Five things we learnt about buying a home in France
Sue and Tony from Suffolk wanted a French holiday home to enjoy the food, wine, landscapes, history and lifestyle for which the country is famed. They also wanted sun which persuaded them to look at Carcassonne in the Languedoc, a beautiful and relatively affordable part of southern France within an hour of the coast and with the Canal du Midi close to hand.
Their search for a two-bedroom home with outside space for a budget of around £120,000 led them to a property in the centre of Carcassonne, on the lively Place Carnot with its colourful buildings surrounding a hub of cafes shaded by plane trees.
They loved the property but missed out on buying in 2022 as the vendor decided to take it off the market. A year later they flew out with Craig Rowe and the A Place in the Sun TV crew to see if they could help them find anything to beat it. Read more about their episode here.
In a rainy few days Craig finally managed to help them secure their dream home for bang on budget. Happily enjoying their home for a year now, Sue, 58, is happy to share a few things that they learnt whilst looking …
1. Consider location carefully.
We thought we wanted a little pretty village but found that they ‘closed’ down during winter. We wanted somewhere vibrant all year round with festivals, events or Christmas markets. Don’t rule out towns or cities for this reason.
2. Don’t just browse online.
Many of the properties listed have already sold. Make contact with estate agents and develop good relationships with them. Get them to notify you with new instructions. Keep reminding them you are still looking.
3. Be ready to act quickly.
You might have to travel to France to look at a property at the drop of a hat. The market might not be moving that fast but we would see properties popping up from agents and if we were visiting the area, we could act.
4. Be aware of fees to pay.
We were told around 8 per cent of the purchase price but allowed 10 per cent. You might need to buy furniture or white goods that add onto the cost. Set up a bank account ready when you are looking and use a currency broker.
5. Plan for running costs.
We pay €700 per year taxe d’habitation, €560 per year for communal management fees, €17 per month for house insurance. Utility bills reflect our part-time usage: €9 a month for electricity, €7 for water. Budget for food as per the UK but a good lunch or a glass of wine tend to be cheaper (very important!).
Read more:
- House Hunters Lynn and Ian, Key Observations from Living in France
- Buying the Perfect Project Property in France - House Hunters Rick and Raine
- Where To Find Cheap Properties in France
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