Property Due Diligence Before You Buy: The Source-Backed Checklist
Before you buy a property in Switzerland, it pays to take a systematic look at the public registers: What's recorded in the land register (Grundbuch)? What public-law restrictions on landownership (PLR cadastre, ÖREB) apply? What building zone is the parcel in, and is the site listed in the cadastre of contaminated sites? This checklist walks you through the review step by step — and names the official source for every fact.
This page explains publicly accessible registers and does not constitute tax, legal, construction, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for legal or tax questions.
A large share of the facts about a property are public and free to look up — you just need to know where. Registers reflect the recorded status; they aren't always the truth on the ground. That's why alpflo shows the source of every fact along with one of four honesty states, instead of asserting a number that only looks certain.
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1 · Read the Land Register Extract
The land register extract (Grundbuchauszug) shows ownership, easements (Dienstbarkeit) — such as rights of way, utility easements, or building rights — and mortgages/liens. You order it from the land registry office (Grundbuchamt) in the canton where the property is located. Check which encumbrances transfer with the parcel.
On recordSource: Zurich Cantonal Land Registry (zh.ch) · Easement (Dienstbarkeit)
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2 · Check the PLR Cadastre (ÖREB)
The cadastre of public-law restrictions on landownership (PLR cadastre, ÖREB) bundles the binding restrictions — zoning, building lines, water-body setbacks, noise sensitivity levels. The extract is available free of charge through the federal portal.
On recordSource: PLR Cadastre (cadastre.ch) · ÖREB
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3 · Clarify the Building Zone and Floor Area Ratio
The building zone (for example residential zone W2 or W3) and the floor area ratio (FAR) determine what can be built or expanded on the parcel. It's set by the municipal land-use plan and shown in the PLR cadastre.
On recordSource: PLR Cadastre (cadastre.ch) · Floor Area Ratio (Ausnützungsziffer)
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4 · Check Contaminated Sites (Altlasten)
The cadastre of contaminated sites (KbS) records locations with possible environmental contamination. A listing doesn't automatically mean "requires remediation." If nothing is listed, that's an honest statement — "nothing recorded," not "guaranteed clean."
None recordedSource: Contaminated Sites (BAFU)
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5 · Assess Water Protection and Noise
If the parcel lies within a groundwater protection zone (S1–S3), use restrictions apply. The noise sensitivity level (for example ES II) sets the permissible noise exposure — relevant for renovations and additions.
On recordSource: Water Protection (BAFU) · Groundwater Protection Zone S3
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6 · Read the Building and Energy Data (GWR)
The Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings (GWR) provides the year of construction, building category, number of units, and heating and energy data. This information is reported as stated in the register, not asserted as fact — it can differ from the actual condition.
On recordSource: Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings (BFS) · GWR
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7 · Read Modeled Context — Don't Overweight It
Public-transport service quality (ÖV-Güteklasse, © ARE) and rooftop solar potential (© SFOE) are derived from models, not read directly from a register. Useful for context — but labeled "modeled," not officially confirmed.
ModelledSource: Public-Transport Service-Quality Classes (ARE) · ÖV-Güteklasse
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8 · Put Value in Context — Don't Estimate It
A register value or insured value (Versicherungswert) isn't the purchase price. alpflo deliberately doesn't provide an estimate — that's the domain of specialized providers. The registers help you put the asking price in context, not determine it.
alpflo deliberately does not cover natural hazards (flood, landslide, rockfall, avalanche), estimated values, or heritage protection (Denkmalschutz) status. That's a deliberate scope decision, not a register gap.
Every fact in an alpflo report carries exactly one of these states — so you can see at a glance what's documented and what isn't.
Confirmed in an official Swiss register. Direct source.
Register queried; nothing on this parcel. The absence is documented.
Derived from a model or an API: real, but not directly from the register. Please verify.
Hit an edge case. Stated honestly at the boundary, never silently discarded.
Which registers should I check before buying?
At least four: the land register (Grundbuch) for ownership, easements, and liens; the PLR cadastre (ÖREB) for binding restrictions on landownership; the municipal land-use plan for the building zone and floor area ratio; and the cadastre of contaminated sites (Altlasten). Also check the Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings (GWR) for construction and energy data.
Where do I find the PLR cadastre and the land register extract?
The PLR cadastre is available free of charge for all of Switzerland through the federal portal cadastre.ch. You order the land register extract from the land registry office (Grundbuchamt) in the canton where the property is located; it usually carries a fee, and full access is sometimes restricted to authorized parties.
Does this checklist replace legal or tax advice?
No. This page explains publicly accessible registers and does not constitute tax, legal, construction, or financial advice. For a binding assessment of a specific purchase, consult a qualified professional.
Does alpflo cover natural hazards like flooding?
No. Natural hazards (flood, landslide, rockfall, avalanche) are deliberately excluded. alpflo focuses on register and cadastre data with documented sources.
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