for sale.

The municipal tax rate of Balgach is 61%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 1, counting from the lowest tax rate. How Balgach compares for the same income and wealth is shown in the municipality atlas. By public transport, Zurich HB is 101 minutes away from the Balgach, Dorf stop, with 2 changes.

The canton taxes the gain on sale, price minus costs, on a progressive scale.² After more than 15 years of ownership, the tax falls yearly, by up to 40.5% if you lived there 15 years or more.² This applies to the gain up to CHF 500,000; otherwise the cap is 20%.² Within 5 years, the tax rises.²

Selling a home you lived in permanently and exclusively can defer all or part of the tax.³ You buy a similarly used home in Switzerland from 1 year before to 3 years after the sale.⁴ Deferred does not mean waived.³

The buyer owes a 1% transfer tax (Handänderungssteuer) on the price.⁵ The seller is jointly liable; between parents and children, half the rate applies.⁵

The municipal land registry where the property lies notarises the sale contract.⁶ The registry fee is 0.2% up to CHF 2 million, 0.05% above.⁷ If the land registry also notarises the contract, the fee doubles.⁷