pugwash

The thread has got a little diverted, but we are getting back somewhere near it. If you want to move , and sit around waiting for the exact right time you will never go. There is no "right" time per say,  sort out your money look at your budget what do you want to spend on a house ?, how much do you want to keep back for fallback money/investment ?  then go and look what that will buy you and either go for it or not.  

Kathie,  I do not know anything about your circumstances, but have you really looked at it?, when I was forced out of work last year 6 years early at that time, I was in a panic because I couldn't find another equivalent job, and I knew there was no way I was going to stack shelves at Tesco at the behest of a snotty 22 yr old with 2 gce's, so I really had to look at my circumstances, and I found that with the obvious trimming of expectations I could afford to stop work if we moved to France (actually I would be even better off if we wnt to Bulgaria or Brazil, but you cannot go too far from the grandchildren). Having resigned ourselves to the lower expectations we find we will be reasonably comfortable with enough fallback, and we are now looking forward to settling down in Normandy and seeing out our time in a lovely garden surrounded by fruit and not trees, with regular visits from family, and still able to go back ourselves a couple of times a year. Give it some thought

L/Gal,  I know what you mean when you say I am going to loooove France, but at least their socialism is up front where you can see it, not like the pseudo socialism that we have at the moment, and look like we will continue to have with the Fat jock probably going to get promoted. It will be interesting to see what the Sarkozy effect will be in France. He might even sort out the inheritance problems eventually !.

Sorry to confuse you L/Gal, I am talking about the TV License, most of which seems to be appropriated by the BBC news department to run an alternative version of the Guardian newspaper, and has become a beacon for Champagne Socialists. As for the inheritance business if you still have £10 left when you go, that's bad planning ! serves you right [:P] [:D]

Sweet dix-sept, we actually were in Normandy just 2 weeks ago when they had enough snow to block the motorway, it's not a problem, in fact my wife commented on how it was more comfortable than here because the atmosphere was less damp.  I should also point out that over the last few years I have been working in the Czech Republic and Poland during the winter, if you think it's bad in Normandy you don't know you are born.

Thanks for that Copperlola, the decision to move to France was not just on financial motives but the facts I have already stated made it a very easy decision. Something else I did not say that also helps me with the decision, is not having to pay the BBC for it's propoganda driven news organisation. I know I will have to pay the French for probably the same thing, but it will be less and I can live with that.

I think the most fortunate people at the moment are the ones who decided to buy in the recent past and have been importing money in the last month. At €1.51 to the pound they have probably made extremely good savings, and I hope the rate stays around there for the next few months until it's my turn to bring in the cash. Specualtion about the housing market in the UK should be based on 2 simple truths, the present cost of housing is unsustainable, and will be further aggrevated by the massive increases you will see in the upcoming years in council tax rates. The only bright spot may that the fat jock may raise the stamp duty level in the near future. What is also always true is that when the bottom drops out of the housing market, taxes and rates will not drop by the same proportion, and I see nothing but misery coming up. even with a Conservative Government in power the damage is going to take too long to repair to produce any instant effect. Any increases in savings rates will be eaten up by all this, and will probably be taxed anyway. Which is why being stuck with a reduced financial state after an early retirement has prompted a move to Normandy, We have decided to buy a property that is in many ways very similar to that which we have here in Devon, except it has a huge cellar and terrific garden as well, and it is half the cost. As for all the whinging about taxes and inheritance laws, that also has a simple reaction from me, if you have it it will be taxed, if you don't they won't, and and if your kids haven't sorted themselves out by the time you peg out, thats their problem. Stop clinging to it and live your life, you will be a long time dead, and you won't need any money for it.

With reference to Llwncelyn earlier, I had a fellow Welshman living close to me in married quarters, in Plymouth some years ago, when he got the celestial knock on the door he would reply to their question that he was a "Welsh Tobacconist", and by the time they had realised what he said, the door was closed again. I think the worst thing about all these that they won't take 'yes' for an answer either, it only makes them stay longer

I am only a new boy, haven't even moved over yet (still trying to sell the bungalow in Devon, any offers ?) , but can I suggest that this thread is going nowhere, I have no sympathy for Pun, but the rest of you are just lowering yourselves to his level and perpetuating (Pun, that means keeping it going) the argument to no useful end, and not leaving the best impression on anyone looking in.   [:)][:D][:P]

Tresco, it's a "tricorder", how sad is it that I know these things ?, and as for the thread being in free fall which somebody else said, better it's in free fall than where it was going.   Pugwash

Just read the whole of this thread; the Brits abroad you've got to love them haven't you ? Out of their natural environement, used to being the big fish, can't stand being told they are wrong by people they cannot see, so cannot pigeon hole. Could end up being corrected by someone socially inferior, well we can't have that can we, I had all this when I lived in Portugal, nothings changed except now we have  email to enable sniping and snide remarks that would have had to be mumbled in the beard before. Isn't communication wonderful ?   [:)][:D]

My thanks to everybody that has replied and contributed to my original question "which is the best way to transfer a large sum of money for house purchase in France?". The problem is distilling an answer from the various and no doubt genuine contributions, because it really is not a lot clearer. I would say at the moment that buying a one off deal with a "dealer" to bring in the large amount required for start up is best because although the banks are supposed to do it for the same rate as an internal transfer they may not, and they will not give me a good rate of exchange.  I then need to find a friendly French Bank, which could be a different bank in different areas although the CA seems to come reasonably well reccomended, and use the Nationwide for the day to day transfers of "running cash". Thankfully we all seem to agree on the benefits of the Nationwide system, so that I have done already. I still have to sell the Bungalow here in Devon, so at this time there is no great panic but  I think we are getting closer to an answer. Thank you all for your help, sorry if I have directly contradicted anyone, no offence intended, Cooperlola, your participation was just too cryptic for me, I am sure the single lower case "i" is significant but I just cannot see it at the moment.[:D]   Pugwash

Spg, is that  € 50.00 or  €5000, or what  ?   seems like a lot of trouble for 50   Pugwash

Thank you LV,  [:)] I am going to display my ignorance and ask when you say a "dealer" what do you mean ?, and does your second comment about free transfers between European banks mean that I actually don't need one even if I knew what it is ?.[:D]   Pugwash   anyone want to buy a bungalow ???

[:)]I have been reading all of this thread with interest and in preparation for our move to France  (Normandy area) when we have sold our place here in Devon. In preparation I have opened our Nationwide account as it does appear to be the best method for simple money transfers on a routine basis, but there is 1 question yet that has not been mentioned in any detail. What actually is the best method of getting the "big money" for the intial purchase of the property into France ?  [8-)]   Pugwash    

Unfortunately the fact that you have been with your bank for 40 years will nowadays be seen as a good reason to try any kind of charges on you. The people that get the best deals now are the pushy and questioning customers who are prepared to move accounts. I am very afraid that the kind of loyalty you are depending on doesn't exist anymore in the banking world, moving to the Nationwide sounds like sound advise. Question for anyone else, if you transfer a tax free pension from the UK to France is it still tax free ??