Babbles
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Posts posted by Babbles
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That is sooooo funny, I've tears streaming down my face[:D]
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Google is OK, but I think its good to hear about people who have been in a similar situation and share anecdotes, or it could be that some people a really bad at searching google, you know the info there but just can't get to it [8-)]but I do agree that people could thank you if you've helped or even just update on how things have gone.
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The home made version looks really easy to do and a good idea for any house/ cupboards thats shut up for a while and certainly could be used as back up all over the house but would they really cope with a serious damp problem, If someone has used them successfully I would love to know as it could save a lot of money buying a dehumiddifier[:D]
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That's where I'm going wrong, just googling on the UK site, your advice always listened to[:)]
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I couldn't agree more Sweet17, why ask the question if you don't want or need the info, very strange
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Quillan
What are the prices like compared to the UK? Last time I was buying them they were mainly the foam type which I don't really want this time. with the exchange rate and everything I'm wondering if its more ecconmical to bring from the UK as our renovation budget is mainly in Sterling (but not all) When you set up was there anythings that you wish you had or did bring from the UK. Before anyone gets on my case I know you can get practically everything in France but sometime the cost is a lot more[;-)]
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Have you thought about a de humidifier? your neighbours could come and empty it for you rather than wait about.
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I know an English guy who is based in the SW of France but does regular trips to the UK and the rest of Europe , a good price ,really helpful and currently storing our furniture, he also does part loads if you need it
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Ernie , Very well put, all investments are relative to each other, even when we take into exchange rate and falling prices, we are still looking to buy the same type of house, in the same condition if the prices hadn't fallen (as we are buyers and sellers), the only thing that is different now is how we will do the renovation, with recent experience and the fall of the £ it might be more ecconomical to ship certain things to France (but not too good for the enviroment, before someone else says it[;-)])
I had an email from our soon to be French mortgage providers who asked if we were interested in a 100% mortgage, and this was offered after we sent all the paperwork and supporting documents, so just how hard is it to get a mortgage? and how many people looking to buy in France have actualy been turned down? I'm not saying that were not on the edge (or over it) or a world ecconomic turndown but the certainly seems an awful lot of doom mongering.
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Logan and Scooby, I think that about sums it up , all these old mortgage offers looked to good to be true and it turns out they were, speaking as someone who had a 125 % mortgage with Northern Rock we used it to renovate so we more than recouped our money but I think plenty of people used the extra for cars and holidays and bougt over priced houses in the first place.
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We found that as self emloyed the letter that the authorities want is not a standard letter that the tax office send out , you have to request it (with a lot of hastle) They then put it on record why you want it and that you have a second home, they seem to be showing a lot of interest in what people do with their money/homes abroad, no doubt they think we're all letting our home and getting huge amounts of un declared income, if only that was true![:D]
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In Spain its not just the that Brits have stopped buying but there is a huge over supply. Quality Period properties in excellent condition are still in relativley short supply, as I've said builders tart ups which to be have been done on the cheap won't sell now and as are ruins, but unless you are actually getting out of the property market are you actually worse off or just feel bad because of all the doom and gloom. A glimmer of hope for people who want to sell is that Brits still have the desire to live abroad and are still planning to do so even if they are not in a psoition to move just yet, maybe they might do some more research and be less likely to make a dreadful mistake[;-)]!
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Having just sold our house, we were told it only sold because it had been beautifully restored and decorated using quality finishes and in fact the only houses that were selling were ones of this type. It was viewed by both French, Dutch, English who were only looking for quality houses according to our different agents. Builders tart ups and doer uppers arn't selling.
Yes the French do have strict rules on obtaining mortgages but its far from impossible, we are now in the process of obtaining another and have not met with any resistance so far. As far as price is concerned we did reduce to sell but so have the vendors of the one we're buying so its all about even. I think if you're selling to move up the property ladder now is a great time to buy (and sell if you're not silly about the price) It is more difficult if you're getting out of the property market, prices have fallen but whats the price of putting your life on hold while you wait for a better price? as well as the running costs of a second home.
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As a North West England to South West France flyer the winter season is always a pain, but Ryanair Liverpool Carcassonne is showing 2 flights a week on Thursday and Sunday, but thats all that I've managed to find, Last year everytime I used it (every couple of weekish) I seemed to be travelling with a Rugby team could this be the reason they keep it going?[:D]
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"Hopefully I will be totally wrong, next year it will be 1.50 Euros to the pound, interest rates will be 2%, sunshine from May to October and guests ten deep at the gate all wanting rooms for 7 nights or more."
I like the idea of that! but I won't be using it for budgetting!!
We have had a house in France in the Gers so are familiar with the weather, we want to be nearer the coast and a big city with better weather than Lancashire but we don't expect year round sunshine ( I lived in Florida for 6 months and hated not having seasons) We toyed with the idea of Mallorca but decided that although it has better weather you have to be a multi millionaire to achieve the standard of accomodation that we want and would be totally in the hands of cheap airlines ,as the ferry is really expensive, to get our customers there. We have a business in the UK which will fund the renovations, mortgage etc and plan to keep that going for 3 yearsish , to give us a safety net really and chance to establish the CDH get in the guide books and such and then move fulltime when we sell our business, nows not the best time to get a good price for our UK business and it is key to have a debt free life in France. Having had the stress and worry of building a UK business we don't want that level of financial stress again, it also runs 364 days a year from 6am to 8pm so although I know running a CDH isn't a walk in the park it won't be quite so full on as our current business. Its quite a long term plan but hopefully a sensible one as much as we would like to up sticks tommorrow and move[:D]
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Quillan, all your stats make interesting reading as we hopefully be starting the renovations of a house into a CDH in the new year. I was wondering what your thoughts of peoples attitudes to package holidays will be with the demise of companies such as XL as well as the credit crunch and not forgetting how bad the weather has been in the UK for the last 2 summers? Do you have any info on what standards people expect and if there has been more of a downturn in lower graded accomodation or if its accross the board?
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When we had our heating installed a different company came and did all the calculations as to which size to have, being given the reason that it had to be installed for optimum effeciency they even told us which walls they had to be put on, so not really given any choice. If you ever come to sell this info is useful as it can be added to the specialist reports that have to be given in at the start of the sale. This could be nonesense and I was just told it to have a better system installed[;-)]
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I found this on the web, not sure if they will send direct to France but I do know a guy who does cheap part removals delivery to the south west, but I thought the prices look good.http://www.mattressnextday.co.uk/mattress_zipped.phpSorry I don't know how to fancy links where it just says click here.
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If you go to your local DIY shop in France most of them have a ranges a bit like Stain devils but better and they do all sorts of things like rust remover, don't use ordinary bleach it weakens the fibres and could go yellow especially if you dry it outside in the sun and it will be ruinned for good. Ace bleach works a treat on most stains and is my product of choice when laundering old embridered sheets but you do have to be careful around old coloured embroidery as it sometimes is not colour fast.
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Just a quick side line on Bathrooms / loos and CGT, if you are selling and have replaced a bathroom, old and tasteless rather than non existant you cannot claim it back as an expense (without a major amount of hastle) our fiscale agent would only allow the new one and referred back to our purchase agreement to see what was there when we bought it. We did manage to get them include after getting a sworn letter from the builder, having had a new fosse septic installed (so we said all the plumbing was new and related to) and bursting into tears in the Notaires office[;-)] but I don't know which of these made them change their minds.
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The ultimate French cake for me has to be the macaron, such delicate little morsels, such pretty colours, unusual flavours, Rose being my favorite but sooo expensive! but that does help woth portion control!the best I've had are from around Bordeaux (there is a shop at the Airport) but I don't know if that's their home, shame as I don't fly into Bordeaux anymore[:(]
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That's all very well and good if you leave near an airport,don't mind annoying your friends treating tham as a taxi, and there actually is a taxi service that you can use. I am more that happy to leave my car for a month at a time pay knowing that its safe, Nimes airport have a great scheme where first 20 mins free, normalish rates up to a month, but if you want a month or more you can pay in advance and get a lower rate. They then can provide a safe manned car park for everybodies benefit.
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Hi Monty
I thought I'd PM you but here's Yvonne Winstanley number 00 33 5 62 68 47 56 (from the uk) just say Abigail gave you the number, she can let you know which is the dreadful Notaire, I can't give the name on the Forum as its against the rules[;-)].
Sorry for the delay I've only just got back from France today
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I've only just read this thread, I hope all goes well tommorrow and maybe she can be transferred to Le Mans soon. The human body can be quite amazing a friend of a freind broke their back earlier this year in more than one place and spent over 3 monthes in hospital, I was amazed as he was telling me as we were strolling around Pezenas without even a limp, you would never have known.
The furniture is on its way to La Belle France......
in The Complete France Post Bag
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