Hi,

I'm in the process of learning the caveats in buying real estate here. I tried to look on the forum but haven't found the exact answers, so I would be grateful if anyone either comment on my questions below or direct me to the posts that answer them.

1. I've been looking at a few apartments in VD and FR. When asking banks for their assessment, they always need a plot number. Why is it so important (I guess it provides some info for the evaluation model the banks use) and does anyone knows what information is in the plot number? I understood that the plot number is always included into the details of the property, but sometimes it is possible to find on the website of the commune.

2. In both locations CS and UBS were much more reserved in appartments' evaluations than, say, BCV. Moreover, in Lausanne BCV guy was very enthusiastic about an apartment which UBS guy told me was 20% overpriced. And the apartment ended up sitting on the market for a month or so which I reckon confirms the point of UBS. Is it always the case?

3. From what I've read the best properties do not make it to the announcements at all (naturally!). Thus I would gather that reasonably priced properties go fast and do not need "wide" advertising. I've seen properties that existed for 1 day on anibis and then disappeared forever (and were sold). Therefore if I see a property that is marketed by many realities (but not for long time yet) -- does it signal that the property can be overvalued and the seller wants to throw as wide net as possible? Back in US a property would have MLS listing number and then the number of real estate agents was not that relevant.

4. In all my contacts with the banks and even realties they assume that the prices are negotiable and actually suggest that I bargain with the seller. It more reminds me about US where the initial price's usually only indication of the upper bound of the purchase price. My initial impression from reading the forum was the prices are rarely negotiable here. Am I wrong or it is a recent phenomenon?

I would naturally like an input from real estate agents, I know they read the forum as I got a few spam pms from them :-). I apologize for a long list of questions, just hope that someone could clarify them for me and they would be useful to other people as well.

Thanks!
KTZV