Selling property in Pfäfers: many residents aged 65+

Anyone selling in Pfäfers will find no official price figure. The Canton of St. Gallen keeps no median prices by municipality; the Canton of Zurich does. Portal values for Pfäfers rest on offers, not on completed sales.

What is on record is the stock: Pfäfers has 746 buildings with residential use in the Sarganserland constituency. 444 of them are single-family houses, or 59.5%. The cantonal figure is 59.2%. Pfäfers ranks 4 of 8 in the Sarganserland constituency. In total, Pfäfers has 1,163 dwellings. 67.6% were built before 1981, against 58.9% in the canton. 4.3 hectares of 75.6 hectares of building zone are undeveloped, or 5.6% (as of 2022). For the share of undeveloped zone, Pfäfers ranks 47 of 75 in the canton.

What your house in Pfäfers is worth follows from comparable sales, the plot and its condition. The free assessment provides a written range with its explanation.

In Pfäfers, 504 of 746 buildings with residential use date from before 1981. That is 67.6%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 11, counting from the highest share. In the Sarganserland constituency: rank 3 of 8. Pfäfers therefore has a higher share than the canton at 58.9%. Compared with Pfäfers, the figure in Mels is 58.4%.

In Pfäfers, oil or gas heats 260 buildings with residential use, 34.9%, against 50.0% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 60, counting from the highest share. In Pfäfers, 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 Pfäfers. For owner-occupied homes in Pfäfers, the imputed rental value and the maintenance deduction end on 1 January 2029.¹ Whether a renovation in Pfäfers still pays off first is covered in Renovate or sell.

Pfäfers has 1,647 residents. 398 of them, 24.2%, are 65 or older, against 19.9% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 6, counting from the highest share. In the Sarganserland constituency: rank 1 of 8. Compared with Pfäfers, the figure in Mels is 19.2%.

On 1 June 2026, 8 homes in Pfäfers were empty, 0.69% of the stock, against 1.16% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 32, counting from the lowest vacancy. The rate for Pfäfers covers rented and owner-occupied homes, not the supply of houses.

The municipal tax rate of Pfäfers is 136%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 70, counting from the lowest tax rate. How Pfäfers compares for the same income and wealth is shown in the municipality atlas. By public transport, Zurich HB is 98 minutes away from the Pfäfers, Postplatz stop, with 1 change.

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