expectations
French house prices have dropped by more than 30% since 2008 and some regions now offer between three and four times more space for your money than South East England.
Lush countryside, sandy beaches, rambling period properties, an excellent health service and the short Channel hop home (not to mention the food) are just some of the attractions. Yet British homebuyers need to go well-prepared as the property system across the channel is entirely different. Early research can avoid unpleasant surprises. I recently worked on the purchase of an idyllic retreat in Southern France and quickly discovered the access road to the property was across a neighbouring farmer’s land. The farmer turned out to be the cousin of the previous owner and while he had simply left the gate open he wasn’t prepared to extend the courtesy to anyone outside the family. Negotiations with the Mayor led to the opening up of a disused communal road so that vehicles could reach the house and the deal could go ahead.
Gîte
Find out if planning permission was obtained for improvements to the property
You should investigate this before you sign the contract and satisfy yourself that any relevant permissions were obtained. Once you acquire the property you will be liable for any planning issues and problems may arise when it comes to selling. Ask for copies of permissions and “declarations prealables” as well as bills from tradesmen and insurance as some building work comes with a 10year guarantee in France.
Popular areas to emigrate to
Charente
Half-way south and far from the Alps, Charente is warm and sunny with gentle Atlantic breezes. The coastal area of Cherante Maritime enjoys more hours of sunshine than any part of France outside the Mediterranean; however this comes with higher property prices. Go a little further inland and prices come down while average temperatures range from 9°C in December to 25°C in July. The perfect combination of good climate and low cost of living has attracted lots of Brits, which can be a pro or a con depending on your viewpoint! The Cognac liqueur region and a hill climb classic car rally help make Charente a popular tourist area. There are opportunities for running gites and other businesses. There are also some newer industries. Angouleme is famous for high tech animation.
Limousin
Surrounded by mountains in the centre of France, Limousin offers some of the best value properties in the country. 1�܁�ɥ��́��ٔ����Ʌ�ѕ������ ɥѥ͠��������̰��Ё�Ё�́���ɕ������Ʌ�������եє��ͽ��ѕ���Q��������є��́�����ѱ�����ѕȁѡ���ѡ��U,����Ё�Ё�ѥ������́��������ݥ�ѕȁݥѠ�ѕ���Ʌ��ɕ́��������Ѽ�́�Ȁ�
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