Selling property in Thal: a low tax rate, a new townscape inventory

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

What is on record is the stock: Thal has 1,781 buildings with residential use in the Rorschach constituency. 1,185 of them are single-family houses, or 66.5%. The cantonal figure is 59.2%. Thal ranks 3 of 9 in the Rorschach constituency. In total, Thal has 3,627 dwellings. 52.1% were built before 1981, against 58.9% in the canton. 17.7 hectares of 358.5 hectares of building zone are undeveloped, or 4.9% (as of 2022). For the share of undeveloped zone, Thal ranks 54 of 75 in the canton.

For a single house in Thal, location, plot, age and condition count, measured against comparable sales. You receive a written price range with its reasoning in the free assessment.

At 89%, the tax rate of Thal is among the lowest in the canton of St. Gallen. It ranks 9th of 75 municipalities. The zoning map and building code have applied since 1 May 2014, according to the building code on the municipal website.¹⁵ Its edition of 1 January 2017 still rests on the cantonal building act of 1972.¹⁵

At the same time, the municipality has drawn up a new townscape inventory. It comes with its own protection ordinance. The 2023 public consultation brought around 160 responses.¹⁴ On 7 August 2026, the municipality reported that the council had approved a first batch. The rest will follow in stages, once the remaining specialist checks are complete.¹⁴

For older houses in Thal, the new inventory can set what must be kept on the facade or roof. Before a sale, it is worth asking whether a house is listed. It also helps to know which parts are to be protected.

In Thal, 928 of 1,781 buildings with residential use date from before 1981. That is 52.1%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 47, counting from the highest share. In the Rorschach constituency: rank 6 of 9. Thal therefore has a lower share than the canton at 58.9%. Compared with Thal, the figure in Rorschach is 83.7%.

In Thal, oil or gas heats 1,069 buildings with residential use, 60.0%, against 50.0% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 19, counting from the highest share. For many houses in Thal, heating is therefore on the agenda.

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

Thal has 7,217 residents. 1,539 of them, 21.3%, are 65 or older, against 19.9% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 26, counting from the highest share. In the Rorschach constituency: rank 5 of 9. Compared with Thal, the figure in Rorschach is 18.4%.

On 1 June 2026, 38 homes in Thal were empty, 1.05% of the stock, against 1.16% in the canton. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 49, counting from the lowest vacancy. For Thal, the figure counts all homes; it does not measure houses on the market.

The municipal tax rate of Thal is 89%. Among the 75 municipalities in the canton, that is rank 9, counting from the lowest tax rate. It applies to income and wealth; the municipality atlas compares all municipalities. By public transport, Zurich HB is 103 minutes away from the Thal, Löwen 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