No wonder why. Interesting site below:

http://bustthatbubble.blogspot.ch/

Interesting blog. You may want to spread it to other french and/or english speaking forums and web sites.

This said, not sure it's needed - currently banks are the ones that are dragging prices downward by not giving out loans at initial asking prices. Buyers become aware of this and start to lower their offering prices, etc.

Banks want to avoid an external regulator (such as FINMA and the national bank) to activate measures such as the 'volant anticyclique' which is a kind of nuke bomb for mortgage (and other) loans.

Agree and thanks. Unfortunately demand is still too strong despite all the warning signs. People are not afraid to pay unreasonable prices and take huge risks just to keep up with the Joneses. Many speculators pushing "crappy" real estate at unsustainable value.

Can you give some real examples, those links had a lot of blabla but I didn't find any concrete prices

You just have to take the time to understand the registrar data.

Random example, in Versoix: (removing personal information such as exact name / address, which are available in the register!)

15.08.2012 - Versoix - Affaire 2012/[...]/0 - Prix total de l'affaire: Fr. 1'300'000.--. Achat(01) - Ancien(s) propriétaire(s): [....] depuis le [...]. - Nouveau(x) propriétaire(s): [.....], cop. 1/2 chacun, Bien-fonds Versoix/[...], 646 m2, Avec bâtiment(s): Habitation à un seul logement, [...], Chemin des [....] 1290 Versoix.

This corresponds to this ad (Comparis keeps historical ads, no pictures but rest of the data still there)

https://fr.comparis.ch/immobilien/marktplatz/detail-archive.aspx?id=6351800

So asking price: 1.49M CHF, sales price: 1.3M CHF. Difference = 190K CHF or a 12,75% discount.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that.

Note that the difference between asking prices and transaction prices matches the downturn in Geneva area announced by NAEF at the last glocals seminar on real estate:

http://www.glocals.com/forums/geneva/where-how-in-geneva/Buying-real-estate-in-Geneva-116542.htm

Sergio, Thanks.  So it seems the sellers are playing a game of discounting instead of decreasing prices outright giving the appearance that the market is stable.

Hi, Any reasonable person who has some basic knowledge of buying and selling real estate should know that negotiation is possible. That is standard practice and something applied to automobiles also.  Remember also that many properties are on the market for a long time so sellers will be more flexible over time.

Playing some kind of detective game on Swiss real estate seems quite petty in my view. Perhaps apply some common sense.

Sergio is providing valuable information that the room for negotiation is in the range of 10 to 20%. Lets please not let personal interest get in the way of these helpful posts.

Real Estate prices appear to be dropping in Geneva. Asking prices are now between 20% and 30% above resonable selling (market) prices. This information is based on my assisstance to peopel in about ten real estate transactions in Geneva in the past 18 months (early 2012 to October 2013).

Also note, as is common elsewhere, people selling their own homes themselves, not through a real eastate agent seem to ask more (towards 30%) over market price, than do real estate agents. Although if you can trim the 3% to 5% commission off what a real estate agaent asks you can come out about even.

Note my services are provided free of charge to clients I represent as a lawyer in another country or countries. I am always happy to assist people seeking property in Geneva on an ad hoc basis and only ask that anyone that beneifts from my advice consider donating to one of the (non-profit) NGOs with which I am associated.