Sprogster
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Posts posted by Sprogster
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The Schengen rules for visiting UK citizens will be less flexible than for EU citizens visiting the UK. A citizen from the EU will be able to visit the UK for up to six months a year, all in one block if they wish. A UK citizen visiting the EU will be restricted to 90 days out of 180. So if you have a second home in the EU, if you stay there ninety days, you cannot return to anywhere in the Schengen area for 90 days. So if you visit any EU country except Ireland, you are going to have to be careful you do not exceed 90 out of 180 days on a rolling basis.
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Sorry to hear about Sunday Driver.I sold my house in France three years ago, so have not posted for quite a while, as my French experiences are probably out of date and now being in the USA, am too far away.This is the first year in decades I have not been in France, so occasionally I have a peak at the Forum, to reminisce, as it is still bookmarked on my computer.Take care and keep safe everyone!
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Forums like this pre-date smart phones/tablets, social media like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and are therefore struggling. Home PC's are in terminal decline replaced by smart phones, for which Forums were not designed, as the younger generation increasingly use apps to interface with the Web.I am not sure the number of members this Forum have is reflective of active members, with the vast majority historic.All very sad and because we are getting older!
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It is a sobering thought, but when selling a house in France you need to obtain a price of at least 20% higher than you paid, just to break even, as French buying and selling costs are much higher than the UK. Add to the equation that most expert forecasts anticipate French property prices continuing to fall for the foreseeable future, especially in rural areas, then there is a strong argument for renting over buying until you are certain your French location is the right choice, which means being there all year round to experience a French Winter!
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From my experience a lot of Brits have totally unrealistic expectations about the winter weather in France and are shocked to find it as cold and wet as they left behind in the UK!I am on the Med coast not far from Sainte Maxime and in recent years the weather from the end of October to April has been unusually wet, cold and unsettled. Inland can get very cold!
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Morocco is becoming an increasingly popular retiree andwinter sun destination, especially for the French. Reasons being it ispolitically stable, French speaking, relatively safe, inexpensive and easy and cheap to get to being served bythe low cost carriers. The French keepit to themselves as they probably don’t want all us Brits descending on mass!
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In the Var air conditioningin the bedrooms at least is a necessity, if you want to get a proper night’ssleep in high summer. That said recent summers have not been too hot, but itlooks like we could be on course for a hot one this year, which is a bit of amixed blessing as the Var is very prone to serious forest fires duringprolonged hot and dry spells.
Down on the Cote D’Azurrecent winters have been very wet and seem to be part of a climate change trendso I would take the historical winter sunshine records with a pinch of salt. So,if mild sunny winters and reduced heating bills are a requirement for you, Ithink the whole of France is too far north and you need to get much furthersouth. I believe a lot of French retirees go to Morocco to winter?
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Pat, Cannes is in the Alpes-Maritime, but yes you are right in that nearer the coast the more expensive property tends to get. As for Jonny, now that he has retired I guess he will be leaving France as quickly as possible to more friendly tax climes back in the UK and a lucrative job commentating on TV!
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Welcome to the Forum. Just to encore what Norman has said in that you are doing absolutely the right thing, especially as French property prices are forecast to continue to decline for the forseeable future and if you buy in the wrong place selling can therefore be a challenge and very expensive. Ideally, you should have kept a foot on the UK property ladder, as statistically you are likely to return to the UK eventually and you will probably find yourself priced out of the UK property market, but I accept not everyone can afford to keep a property in the UK. Another consideration is that the Euro is also forecast to decline in value as the year progresses, so would recommend getting advice as to when is likely to be a good time to sell your £'s.
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Well I am in the Var down on the coast where I have had ahouse for over ten years. Inland the winters can get very cold and summersexceedingly hot, so would recommend you visit the region in all seasons beforecommitting. If I am honest I have been disappointed with the climate as thereis no doubt the weather has become a lot wetter and more unsettled between lateOctober and early May in recent years and you are affected by the Mistral.
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A Brit retiree can spend six months a year in New Zealand or Australia as a tourist and is covered under a reciprocal health agreement with the UK. Sounds an appealing way to avoid winter!Like Chiefluvie my French house is in PACA and the winter weather has undoubtedly got a lot worse in the nine years I have been there. Before I arrived, forest fires were the main concern due to the lack of rain, now it is flash floods and torrential downpours, as we have recently seen on the news effecting Corsica and Sardinia.
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Chiefluvvie has an interesting point about the French weather and I am sure that a lot of Brits who move to France are shocked by how cold the winters can be there. If the experts are correct and we are in for a decade or so of harsh winters for Northern Europe, a lot of us will have to think again as to alternative warmer countries, especially retirees who are looking for a mild winter climate to minimise fuel costs.
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I think as a retiree a lot comes down to how important a mild winter climate is to you, not forgetting that heating bills are probably one of the most significant living costs. Statistically, there are far more Brits in Spain than France and a large part of that probably comes down to the fact that southern Spain averages a good ten degrees warmer than the mildest part of France during winter, with the potential significant saving in energy costs. The Canaries and Majorca are even warmer.
I am convinced a lot of Brits who move to France have totally unrealistic expectations as to the winter climate and are shocked how wet and cold France is that time of year.
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Roger, not sure your expectation to find lots of societes you can join is realistic in the real France, as the French tend to socialise within the extended family and although often very polite and on the surface welcoming, are culturally xenophobic.You are right about the forum being quieter as are the other French forums I participate in, no doubt reflective of the poor economic situation in France, weak euro/£ rate which has led to a lot of Brits going home and that France as a retirement destination for Brits seems to be losing favour. Maybe recent bad winters in France have not helped and the lure of bargain basement property in Spain has become more tempting.
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Overall emigration from the UK is on the increase but mainly comprises young well educated professionals that are headed to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. The decline in emigration is for older individuals and retirees who cannot afford any longer to retire abroad to sunnier climes, because of the demise of the £, final salary pensions, annuity returns and interest on savings. Also the above countries don't want you if you are over 55 as you are seen as a potential liability for their health care systems and as we know even EU countries like France and Spain are making it more difficult for early retirees to use their health care services.
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The reason for the overall reduction in posts is quite simple, in that over the last couple of years there has been a dramatic decline in the numbers of Brit retirees and early retirees leaving the UK for Spain and France, according to official Home Office figures.This should not be surprising with the decline in the value of the £, low interest rates on savings, weak UK housing market and increasing retirement age. The change in the French health rules against early retirees did not help either.Meanwhile, there is a natural attrition rate of existing members due to people returning to the UK.The other two French forums I participate in show the same story, with posts from new members seeking advice on moving to France, scarce as hens teeth these days!
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You call me betty is correct, in that the 'other' French Forum has cracked down on the animal rescue posts as apparently there are French legal issues involved, which maybe the administrators of this forum should check out, as it is unlikely the other forum would have taken such a stance without good reason. (perhaps because some of these posts are from organisations like animal charities, rather than private individuals.)The timing of this does correlate to the upsurge of animal rescue posts on this site and I have a certain sympathy with the OP, as there have been times when I go into the 'active' section of the Forum that these posts do seem to be taking over a bit.
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From people I know who rent their properties in France, I get the impression that it is barely economic for what is such a relatively short rental season, especially when you add in the cost of paying someone to deal with the weekly handovers and cleaning, plus the inevitable maintenance and repairs that result from tenants. Another consideration is that non resident landlords now have to pay in addition to tax, high French social charges on the rental income, which reduces the economics even further.
The OP's are correct in that in your situation the primary consideration is to buy a property that best fits your needs for what will become your main home and renting opportunities should be a secondary consideration.
Anyway, time is on you side as an article on international property in the current Economist magazine has French property as the most overvalued in Europe by far and indeed one of the most overvalued in the world, so a downward correction is inevitable and may indeed have started in the last quarter.
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You won't find many forum members in the south east of France, as evidenced by the limited number of posts on this regional section of the forum. The other French forum I participate in is the same.One of the reasons probably is that south east France is after Paris the most expensive area of France to buy property and live in and therefore less favoured by retirees.Hence the two most important questions are what is your budget and how far from the coast do you want to be?
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Further to Quillan's advice, even though you would be relying on a European Health card, I don't believe that this would cover 100% or non emergencies, so taking out private health insurance might be prudent. If you are young without pre-existing medical conditions the cost should not be prohibitive and there are UK medical insurance policies that automatically give you European cover as well, such as from Axxa PPP.
Unfortunately, France is not self employed friendly and setting up a company in France is best avoided!
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Alkin, most Brits resident in France and members of this and other similar French forums tend to be early retirees or retirees in their late fifties, sixties and seventies.I don't know your area but on the assumption it is rural, you will find the younger people in France have been gravitating over the last decade or so to the cities for work, hence the older demographic you may be experiencing.There was a period between 2002 to 2008 when some younger Brits with families were moving to France to give it a go, but that seems to have petered out with the economic crisis, weak £ and difficulty in finding work in France.Enjoy your seven months in France, but I am curious you choose to stay over winter, as much of rural France goes into hibernation behind closed shutters that time of year.
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volvoman, unfortunately I think the south of France is especially bad for burglary and monitored alarm systems are a must. A safe is also a good idea.One of the reasons I believe for this is that this area is targeted in summer by criminals from afar, as a relatively prosperous area with lots of tourists and second home owners.
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So pleased for you both at the good news.
From my own experience with the big 'C', there is a hidden blessing, in that you emerge with a far more positive perspective on life and it puts ones day to day problems and challenges in perspective
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gunsmoke, not sure you will get a response as the last time Kim visited this site was in May 2008 according to her details.
UK bankers relocating to Europe
in French Legal Issues
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