Buying a chalet or apartment in Verbier to rent out

Verbier, the most expensive property market in the Alps

Verbier regularly tops the Alpine rankings, notably in Knight Frank's Alpine Property Report, and the Swiss financial press recently crowned it the most expensive resort in the Alpine arc. Depending on location and standard, expect between 20,000 and 30,000 CHF/m² for a quality property, and over 40,000 CHF/m² for the best-located luxury properties — a record level in the Alps. A well-placed 2-bedroom apartment thus changes hands for several million francs, a premium chalet for considerably more.

These prices come down to a simple equation: deep international demand (British, Scandinavian and Middle Eastern guests loyal to the resort) set against frozen supply — the Lex Weber has prohibited the construction of new conventional second homes in Val de Bagnes since 2013. This structural scarcity protects the capital invested: in Verbier, you are not just buying a rental yield, you are buying a rare asset on one of the most liquid markets in the Alps.

Lex Weber when buying: the three questions to ask before signing

1. Does the property benefit from grandfathered rights? A dwelling built or authorised before the Lex Weber came into force in 2013 can be used freely: as a primary residence, second home, year-round rental or short-term rental. It is the most sought-after status — and it commands a premium. Almost all of Verbier's existing housing stock benefits from it.

2. Does the property carry a tourist-use designation? New dwellings authorised after 2013 in a commune above the quota may only be built under certain conditions, for example as dwellings designated for tourist accommodation: an entry in the land register then requires them to be rented out on the tourist market. For a rental investor, this status is not a flaw — it is even consistent with the project — but it restricts personal use and resale.

3. Are you subject to the LFAIE (Lex Koller)? Buyers domiciled abroad may only acquire a holiday home in Switzerland in designated communes and within cantonal quotas, with floor-area limits. Foreign nationals domiciled in Switzerland and Swiss citizens living abroad are subject to different regimes. The structure of the acquisition must be validated by a Valais notary before any purchase commitment.

Where to buy in Verbier for strong rental performance

Médran: the foot of the main lifts, the most liquid sector of the resort. Apartments less than 5 minutes' walk from the gondola achieve the best occupancy rates and a price premium of 20 to 40%. It is the rational choice for the yield-focused investor.

Place Centrale and the village centre: the commercial heart, ideal for 1- to 2-bedroom apartments targeting guests who want everything within walking distance — restaurants, bars, boutiques, shuttles. An excellent trade-off between purchase price and rental potential.

Savoleyres / Les Esserts: the family-friendly side, close to the beginners' snow garden. Chalets with gardens perform well here for February family stays and long summer stays, at entry prices more accessible than Médran.

The hamlets (Le Hameau, Sonalon, Patier): the luxury segment. Peaceful chalets with unobstructed views of the Combins, the highest nightly rates in the resort, and a demanding clientele served by a full concierge service. A high entry ticket, but income at the top of the market.

Realistic yields: what short-term rental really earns

Depending on standard and location, a property in Verbier generates between 15,000 and 120,000 CHF in gross rental income per year: 15,000 to 35,000 CHF for entry-level, 30,000 to 70,000 CHF for a well-located mid-range property, 60,000 to 120,000 CHF for the high end. A 4-bedroom chalet 5 minutes from Médran, rented at 800 to 1,500 CHF per night in the winter high season and 400 to 700 CHF in summer, regularly achieves 140 to 170 rented nights and 80,000 to 120,000 CHF in annual income.

Let us be transparent: measured against purchase prices, this income represents a moderate gross yield in percentage terms — as is typical of prestige markets. Investing in Verbier should be assessed as a total return: rental income covering all or part of the running costs and financing, personal use of your property whenever you wish, and appreciation of a rare asset protected by the supply freeze. From the gross income, deduct the tourist tax (passed on by guests), the co-ownership charges, maintenance and the management commission — ours is 25% of the net amount, with no fixed fees and no lock-in.

Verbier's dual seasonality — a strong winter from December to April, a growing summer driven by the Verbier Festival and mountain biking — secures the income plan across the year, where purely winter resorts depend on four months of season.

Renting from day one: the concierge service's role in your yield

A property bought in Verbier only becomes a profitable asset if it is put on the rental market quickly and well. Between signing and the first booking, several workstreams run in parallel: furnishing and equipping to the standards of an international clientele, professional photography, creating multilingual listings on Airbnb, Booking.com and VRBO, setting up dynamic pricing and welcome procedures. Entrusting this launch to a local concierge service means gaining one or even two seasons of income that many new owners lose by organising everything themselves from a distance.

Day to day, the same logic applies over the long run: pricing aligned with the resort's peaks (the festive season, February, British school-holiday weeks), hotel-grade cleaning and linen, preventive maintenance and tourist tax administration. During the free audit, we quantify a conservative income potential for the property you are targeting and detail the service that makes it achievable — so that your purchase decision rests on realistic figures, not promises.

Our buyer support service

Buy-to-let success is decided before the signature: a poorly chosen property cannot be rescued by good management. Our buyer support service analyses every property you consider from an operating perspective: regulatory status (grandfathered rights or tourist-use designation — see our guide to regulations in Verbier), rental potential by neighbourhood and property type, works and amenities that make the difference (spa, ski room, terrace), and an income projection based on real market data. Once you are the owner, our Verbier concierge service takes over: your property starts producing from its very first season.