Norms
Shares in exchange-listed real estate companies can be freely traded – including by persons abroad.
Persons abroad are prohibited from acquiring residential real estate in Switzerland.
To prevent a real estate company from being regarded as a person (i.e. entity) abroad, the company in question must ensure that the majority of voting rights and shares are held by Swiss nationals or EU/EFTA citizens resident in Switzerland.
As soon as a person or company abroad acquires – either alone, or together with other persons abroad – a sufficiently large number of shares in a real estate company to enable influence to be exerted over management or administration, the company in question may no longer acquire residential real estate or building land suitable for housing.