Title: Labyrinth
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A Piano in the Pyrenees:
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Buying a House in France (Paperback)
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Brittany

One To France site is now closed and is here for information purposes only
Members still have the usual access to the forum etc.

If you are an independent person who is interested in buying French property, whether for holiday or relocation, either with a view to retirement, to work or run a small business, this site should be of interest to you.

Our philosophy is that whilst to go it alone can be rewarding, it can be much more fun to share experiences - good or bad -- with others. One to France is for individuals interested in meeting or linking up with others across the UK and in France for the exchange of ideas and mutual benefits of realising their dream of a place in France.

One to France has originated solely as a benefit to independent like - minded people who are considering buying French property,or have already made a move to sunnier climates for reasons of 'better quality of life, forming new friendships, change of social scene, holiday or just plain 'get up and go'.

One to France is a non profit making association run by the members for the members so please visit our property links.

House Hunting
From time to time people get together and have holidays/ house hunting trips.
You don't have to have large amounts of cash to house hunt in France but obviously it helps. However, there are still regions that are presenting excellent value for money, particularly comparing the properties to those in the UK. These Estate Agents sites show examples ranging from 60000 euros upwards.

 

Retiring to France
People in the UK living on a pension can find a better quality of life in France especially if a house is sold in UK. If an equivalent is purchased in France, there is usually a surplus sum enabling investment to bring in extra income. It would be untrue to suggest that everything is cheaper in France but the majority of living expenses when compared to the UK do work out less. This of course depends on the currency exchange keeping in the range 1.00 - 1.20 euro to the British pound a movement factor that always needs to be taken into consideration. Below this rate of exchange requires a lot more serious thought (and financial planning - something that One to France does not offer).
One major factor about retiring to France is the language problem and to get the most out of living in France it is necessary to be able to communicate effectively. Once this is on the way to being achieved, the French will make you very welcome. When choosing a region it is important to consider climate. Languedoc-Rousillon has hot sultry summers, but winters can be freezing as ice cold wind howls down from the Pyrénées The south of France can prove unbearably hot and dry for some people in the summer

What Property and Where?
On the sunny side of the Channel, a very affordable way of life goes on. House prices in France have risen far less dramaticaly this past year if at all and there are still beautiful houses going for good prices in regions that are relatively undiscovered but newly accessible because of the growth of low-cost airline connections. The variety of properties for sale in France is very broad and the main choice is whether one wants an old or a new property and it is here that running costs can become a factor. A newer property will have the advantage of better insulation etc. and the maintenance is less but it all comes down to individual choice and affordability.
Rural or urban?
Some rural areas are very secluded and are only worth considering if you are willing to and can drive. If you live in a remote house or village you won't be able to indulge in some of the day-to-day things most of us love about France, this might include strolling along to the boulangerie every morning for an oven-baked baguetteor or calling into the local cafe for coffee and a crossant. On the other hand, you might well want to discover the sense of isolation that you would never find if you live within cities or towns back home.
What size property do you want?
Do you need extra bedrooms for visiting friends and family? You may be able to afford a small chateau, but as you get older you may not want to look after so much property. Larger homes are also more expensive to maintain. Personal fitness being another major concern as not everyone wants to look after a 2 acre garden and a one hundred year old house, no matter how pretty it looks.

Buying a Property
All property in France is freehold. If you live in an apartment block or a private housing estate these will tend to be owned co-propriété which means that all the owners share the cost of maintenance of the block, grounds, shared utilities and equipment.
British people buying a property in France usually buy through an agent (either British or French). Around half of all property sold in France is sold through an estate agent (agent immobilier). The rest is done privately.
About 15% of vendors sell directly through their notaire. Notaires are public officials who also sell property but, being a non-commercial concern, they cannot display these details in their offices. Some property sold by notaires can be found listed on their main website www.notaires.fr and it is certainly worth approaching local notaires to find out if they are dealing with property that might interest you. You can find the address of the local notaires through the Mairie (town hall). When a notaire is the selling agent, his 'agency' commission is not included in the asking price and is paid by the buyer.

French estate agents are regulated by law and must be professionally qualified and possess a 'carte professsionnelle'. The agents fees are normally included in the purchase price - always confirm this is or is not the case. There are other fees to pay which will be advised by your agent and as guide you can add about 10% to the property price.
Note. Always be advised by a professional when entering into any transaction.
If you search via an agent immobilier, do not expect to walk into the estate agency and be given lots of printed particulars to take away and read at your leisure. Instead you will have to sit with the agent while he or she shows you photographs, usually by leafing through details collated in a ring-bound folder. It is unlikely that you will be told the address and sometimes you will not even be told the village it is in. For a long time estate agents have been paranoid that buyers will go to the seller and make a private offer or that the seller will be approached by other agents, although this attitude is beginning to ease. This can be frustrating for property hunters who first want to travel
around and get a feel for an area.Most agents expect at least a full day's notice before going to view a property. When you view you will almost always be accompanied by the agent and do not be surprised if, mid-way through a viewing schedule, the estate agent insists on returning to town for their two hour lunch break, even if he or she knows you are on a flying visit.
There are many UK-based agents that work by establishing a number of estate agency and notaire contacts in either a region or several regions of France. From these contacts they collate property of interest to English buyers, particularly those with lots of character. This sort of service can save you a lot of legwork and will not cost you anything as the UK-based agent will get a share of the estate agent's commission (sometimes as much as 50%) if the sale goes ahead. UK-based agencies often provide a much fuller description of properties than agents based in France. The UK agent will arrange a viewing schedule for you and confirm with the agent that the property is still for sale before you make the trip there.

If you prefer the idea of moving into a brand new home then buying a property off-plan (a development that is yet to be built or completed) is for you. Many of these developments tend to be in a good position - such as on the coast, in the mountains or next to a golf course - and so appeal to many over-50s looking for a good quality of life. Often they have a shared swimming pool and well-kept gardens so, apart from paying contributions to their upkeep, you do not have to worry about their maintenance.The houses or apartments are often low maintenance and have high specification. Building in France is strictly regulated and most new buildings have good insulation, ventilation and security.
Payment for such a property is usualy conducted in stages as the building work progresses. The payment schedule will be predefined and detailed in the contract and the developer cannot ask for any more money than is stipulated in this contract. In general you will pay 5% deposit followed by 30% once the foundations have been laid, with the remaining payments following at different stages of completion.

If buying French Property;

visit and consider more than one region

don't buy the first thing you see

don't buy just because it seems cheap - it might not be

do your homework first and then drive a bargain from a position of researched market knowledge and strength

apply the same process as you do in the UK

Location - Location - Location

Getting There
There are plenty of ways of getting to France, all of which have frequent, quick services. By air to Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Carcassonne, Nimes, Montpelier,Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg and Toulouse to name a few. The fast Eurostar service is also popular. Alternatively there are several ferry and hover craft routes that travel between the UK and France, the quickest runs being between Dover to Calais or Boulogne. If you are travelling by car click this link to use mappy which will give you an accurate and helpful driving route in France including toll charges and other useful driving information.

SNCF for the over 60S

For those who are over 60 and want to travel around France, the Carte Senior is available. As with everything else, there is a limited number of tickets available for the cheaper tariffs, but you will always get at least 25% off, and in most cases, 50%. The Carte Senior is almost identical to the Carte 12-25 in advantages and costs 53€ - a mere few euros more. Definitely worth getting if you want to see a bit of France.

 

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