| |
I thought I would write a little about each of the
areas we cover and give a lower price limit for properties. It is becoming very difficult to
match those advertised by the unrealistic media which, as I am sure you can imagine is very
frustrating for all.
It is also very difficult to explain the terms 'to
renovate' versus habitable etc. It is now generally excepted that habitable 'frenchstyle' is
really camp-
out-able to those not used to the very basic way of living here in France. That is to say it
will have a loo and some form of washing facilities (probably in need of replacing once
modernisation gets underway). Kitchens do not come into the equation as it is only in recent
times that fitted kitchens have become popular - the French sometimes move with the
kitchen sink!
To modernise means just that - normally
plumbing/electricity etc. will need to be looked at although structurally the property is
fine. Sometimes
it will mean that more space can be utilised - often by converting the loft spaces which are
enormous. Ditto part-renovated - that is self explanatory.
Fully renovated will still mean re-decoration usually
as here in France large flowery wallpaper, covering the ceiling as well, is very popular and
tends to stay up for thirty years (the average time before anyone moves).
Trends are changing here but renovated 'frenchstyle'
is very different from an English conversion and definitely a matter of personal choice.
French Estate Agents (Immobiliers) do not have
the same working pattern as in England. Most appointments need to be made about two weeks in
advance - earlier during holiday time, and with some of the agents a day needs to be allowed
for viewing properties; everyone has to remember this is the land of the two
hour lunchbreak!
Clients need to understand that once having met at the
office and looked through the selection, one property could be 30km in one direction and a
further 30km in the other - it is not sensible to overbook themselves but be limited to one
agent per day - France is a large country!
A final point - it is rare to have a survey done on a
house - in general they have been standing for in excess of 100 years and are unlikely to fall
down. This is the only additional cost that a prospective purchaser will have to bear should
he insist on one as all our prices are quoted fully inclusive of all fees and taxes.
Normandy
(NT)
My only office in this region now is in Domfront and therefore covers
the top of Mayenne and parts of Orne. Property prices have risen
rapidly here and little comes on the market. I can only suppose
that it is really commuterland now. Again traditional styles, mainly
countryside properties although I am getting a few small village
properties. Houses needing renovated can be found occasionally for
€35,000 but there are more renovated properties on the market starting
at about €90,000.
Brittany
(BH)
Keith works within approx. one hour of Roscoff in Cote d'Armor/Finistere.
I am afraid he does not update us with information so I suggest
that serious clients contact him directly. I also give him their
telephone number. He has a wide selection of properties, a small
country property to renovate will start at about €53,000 - it tends
to be slightly less expensive in this part of Brittany.
(MD) and (BP) cover Morbihan and just above
BP have three offices, Malestroit, Josselin and Guers whilst MD works out of Baud. This is now a very
popular part of France with property prices nearer the coast having risen some 75% in the past
year. Traditional styles are long and low - longeres - although more modern(ish)
properties are coming onto the market all the time. Land is becoming difficult to find here now, with
most houses having no more than half an acre. Having said that, we normally have a dozen or so
with 2+ hectares, needless to say they are a great deal more expensive.
A VERY basically habitable house is probably going to be in the region of €65,000 - for anyone wanting outbuildings if they are possible to find (half of England are wanting to make gite complexes!) the price will probably be double!
Loire Valley
(PC) on the borders of Mayenne, Ille-et- Vilaine, Maine-et- Loire and Loire Atlantique
A lovely area to live (I should know, we had a house there for four
years and were very happy!) as it feels part of Real France and
yet is well within a two hour drive from St. Malo or the other Channel
ports. It is probably the most reasonably priced area of Brittany
at present although rural properties to renovate are becoming increasingly
scarce. Michel, my agent is lovely but speaks no English. He takes
evening appointments only as he employs an interpreter (and gets
very fed up when clients do not turn up as it is an expensive game!)
A house to renovate, basically habitable will start from about €45,000.
(LR) Covering the Loire Valley, parts of Sarthe, Mayenne, Indre-et-Loire
and Maine-et-Loire
Prices start at about €120,000 for a small house, but bearing in mind
it's Chateau land, the sky is the limit. This is a very popular area
with good access to Paris, but prices are quite often prohibitive
and it can also be a bit touristy (ideal for those potential gite
owners perhaps!) Our agent Caroline is very professional and knowledgable,
particularly with regard to the the larger properties. There are several
working chateaux with vinyards if anyone is interested!
Poitou-Charente
(CP) Deux Sevres
Property prices are still reasonable here; again a variety of village
v countryside with a place to renovate with garden for about €35,000.
It is possible to find places here with outbuildings for conversion
into letting units - these start at about €90,000.
(JM) Vendée
Vendée is very popular as it is within a fairly easy drive
of the Channel ports yet is considered to be far enough south for
better weather. Needless to say prices are also rising here although
are still less than Brittany. We do not cover coastal regions as
we are then talking serious money. (I have also to find an agent
who will consider working with the British as we have a terrible
no-show history!) Mainly country properties although village houses
are now coming onto the market, renovated(ish) at about €68,000.
A good-sized three bedroomed house with an acre of land and outbuildings
will cost upwards of €120,000. We have the occasional farm for sale
in this area but usually they are bought by Safir (local
farmers union) and then rented to tenant farmers.
(CH) Charente
Charente is slightly more expensive than Vendee although not as expensive as Charente Maritime. Most properties are long and low with exposed stonework and beams that really look attractive when completed. It is still possible to purchase ruins here for complete renovation and conversion, either into a family home or house with letting units. A ruin can be bought for upwards of €30,000 whilst a good sized house with outbuildings will cost upwards of €150,000. It is easier to purchase land here than in Charente Maritime although again, it does not come onto the market too often.
(AW) St Jean d'Angely in Charente Maritime
This area has a wide selection of properties. A habitable/part renovated place with courtyard in a small village will cost in the region of €75,000 upwards. A renovated place will be in excess of €120,000. Again we do not deal with anything near to the coast. Our agent Ann also has some very lovely traditional properties in the €300,000 range and is well known and respected in the area. Her husband runs a property maintainance company which is often useful for anyone owning a second home.
(LS) Saintes and Charente Maritime
This area has a large variety of properties. More expensive as it is closer to Bordeaux and with little to renovate. Our agent Joffrey also has a large selection of fairly modern properties - a 2/3 bed bungalow will cost approx.
€120,000. There is not often a large amount of land - most houses have about half an acre. He also has some really beautiful houses and often takes a selection of internal pictures. He has just opened an office in Gemozac which is closer to the coast but appointments are still made through the Saintes office.
(SC) On the borders of Charente and Charente Maritime
Near Barbezieux to the south, this area has a wide selection but sadly do not update us often. Having made contact with clients we often suggest making an appointment and have quite a good success rate. As with Joffrey, they have a delightful selection - but the plus side with them is that it is still possible to buy a ruin for about €25,000 in this region.
Midi-Pyrénées
(MC) based in Cahors in the Lot
Here there is a good range of properties and they are very good
at updating us. Prices here tend to start around €120,000 for a
renovated property, although there are still one or two ruins available
from around the €45,000 mark. This is a relatively undiscovered
area at the moment and it is still possible to find properties with
quite a lot of land.
(DS) The Ariege, close to the Pyrénées
This area has more individual properties with land, but again the
village houses do not. Our agent is not English speaking and gives
us very poor descriptions, but we are working on that! We do not
have much to renovate here, the properties are a real mixed bag.
Prices vary considerably from around €30,000 for renovation up to
how much can you afford? Beautiful rolling countryside, skiing -
this area will surely take off one day.
Aquitaine
(JC) The Lot-et-Garonne
This is an expensive area with most of the properties having been
done up already by Brits, so there are very few properties left
to renovate. Prices start from about €150,000 for a renovated town
house, although it is possible to find places to modernise for around
€100,000. Not much land available.
(AB) Covering Lot-et-Garonne, Gironde and the Dordogne
Andrew mostly deals with Brits, amongst whom he is well-known. Prices
start around €250,000 with little, if any, property available to
renovate.
(FC)
At present we have rather a gap in the Dordogne region as Colin
has moved on to specialize in vinyards should anyone be interested.
We will be looking for a new agency but probably not until the end
of the year as we have not yet invented the 36hr day. Also Dordogne
is really rather over-populated with English and virtually everywhere
has already been reclaimed.
Languedoc Ruissillon
(TR) Covering the Corbieres and Minervois regions of the Aude and the Herault
The Corbieres are very rugged and wild with many of the villages not even having basic facilities, except for the mobile shops; therefore a car is essential. The Minervois is flatter with more community life. Mostly village houses without gardens but sometimes with the possibility of putting on a roof terrace. Modern villas at the edge of a village, which are more expensive, do have gardens. These are built on lotissments in groups ranging from a few houses up to a larger estate. Probably the best area to buy places to renovate, still at very reasonable prices. For total renovation prices start around €25,000 while to modernise start at about €50,000. Renovated village houses start at around €75,000 with the modern villas from about €150,000. Definitely an up-and-coming area.
(FR) & (RI) Also cover the Herault
These properties are a mix of village house and modern villa with the occasional maison de maitre, prices keep going up, the closer to Montpellier - so as a rule of thumb add about 20% to the TR prices.
Village houses in the above two areas tend to be narrow and tall (3-storey) therefore not particularly suitable for the elderly or infirm. We feel we should stress that these do not come with any garden whatsoever. This is serious wine-growing country and all available land is given over to vines, you even see them growing on roundabouts! Nowhere we cover in the Aude or Herault is more than one hour from the Mediterranean Coast.
Gers
We are part way through negotiating an office there but took a break
due to maternity leave - this is France! We will keep you up to
date with that one.
|
|
property
