Is anybody interested to start a thread on french property prices, and the latest market trends in france? Is it a good investment, is it not a good investment? Where are good bargains, where are not such good bargains, and what about the future of the french property market? There certainly are many many Brits who have bought houses and are actively seeking to purchase houses.
It has developed into a huge business, many middle men are making good money in this business.
I have been very interested in the French Housing Market, I'm not in the position to be buying a house in france personally, but I have found the prices seemingly amazingly cheap, by comparison to the UK market, I just wondered if anybody had any ideas about the future of the French Property Market.
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It's not a good investment IMO, if you buy a house with plans to rent it.
realignment.
Flipping heck, LOL, I started this thread in the hope I could espouce my hard earned knowledge about france and the property market over their I learnt from others who had done it during my research, however, you know more about it than I ever will. My prize bit of knowledge is that practicaly the most cheapest area of france for farm houses and small holdings is limosine!! Even you know this.. Are you an estate agent by any chance?
What or where do you have in mind buying?
In paris the situation is similar to the uk prices decreased over the period
90 - 96, and have since increased by 20% per year, unemployment is growing and flats in paris are out of the price range of most.The same arguments on whether prices will crash apply as in the uk.
The percentage return on rental is low, often 5% or less.
I get all the relevant information regarding health, social security, property and other useful tips from subscribing to French Property News which I receive once a month for about 20 per year. There is also useful advice on all the major topics relating to buying or renovating property. Well worth the 20. Visit
Thats great. Are you having a place of your own or are you planning to go over soon?
Wont be going out now till next year but the intention is to buy over their in the next few years. We will be looking at the Langedoc Rousillion area as is still relatively cheap and is one of the warmest, diverse regions of France. The other reason is it is most centrally located to travel to Spain, Portugal and Italy for holidays. The house we will end up buying will be our final home for retirement. The French healthcare system is so good that it has recently been voted No1 by the World Health Organisation!!
Regards
PaulC
Yes, thats the great things about france, the public services are sooo much better than ours, I love the dordogne, I know that it is chocabock with brits now, but I just love the medieval town of sarlat. Its wonderful..however, I am interested in the cheaper areas of limosine.... Its sounds very much like you know exactly what your doing, although I'm not ready to buy or move in the near future, I hope to be knowledgable when I do, all my info comes from people who have actually moved and visits. Its a great country, but as you say, alot of people have gone over their, even now I know a few people who started off not getting many bookings for this year! The train/public transport is excellent as well don't you think? I hope your getting a few weeks nice break this summer at least over their anyways.
Oh no, now you've done it, I'm gazing out of my office window, watching the rain comming down, thinking how nice a holiday in france would be. I don't know what exactly it is about the french lifestyle, but they really do take life less seriously than we brits do, they take two hours for lunch, they eat better food and spend more time outside. Its not a bad life in france IMO. Thanks very much for the website tips by the way, I'll check them out when I get a mo.
Rgds
I must confess Paul, I forgot to research the weather in Limosine, and I was really shocked about the weather, and also how remote it is their, and again as you say I have heard the roads are not so good in Limsone, have you personally been there to Limsone? Although I have been to france before, I've not ventured to that part.
some parts of France can be really cold in winter, or just> too hot - but the move-to-a-new-living group will struggle in places like
Yes, I particular thought about what you where saying about people going to france with "great expectations" and not having reality live up to them. Do you remember seeing any of those programs about "fly on the wall" move's to france, did you see one program where a Brit was selling his Camping site, and a new Brit came in to take over, it was in the dordogne! I just wonder how many have come to france for the "good life" or the "new life" and decided to give up. I know of people who tried it but gave up.
Yes, it seems difficult to just rent gites out. Everybody seems to be doing it.
May I ask your opinion where you would think the similar place to Limosine is in regards to being able to get smallholdings and farmhouses for the similar kind of price?
Definitely that has to be a winner paul, if have the ability to go there yourself, mingle, try to find out from estate agents that is the key, I truly believe this. One further powerful tip, which you might already know about is to consult the local marie, they are like little Kings, big fish in small ponds, they have all kinds of powers, and they are the key in many cases to finding out about properties that are not even in the estate agents window. .
I stayed in one such place in Ile-et-Vilaine 2 or 3
Well, some say they are having a tough time renting out their gites, however, their is allways some kind of demand, and things change quickly..
>A useful site for direct purchases in france is
"Paul Robs>
No :)
FPN is a good read (I subscribe myself). A large chunk of it is advertorial, mind. Of course, FPN does not have much to gain by pointing out the downside of French Property buying, nor do most of its article writers
Another site of interest btw is the Living France website, which has an interesting forum with lots of unbiased info.
I think Paris is very much a special case for France, more so even than London is in the UK. Rental returns are getting worse, unless you have something to offer ; the basic Gite will probably only let in the school holidays and sometimes not even then.
And other areas in the centre. Probably the next growth area is Burgundy ; both in the Northern part like Yonne which is close to Paris, but also in the south
What happens is that the obvious popular parts : Normandy/Brittany (transport) Dordogne (historic/weather) Var/Vaucluse (south) go first - this has already happened ; then people start to look at nearby areas which are bordering as prices go up too much ; examples of this are areas like Mayenne and Sarthe for Normandy and Brittany, Centre and the Midi Pyrenees for Dordogne and Languedoc/Rousillon for the south - then people start to look at the odd places that fill in the gaps. Places that aren't anywhere like Marne and Yonne.
Accessibility drops the further off the beaten track you get. It's okay if you are just looking for a nice retirement home ; though people forget the weather issues - some parts of France can be really cold in winter, or just too hot - but the move-to-a-new-living group will struggle in places like Mayenne and Limousin. Sure, this house/farm might well make a great B&B or Gite Complex, but someone's actually got to want to go there. There's either got to be general tourist reasons, specific reasons (e.g. rock climbing) or you generate your own reasons - you offer something else.
Mayenne for example is really quite pleasant, rural, decent weather without being spectacular. But it's a non-trivial drive (say 2 hours+ from Caen/Ouistreham) and there isn't a lot there if you are a 'tourist'.
When I was looking for a purchase myself it's interesting to locate these places on a map ; looking at the location one can see it takes time to get
*anywhere*. Some parts of France are not only remote from Autoroutes, but also remote from decent Route Nationales.But I'm just keeping an eye on the market, looking for the "project" that is in financial distress. I stayed in one such place in Ile-et-Vilaine 2 or 3 years ago. Potentially the place was fantastic, and old chateau type building, big enclosed grounds, lake, close to Mont St Michel, but they'd just run out of money and were pootling along - it looked great, but basic decor and facilities needed work (hence minimal repeat business because it was priced on looks). They should have gone and stayed upmarket - the work wasn't enormous, it just needed doing right.
No, I haven't been to Limousin. I know someone who has a house there who says it's really nice though (and his house(s) were dead cheap). As you get into the South/Central I think it gets pretty cold in the winter sometimes though.
Yes, they are quite entertaining :) People seem to have no clue ; for example they speak no French.
It's like any mini-bubble. The problem comes if you are relying on it - to pay your mortgage for example. If it is extra and you can do without it it is possible to survive.
Depends what you want :) There's still plenty of cheap housing around. It depends how much you want to renovate ; how good your building skills are ; how much time you have to devote to it, etc. My friend in Limousin is a builder (effectively). I'd have a look at French Property News (esp. as they'll send you a sample for free).
Oh yes, if you are prepared to work for it :)
In article , Stephen GoldenGun writes
If its raining in the limousine, you should close the sun roof.
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