Champagne is in order for the Andrews family who starred in our magazine property-hunt last summer - they've found and had an offer accepted for their perfect home in France.
We helped Mark and Judy Andrews, from West Sussex, kick off their property search in the Poitou-Charentes region, finding them a selection of pretty rustic properties to consider as a family holiday home which they can enjoy with their nine-year-old twins, James and Isabella.
Unable to secure one of the properties we featured and which they liked, this summer the Andrews found another equally suitable property, which they fell in love with and are now buying.
Boasting beautiful countryside views, the property is near Montboyer and has been renovated to a high standard, preserving features such as stone fireplaces and oak floors. It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and comes with more than half an acre of land, including an in-ground swimming pool.
"We sent €19,650 to France after our offer of €210,000 was accepted and we signed the compromis de vente," said Judy.
Buying in France was an obvious choice for the Andrews. They have enjoyed numerous holidays there, principally in the south-west, as well as winter trips to the Alps. Judy speaks French, was once an au-pair in France and has worked for a French oil company. When the couple began their hunt for a French property, they knew they wanted to be near Angoulême and within striking distance of their favourite coastal resort, La Rochelle.
Like them, you too could save money by using A Place in the Sun Currency to buy abroad. Offering better-than-bank exchange rates and a personal service means A Place in the Sun Currency can help buyers of overseas property save money and time on currency transfers, not only with the initial purchase but also with on-going costs, such as mortgage payments and bills. They can also assist people repatriating funds to the UK from overseas, including vendors of property.