Home search services in St. Gallen

The vacancy rate was 1.95% (1 June 2026) (FSO vacancy count, checked 21 Oct 2026), and the average net rent of a 3-room flat in the city was CHF 1,211 in the pooled years 2021 to 2023, against CHF 1,253 across the canton (Kanton St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026).

A purchase goes through the city's Grundbuchamt, which prepares the contract from the parties' details, notarises it where needed, keeps the land register in three districts (St. Fiden, St. Gallen and Bruggen) and assesses the transfer tax (Stadt St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026) (Stadt St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026). The transfer tax is a municipal tax of 1% of the purchase price, owed by the buyer with the seller jointly liable (Kanton St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026). The registry fee is 2 per mille of the price up to CHF 2 million plus 0.5 per mille above it, between CHF 200 and 10,000, and the rates double when the registrar also notarises the deed (Kanton St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026).

Buyers who count as persons abroad under the Lex Koller apply to the Grundbuchaufsicht of the cantonal Amt für Gemeinden und Bürgerrecht at Davidstrasse 27, after the land registry has checked the file in summary (Kanton St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026). A main home at the place of residence can be bought without a permit, a purchase just before moving needs a ruling first, and the home has to be occupied within six months, or two years in justified cases (Kanton St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026).

Newcomers register with the city's Bevölkerungsdienste in the Rathaus within 14 days (2026) (Stadt St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026), or online through eUmzugCH for moves within Switzerland (Stadt St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026). Foreign nationals arriving from abroad register before starting work, bring their permit and passport, and pay a processing fee at the counter; the cantonal Migrationsamt at Oberer Graben 38 deals with the permit (Stadt St.Gallen, checked 21 Oct 2026). See registering at your commune.