FRIn two sentences: off-market means selling or buying a property without any public listing, by presenting it directly to qualified buyers under a non-disclosure agreement. It is neither a discounted sale nor a hidden one: the price is negotiated, the deed is notarised and entered in the land register, and taxes are due as in any other sale.
A simple definition
A property is sold off-market when it appears on no portal, in no agency window and on no sign board. The seller chooses who discovers the property: a small number of buyers whose plans, financing and identity have been checked, and who commit in writing to confidentiality before receiving the file.
The practice is nothing new: this is how many exceptional properties have always been sold, between people who know each other. What has changed is the organisation — a documented valuation, a prepared file, a circle of qualified buyers and a method that protects both seller and buyer.
What off-market is not
- Not a discount. The absence of a listing does not set the price: it is built on a valuation grounded in actual transactions in the area, then on competition between several qualified buyers.
- Not a sale outside the law. The promise of sale and the deed of sale are notarised, the transfer is entered in the land register, property gains tax and transfer duties are due as in any sale, and everyone remains bound by their legal obligations, notably on anti-money laundering (see our 2026 anti-money laundering guide, in French).
- Not second-rate information for the buyer. Whoever receives the file has the same documents as in a conventional sale — often more, because the file is prepared before any presentation.
How an off-market sale works
- A confidential valuation, on documents and on site, based on actual transactions in the area — first analysis within 72 hours.
- Preparing the file: plans, easements, permits, rent roll for a building, sensitive points — everything a serious buyer will check.
- Selecting three to five qualified buyers whose plans and financing have been checked.
- Signing a non-disclosure agreement before any part of the file is shared.
- Discreet viewings, at the seller’s convenience, with no sign board and no stream of visitors.
- Controlled competition between buyers, then negotiation.
- A single point of contact through to signing at the notary’s.
The method is the same for a prestige property, an investment property or building land; what changes are the buyers and the file — a rent roll and running costs for a building, a residual value for a plot.
Who it is for
- Owners of rare properties, for whom a public listing that finds no buyer erodes the property’s value.
- Owners of let buildings who do not want to unsettle their tenants — what we call a silent sale.
- Sellers in a delicate private situation: an estate, a separation, a change of life.
- Public figures and families who value their privacy.
- Buyers looking for what will never be published: that is the purpose of a confidential search mandate.
Advantages and limits, honestly
The advantages come down to three words: discretion, control, preserved rarity. The seller decides who sees the property and when; the sale can be paused without the market knowing; neither the property nor the seller’s situation is exposed.
The limits are real. The circle of buyers is smaller by design: everything rests on the quality of the network and the accuracy of the valuation, since no listing is there to “test” the price. And off-market does not suit every property: a seller looking for the widest possible exposure, or an ordinary property in a very liquid market, will not necessarily gain from it. Better to know this before choosing.
Five questions to ask an off-market intermediary
- How many qualified buyers do you follow, and how are they checked? At OFFER: more than 3'000 qualified buyers (as at 7 October 2026) and a circle limited to 50 co-opted professionals — figures dated and sourced on our page OFFER in figures (in French).
- Who will see my file, and in what form?
- How is the valuation built? On which transactions, with which references?
- What happens if the property does not sell? It must be possible to withdraw without leaving a trace.
- Will I get a report after each contact? Who saw the file, what was said, what happens next.
And one last question, which applies to any mandate: what is the fee, and when does it fall due? Ask for it in writing.
Frequently asked questions
What is off-market property?
It is the sale or purchase of a property without any public listing: the property appears on no portal and is presented directly to a small number of qualified buyers, who commit to confidentiality before receiving the file.
Does selling off-market lower the price?
No. The absence of a listing does not set the price: it is built on a valuation grounded in actual transactions in the area and on competition between several qualified buyers.
Is an off-market sale legal in Switzerland?
Yes. The promise of sale and the deed of sale are notarised, the transfer is entered in the land register and taxes — property gains tax, transfer duties — are due as in any sale.
How do you buy an off-market property?
Through a confidential search mandate: the buyer sets out their criteria and financing capacity, then receives matching properties first, under a non-disclosure agreement.
The vocabulary
The terms that come up in an off-market sale — non-disclosure agreement, value-enhancing expenditure, reinvestment relief, capitalisation rate, residual value — are defined in our property glossary (in French). And for the tax effect of a sale, our net-seller calculator works out what is left once tax, commission and mortgage are settled.
For a first conversation, with no commitment: a confidential valuation within 72 hours, or a 30-minute meeting in Nyon, by phone or by video call.