Posts Tagged ‘french property’
Successfully Buying Property in France – Part 1 of 2
January 18, 2012 | 
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French property buying guide for buyers
Researching Property.
Spend some time thinking about:-
What location are you looking for?
Weekendable or half-terms and main holidays?
Within reach of a ferryport or near to an airport?
A mild, warm or hot summer climate?
A mild winter climate or snow and skiing?
Near the coast, rolling countryside or mountain views?
Town, village or rural?
What type of property are you looking for?
A holiday home, a permanent home, income producing or
“get-away-from-it-all”?
Lots of land and lots of upkeep or a small garden and low maintenance?
A restoration project (and the end of carefree holidays)
or renovated and more expensive – bear in mind that property prices in France are cheaper because land is
cheaper, building and restoring costs can be as expensive as in the UK.
Personal use or space for gites
- they say the average gite can make £4,000 per year but a lot depends on number of bedrooms,
off season use (central heating) and marketing, etc, and there are running costs to consider.
Choosing your Property.
There are two methods of choosing your property.You either choose a SPECIFIC property from
our website database (which is automatically updated as and when we are informed of changes) or you choose
the TYPE of property that interests you.If you choose a specific property, you MUST be prepared to drop
everything and get to France as quickly as you can. Whilst we employ the speed of the Internet to keep you
informed and to update our systems, ensuring we are always ahead of printed brochures and magazine adverts
(which have a minimum 4 week leadtime), it should be appreciated that because in France the buyer pays the agency fees
rather than the seller (as in the UK), some owners will put their properties on the
books of more than one French Estate Agent and whilst every effort is made to ensure availability with
our offices, it could be sold by another agent the day after an appointment is made. This is true for everybody
working with French properties.
If you choose the TYPE of property that interests you then this is not a problem.
The Viewing Appointment.
You can have an organised itinerary, reasonable journeys each day and good “value for money”
accommodation waiting for you each night or you can skid up and down the country exhausting yourself – and
France is a big country.Trying to squeeze in 3 or 4 appointments a day, an hour here, a late arrival there
might seem like the best way to cover ground – but mostly, that’s exactly what you’ll achieve – covering ground
and you won’t endear yourself to the French agencies.
Once we understand the property TYPE you’re seeking and the amount of viewing time you want us to
fill, we brief the agents in your chosen area(s). They confirm availability of a number of suitable
properties and we book the amount of time necessary for you to view the selection. This can range from
half a day to 2 full days, depending on the number of properties to see. We then arrange the whole itinerary
into the most efficient travel and accommodation circuit, ask you to confirm that
you are free to accept the appointments and, finally, firmly confirm your appointments with the agents
concerned.
If you are not free to accept the appointments, if you’re waiting for other agency confirmations,
if you have “rest” days in mind, please tell us beforehand. It is far more
preferable to accommodate your needs from the start than begin cancelling confirmed arrangements later.
Having numerous agencies tripping over each other, producing double bookings and cancellations, might
seem like the best way of organising your trip but you really are reducing your chances of success and
when you need to return to France for a second time, you may find you’re not treated as seriously as
you’d like.
We at http://www.frenchways.com maintain over 3000
properties on our website and our offices have over 35,000 more on their books thus ensuring there is always
a selection of the type you like, available for you to view.
Grace Turner is a Director of www.mortgage-calculator-group.com [http://www.mortgage-calculator-group.com] – the website for mortgages in Europe.
For more information about living in France plus thousands of properties for sale throughout France visit www.frenchways.com
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#1 Market For Overseas Property – France
With the Spanish property market in sharp decline, France is the number 1 destination for Overseas Buyers. Why France? Traditionally a stable market, with varied landscapes, cultures, style, gastronomy and climate. France has weathered the financial crisis and is emerging strongly from the recession. Although property prices dipped last year during the global crisis, the market has picked up and investors are looking for bargains.
Easy access with many airports distributed across the country, fast train tavel from North to South and a network of autotoutes, France is open season for property buyers.
If you have a budget at the lower end, then there are plenty of renovation projects in the North and rural areas of France. Bargains from 20,000 euros can still be picked up but do expect to invest on the renovation work!
Plots of land abound throughout France, so with building costs at about 80,000 euros for a 3 bed property you can pick your location! Land prices are more expensive in the South.
At the other of the scale there are luxury villas in Provence (where you can still negotiate a good discount but act early before the market takes off), and chateaux. If you fancy a bit of luxury, then consider a chateau. Chateau from 200,000 euros can be discovered – chateaux are found all around France.
In general terms, property prices increase from North to South. So expect to pay more in Provence especially on the coast – but even rural Provence can throw up bargain prices. The Languedoc-Roussillon still offers the Med Coast at attractive prices. Further inland you can enjoy the south’s climate in the Midi-Pyrenees. Spectacular scenery at modest prices!
More help and tips: French Property Guide and the latest French Property for all budgets.
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Buying A Property In France – Pleasures And Pitfalls
Buying a property in France should be a pleasure, an absolute joy, but too often people come here short on information. When you’re talking about the sort of serious money a house costs, of whatever size, it’s up to you to take due care. If you end up choosing a French house that’s got problems you’re the one who has to live with it.
So how can you take the pitfalls out of buying a French property?
Well first off, learn to speak French. I don’t mean be fluent in the language, we certainly weren’t, but learning a few words and phrases will do a couple of things. It will increase your confidence when dealing with people – and the French will recognize it. They’ll also treat you better because you’ve taken the trouble to make the attempt, however haltingly. The French are big on being polite and speaking their language is the ultimate example of this.
They’ll also be wary about what they say. Now don’t get me wrong, the French aren’t all out to pull the wool over your eyes when you’re out searching for your French property, but if they know you can’t speak the language some of them, a minority, might say things they wouldn’t otherwise. Speaking a bit of the language puts you on their level.
No, it’s not easy, but it is worth it.
Now no amount of expertise in French is going to have you understanding the processes and paperwork for buying a property in France. It will certainly help, but you need to do some research as well. The French do love their paperwork.
Fortunately the internet is a great help. There are dozens of sites offering advice on French property buying, French mortgages, Notaires (kind of a solicitor but not), in fact every facet of finding and buying your place in France.
Make sure you check multiple sources though. It is clearly in some people’s interests to promote certain things or give particular information. It’s not necessarily deceptive but a lot of them are doing this for a living, after all.
Then eventually you’re going to find yourself here in France. You may or may not have the help of an interpreter, consultant or an English-speaking agent. It’s another area you need to research. Interpreters and consultants can be a big help but they can also be expensive. What services are they offering? Would a French estate agent be doing a lot of these things anyway? These are the sort of questions you need to ask.
And when you’re buying a property in France what checks do you need to make on the building? What about planning regulations? Rights of access? For instance, if it’s a rural property does a local farmer have any rights? Does the local maire have a right to buy? It’s the sort of thing that exists in France that you may not be aware of.
None of this information is hidden from you. None of it is secret or particularly difficult to find out but the French property buying system is different so you need to make sure you know what’s going on. A French agent may quite understandably assume that you know what you’re doing. Their French clients would, why not you?
However, they are also very helpful. If you don’t know, ask. If you’re not sure, ask again. Re-phrase it perhaps. French property agents get well paid, make them work for it!
In general, to turn pitfalls into pleasures when buying a property in France, all you have to do is ask questions and make sure you understand the answers. It’s easy to get drawn into the atmosphere and the excitement and forget common sense. Don’t. This is far to big a decision to be made without all your wits about you.
Jeff Seems is an Englishman living in France. He is author of The French Property Buyer’s Guide which is vital reading for anyone thinking of buying a property in France.
For info and six free lessons to learn French, try Rocket French.
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Sell Your Property in France
Selling a French Property For whatever reason you have decided to sell your home in France. Perhaps you are moving to another house or even a different country. Selling a house is always a big decision and can be very stressful. However, the decision has been made but how are you going to sell your property in France?
Immobilier and Notaires
The traditional routes are through Immobilier (estate agents/Realtors), Notaires or Privately. In France Immobilier do charge about 5% commission for their services. Their fees are added to the price – so the published price will include the Immobilier fees. Note the legal or Notaire fees are not typically included (this is not always the case). The Immobilier will market your property – using newspapers, magazines, websites and email lists – arrange viewings, negotiate and offer support!
Do It Yourself
However, a growing number of individuals are marketing their property privately – advertising in various media. At 1st for French Property we have seen a big explosion in the number of people using this route. The French (or expat foreigners including the English) see the English speaking audience as a hot market. Of course, marketing privately you can offer the property at a more attractive price (saving the estate agent’s commission)!
Increasingly private individuals are choosing to advertise their property on French Property websites – typically you will be able to describe your property fully with photos and contact information. You must be prepared to answer all enquiries, arrange viewings and conduct negotiations. The legal transaction will still have to go through Notaire – but that it is usually at the expense of the buyer.
You will find some inquiries are bizarre, the odd scam from Nigeria, and you may be more enthusiastic about your property than perhaps an Immobilier and “sell” the property better to potential buyers.
Tips
- Describe your property in as much detail as possible – including all rooms with room dimensions
- Describe the garden, land, & outbuildings in detail
- Photos: your photos need to be clear and bright (be careful with interior photos – they often appear dark). Good photos will sell your property for you.
- Describe the location – what attracted you to the area, local restaurant and bars, sights to see, etc.
- growing number of people are emigrating to France – they will want to know about locations of schools, shops and health services
- How to get your property – nearby airports, rail stations, bus services
Spend some time thinking about how to sell your property in words and photos. It can be fun so sell your property in France today!
Howard Farmer
1st for French Property
Selling French Property
#1 French Site for selling your French Property – over 500 private French Sales available. From plots, renovations to luxury villas in Provence
Buying a French Property in France from La Giraudiere Charente S W France
Buying a French Property in France from Charente Property S W France
You may be looking for either a town house, farmhouse, land, barn or Lake in France then once you have decided on the property you will start on the process of purchasing that property. In this article, we explain the order of events as you go down the road to completing your purchase for that dream home in France.
In 99 % of cases it is the buyer who pays all the fees. The estate agents fees and the notaire’s or solicitors fees. The notaire’s fee including the property deed register is about 10% of the purchase price. If you found your property through a French estate agent then you would have certainly have had to sign up with that agent and as a consequence you will have to pay there fees which should have been outlined in the agreement that you originally signed with them.
Beware when you view a property via an French estate agent because they will insist that you sign with them an agreement that if you buy a property that is listed with them they are entitled to the fees. Remember there is nothing to stop you finding the property and dealing direct with the seller which can save you quite a tidy sum of euros.
Many websites are now offering classified ads for property in France one worth a visit is http://www.lagiraudiere.com/property/ Here you will find both private classifieds and adverts from estate agents in France. Ok lets continue on the basis that the agent found you your French home. In france you will be asked to sign apromise de vente which is a bidding contract between you and the seller. Within this contract you can state reasons for pulling out i.e subject to seeing the plans of the property, you can also insert conditions like subject to you receiving a French mortage. You may also have further developement plans for the property and again this contract can be used to say subject to you receiving planning permisssion for your proposed project. Another good request is to say subject to the property being cleared of all it’s rubbish ( I know of people who have had to pay thousands of euros to have barns cleared out or even lofts cleared. This is where you will start to learn that the French love paper work and demand copies for all sorts of documents. You will need a copy of your passpost, a copy of your birth certificate (The full one not the small one) You will also need copies of your mariage certificate and divorce papers if applicable. If you are financing your purchase with a mortgage then you will need copies of the paper work. The compris de vente normally takes up to four weeks to arrive and it will be in French allthougth some notaire’s and agents will supply an additional copy in English. If you are not sure about any of the contract then seek profesional advice before signing.
You may be asked to deposit a 10% holding deposit upon signing the compromis and if after signing you decide to with draw then you will lose your deposit unless the reason is for one of the conditions that you laid down i,e you cannot get a mortgage or the plan of the property is not what you saw and so on. Likewise if the seller decides to sell to some one else for a reason other than was stated in the contract he will have to pay you 10% – not bad. The solicitor (Notaire) is responsible for insuring that certain inspections are carried on the property you are buying prior to completion. These inspections will be for termites and other wood eating bugs, Lead and asbestos checks. If you are buying a relatively new house then it may be well worth asking for a copy of the builders invoice as this carries a ten year guarantee in France.
Similar the vendor would have a COUNSEL CERTIFICATE which would have been provided once the property was hooked up to mains electric, this certificate would show that the wiring conformed to French standards and was safe. The notaire will also ask for the plans cadastre for the property you are buying and will check that the boundaries are marked. If you are buying a piece of land or property that was once part of a larger section then a new plan cadastre will be drawn up and new parcelle numbers given to your plot. A property survey does not exists as such in France and you would be better off asking a local builder to survey the property for you. Remeber if you are buying some 200 year old stone French farmhouse then there will be work to be done and do not think otherwise. Do not ask the estate agent to recommend a surveyor or builder as he will probably send some one he knows will not loose his commission. Instead ask at the town hall or Maire to recommend a local builder or other expats to recommend some one. Remember the estate agent will loose a lot of money if you pull out. There also exist some very good magazines which have classified ads from English surveyors residing in France who can help.
The sale completion signing is held in the solicitors or notaire’s office and it’s usual for the buyer to be there, but if you can’t be, you can arrange a power of attorney for it to be signed in your absence. Make sure that you have your deposit in place in France and also that your mortgage has been agreed. If you miss the completion date you will lose your deposit. On the day of the signing be sure to go and view the property one final time prior to signing to ensure that everything is has you expect. The estate agent can arrange this and it is not unusual. When you sign your acte de vente you will be asked to write in French sold as seen so make sure you have seen it.
It’s not unknown for problems to arise even at this late stage with regard to fixtures and fittings for example all the light switches and power points may have been removed. If you would like to see more article and information on the region of south west France then visit http://www.lagiraudiere.com
Charente has become the new goal for those searching a property overseas in France. To read more on Charente visit http://www.lagiraudiere.com/charente_south_west_france.html .
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France Property Search – How to Find Your Ideal Property Location in France
When searching for property in France that old, number-one rule of “Location, Location, Location” should never be forgotten. Even when “following your dream” you still need to be practical to make sure you pick a property on the right side of the tracks.
It’s not always possible to do a tour of France, so here are my best ways to find an ideally located property in France using the internet.
First and most important: list your lifestyle needs – what must your new French property be convenient to and what must it be far away from? This will be your reality check later when you’re being seduced by a property’s ‘stunning views’ or a ‘magnificent farmhouse kitchen’ or the suave estate agent. This list will stop you from making big mistakes.
Be precise. Don’t list: near a school, an airport, a grocery shop and a golf course, if you actually mean: a school within walking distance, an international airport within an hour’s drive, a grocery shop with a big enough selection to keep three fussy kids happy and a golf course we can afford. Prioritise the list.
Next, use the internet to discover town names and areas that suit your lifestyle needs first. With you’re lifestyle needs identified, you’ll be able to perform more effective searches on the property websites later and save a lot of time by only focussing on properties that are in locations that match your lifestyle.
Spark up your favourite search engine and tape your lifestyle list to the side of your screen. Get a cup of tea or a glass of your favourite French wine because good research takes time – it will pay off in the long run.
You goal is to match your lifestyle needs list. Try searching for “schools within walking distance in southwest France” or “affordable golf courses central France”. Search with the words you have written down on your lifestyle list. Remember, you’re still looking for location information. Don’t be sidetracked by lovely French property photos.
Once you’ve started to identify regions that might be suitable, you’ll start to learn the names of major towns in the area. Pull up a Google map, zoom in and note the names of surrounding villages, suburbs, etc. then try searching for specific information on those. You’ll be surprised how much you find. There are a lot of good places to live in France.
Don’t be afraid of French information websites. Even if you can’t read any French at all there are still words and data lists – you don’t need to be a linguist to work out what’s being said. Using French phrases or words in your search can also help you to avoid the more flowery “travel-log” descriptions on English websites. Use your French-English dictionary and practice your language skills as well.
A good source of local info is the ‘Mairie’ (town hall) in practically every town or village. Most of them have websites, so if you think Blagnac, near Toulouse, is a contender, just search for “Blagnac Mairie” or “Toulouse Mairie”. These sites often have current information on schools, cultural and sports activities, population, new road systems, market days, photos, crime rates, etc.
Try searching for “France forum” or ” expatriate sites France” to read what people who live there already are talking about and pose questions to them. Angloinfo.com or Totalfrance.com for example cover most regions of France. They have forums, classified ads, etc. in English.
Now that you’ve identified suitable locations, use English-speaking sites to start your property search. But don’t forget the French sites for even more property choice. There are over a million properties for sale or rent in France and most are not advertised on English-speaking sites. You should never let language difficulties limit the properties available to you.
Search for French based property sites using those town names and the new French words you’ve learned. For example, “town name + immobilier” will give you the real estate agents specialising in the area, or simply search for a house for sale with “maison à vendre Toulouse”. You’ll find more properties and be able to compare prices.
So where are we? Make a list of your lifestyle needs first. Use internet search to identify locations that match those needs. Then start searching for your new property in France using both English and French based websites for maximum choice. In that way, you’ll save a lot of time, money and frustration, avoid mistakes and enjoy your ideally located French property much faster.
Based near Toulouse, France, Ronald Smith is a partner in the company Purchase in France, creators of the http://www.breeze-france.com French property search website. Breeze-france.com offers a unique lifestyle location search and FREE language assistance to help you easily access more properties direct from French advertisers, in English.
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Finding Property in France by Train
Across the whole of the overseas property market, agents and developers are being forced to drop their prices, offer free extras and more generous term to potential buyers in order to attract interest in the properties they are selling. One place that this doesn’t seem to be occurring quite as much as elsewhere is France, where some projects are still in such demand as to have construction started early and where off-plan sales are still exceptionally strong.
Of course, this is not true across the board, and there are areas of France where property prices are declining, interest from overseas investors has dried up and the prospects for the market picking up in 2009 are looking increasingly slim.
As with any investment opportunity in the current economic circumstances, property overseas needs to be able to be as efficient as possible for the buyer – in terms of letting ability, viability as a second or permanent home, and for selling on at a later date.
Add to this the fact that all airlines are currently under increased economic pressure, and it makes sense if you are looking to buy in France to consider locations which are easy to reach via the extensive rail network across the country. Rail travel in France is alive with contradictions – local trains often seem to run on little or no timetable, most of the rolling stock is old and unreliable. On the other hand, the TGV network is the pride of the French railways and the envy of Europe. The high-speed trains are very rarely late, technologically-advanced, and provide rapid, easy transport between cities. In contrast to flying on most low-cost airlines, traveling by TGV is one of the most pleasant ways to reach your French destination.
Once you have made it to Paris on the Eurostar (the closest the UK comes to a TGV-style system), some destinations can be reached without even changing trains. Eurostar operates a winter ski train heading directly to the Alps as well a summer service to Avignon in the south, allowing UK visitors direct access from St Pancras to their destination in France. However, outside of these seasons, the French TGV system is but a short hop across Paris on the métro.
And then we come onto the properties in France that are bucking the trend for discounts. The important thing is that they should be usable for the full year, instead of the more seasonal properties that have been popular in other parts of Europe. This means either being in as location that is visited across the year, or in a city that has rental prospects for the full 12 months of the year.
The Alps are particularly well set up for year-round tourism. It doesn’t automatically follow that property in a ski resort will be a great investment for summer rentals as well, but in the case of the Alps, the local tourist organizations have spent time and money on making sure a full range of summer activities are catered for.
Perhaps it is partly for this reason that projects like Les Ecrins Etoilés, a small development of 65 apartments within three chalets built on the site of a former garage in the heart of the village of Samoens, has sold 60 per cent of the properties before building has even started. The project is being built using traditional stone masonry techniques from the seventeenth Century and local forest timbers.
The other option to make your property in France work hard for you is to look at investing in a city apartment. Immediately, thought will turn to Paris, but even with the current price reductions seen in all European capitals, it is still expensive for the properties on offer. At one of the major TGV stations in France, Marseille offers an exciting mix of city living and Cote d’Azur relaxed lifestyle, and with the development work that is going on in the city, should be a great investment for the future.
Marseille’s location, with beaches, the old port and its daily fish market, and the hills behind, provides the backdrop for a city adapting to the modern age. La Canebiere, the city’s main street, and home to the busy Marche du Capacins, has recently been dug up for the installation of new tramlines and the whole port district is undergoing a facelift. This makes the renovation of the original buildings, designed by France’s pre-eminent architect Haussman, particularly attractive, as they are situated in the heart of the city. The redevelopment of these buildings is delivering high-quality living to the city, at prices significantly less than in Paris. Prices range from 3,600 to 4,500 per square metre on the Rue de la Republique, putting the cost of an average two-bed apartment on the Rue de la Republique of 82m2 at 295,200 (approx. £276,500). On the Quai de Jolliette prices are from 5,000 to 6,000 per square metre (two-bed apartment of 73.47m2 facing the sea, 411,432 or around £385,500).
Pauline Felward is an expert in the field of Overseas Property, with expertise specializing in real estate markets around the world, such as France. Find out more about property in France and get impartial advice about property abroad, from Pauline and other experts at BuyAssociation.
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