Selling property in Grabs: the new local plan is now in force

Anyone selling in Grabs will find no official price figure. The Canton of St. Gallen keeps no median prices by municipality; the Canton of Zurich does. What portals quote for Grabs are asking prices, not prices paid.

What is on record is the stock: Grabs has 2,401 buildings with residential use in the Werdenberg constituency. 1,490 of them are single-family houses, or 62.1%. The cantonal figure is 59.2%. Grabs ranks 5 of 6 in the Werdenberg constituency. In total, Grabs has 3,863 dwellings. 59.8% were built before 1981, against 58.9% in the canton. 9.1 hectares of 212.5 hectares of building zone are undeveloped, or 4.3% (as of 2022). For the share of undeveloped zone, Grabs ranks 60 of 75 in the canton.

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

The municipal council issued the new framework land-use plan on 30 October 2023.¹⁴ Two public displays followed, and no one called the optional referendum.¹⁴ On 21 November 2025, the cantonal Office for Spatial Development and Geoinformation approved the plan.¹⁴ The zoning plan and building code have been in force since 1 March 2026.¹⁴ Grabs is thus the first municipality in the Werdenberg region to complete its revision under the cantonal planning and building act.¹⁴

Only 21.4% of residential buildings in Grabs are heated by oil or gas. That is rank 73 of 75, counting from the highest share. Grabs is thus among the three lowest values in the whole canton.

Building work is also under way at Grabs hospital. The new Haus O reached its highest point in September 2026.¹⁵ The ground floor will house radiology, the floors above oncology.¹⁵ Work on Haus O and on the second stage of Haus S is expected to last until 2028.¹⁵

In Grabs, 1,436 of 2,401 buildings with residential use date from before 1981. That is 59.8%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 28, counting from the highest share. In the Werdenberg constituency: rank 3 of 6. Grabs therefore has a higher share than the canton at 58.9%. Compared with Grabs, the figure in Buchs (SG) is 63.5%.

In Grabs, oil or gas heats 515 buildings with residential use, 21.4%, against 50.0% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 73, counting from the highest share. Oil and gas are less common in Grabs than the cantonal average.

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

Grabs has 7,535 residents. 1,614 of them, 21.4%, are 65 or older, against 19.9% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 24, counting from the highest share. In the Werdenberg constituency: rank 1 of 6. Compared with Grabs, the figure in Buchs (SG) is 17.2%.

On 1 June 2026, 23 homes in Grabs were empty, 0.60% of the stock, against 1.16% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 26, counting from the lowest vacancy. In Grabs, rented and owned homes are counted; the figure does not show how many houses are for sale.

The municipal tax rate of Grabs is 100%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 17, counting from the lowest tax rate. It applies to income and wealth; the municipality atlas compares all municipalities. By public transport, Zurich HB is 82 minutes away from the Grabs, Post 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