Minouette

Thanks Shimble [:)] I saw this last night and have passed it on.  Tried to reply to you then but the server was overloaded! [8-)]  Must have been a busy night........

I'm trying to help a friend.....   Does anybody know in which Yellow Pages section a reflexologist would be listed? Or can anybody recommend one in either 83 or 13?   Thanks    

Yes, I know.... and luckily the people in my local tax office are incredibly helpful. I posted that 'shock' more as a warning to other people who might be in the same position as me, ie renting elsewhere during the initial major renovation phase and then finding they have to sell. The second 'shock' is much the worse of the two and could stop the sale going through. [:(]  Having a holiday weekend is not helping either as the guy who did the inspection report - and from whom I am trying to get a devis for rectifying the situation - seems to have taken advantage of it and gone away for a few days.

I 'thought' I had sold without my house going onto the market at all! But see my post titled Two Days, Two Shocks a bit further down........ [:(] I live next door to a lady who works for an agence d'immobilier though.... and she seems to have quite a few sales going through, with both English buyers and French. I remember when I was looking for a house to buyI used to look firstly in the local freesheet, and on all the noticeboards (supermarkets, tabacs, epicerie etc) that I could find.  Maybe you could extend your reach into the market in that way? And good luck!

I should have known it was all too good to be true! [:(] In February 2004, having lived in France for nearly two years, I bought a house for renovation.  Circumstances changed drastically shortly thereafter and, a few months ago, sadly I decided I had to sell the house.  I do not live there - no kitchen or bathroom - and rent a small apartment nearby. I spent several weeks touring the property with various agents and had just got to the point of signing non-exclusive mandates (in fact one was already signed) when my landlord's brother-in-law approached me, saying he knew a potential buyer.  The lady visited the house, fell in love with it, made me an offer, we negotiated and all seemed hunky dory.  Shock One:  I thought I would be exempt from CGT because it is the only house I own, and I am a tax resident.  Not so, according to the tax office.  The place that I rent is considered to be my residence principale and CGT will be payable on the sale of the house that I cannot inhabit.  I dropped the price quite considerably because there was no agent involved, so there should be minimal tax to pay but even so...... Shock Two: This afternoon we were all assembled at the Notaire's office to sign the first papers.  I was informed that a new law had come into force on (I think) Monday.  Now, due to the plombe that had been discovered, there were two choices: a) Either I paid for its removal, in which case this would have to be done before signing of the Acte, or b) the buyer could agree to do it and would have a period of grace after the purchase in which to carry out the work and produce a certificate. At this point I am not prepared to carry out the work (and we have no idea what it will cost yet) unless I can increase the price accordingly.  The Notaire is trying to tell me that by increasing the price, I will increase the CGT that I will pay.  The buyer is not happy to pay for it because it would take her over the amount the bank has agreed she can borrow. Stalemate.  Both parties left the Notaire's office most unhappy and now await a plombe removal devis before 'maybe' going back to sign. I feel a hangover coming on....... [:(]    

Thanks again Ron   The email is still sitting, unopened, in my OE inbox, so I will hang onto it just in case.   And I would certainly never reply.    As soon as I saw the Subject line this morning I opened it via back-door (right click) and then cut/pasted the header into the Abuse emails to Hotmail, Wanadoo and Spamcop.    There was no body text but I would have still instantly dismissed it as yet another piece of spam except that a study of the header revealed I was the only recipient.  And, given the Subject, that spooked me.   I’m very grateful for your help, Minou.

Sorry... one more thing.  Once I have reported the abuse email to all the 'powers that be' is it ok to delete it, from my Inbox and my Deleted Items box?  Or do I need to keep it for any reason? Thanks again, Minou    

Thank you both so much for your incredibly prompt replies.  I have now reported the abuse directly to Hotmail.com, where the author resides, and to Spamcop.  I am just about to report to Wanadoo.fr as well but the email really upset me and translation is taking a bit longer than it normally would.    Or could I just send it in English? (she said hopefully).  Thanks again, Minou.

Hi I've just spent ages trawling around the Wanadoo.fr site trying to find an address to which I can report unwanted (and rather nasty) emails.   No joy though.  Can anyone help or advise? Thanks, Minou

[quote]Hi there, The best place to advertise in France is the magazine "de Particulier à Particulier". They have a website www.pap.fr where you can find lot of properties (and other goods) for sale. Hope...[/quote] Thanks Sabine but do you think this is something widely read by Brits, either resident in UK or France?   As explained in my first post, my friend prefers to sell to a Brit basically because he thinks they will pay a higher price than a French person would.   It may be cynical, it may be two-faced but I think he is probably right.  And as the sale is due to his divorce (ie he will only realise part of the value) he needs to sell at highest possible price in order for both he and his ex-wife to be able to buy new properties.  Thanks.

Cheers Weedon,  you've got my brain started!  I've also found an old book of mine about house-buying now so I'll be able to put together a pretty comprehensive questionnaire for my mate to fill in.  My purchase was a complete impulse buy and I'm sure I did everything wrong.... but I'm learning!

Yes, Coco mentioned French Property News earlier so it's already on my list. Thanks anyway.

Once again my thanks, OpelFruit and Weedon.  I must admit I would never in a million years have thought of Exchange&Mart or Dalton's Weekly..... and me a London lass, as well! Weedon... could I ask another question?  It would be very helpful to know what sort of questions you asked both before visiting a property (in order to weed out the no-go stuff) and when viewing the ones you thought suitable.  I'm going to try and second-guess what these might be, in order that I can get the answers from my mate and have them ready translated for when the buyer calls start flooding in (!), but I'm sure there will be heaps of things that I won't think to check up on.  My method of buying was about the equivalent of sticking a pin in a map, but you were obviously much better organised!  Many thanks to everybody.

Thank you Val (twice! ) and Coco.  All good ideas.  My mate doesn't have a computer so I expect Muggins here will have to be involved in that side of it!  He also doesn't speak much English so I imagine asking me for advice was only the first stage of his plan!  Acting as translator for any prospective buyers hasn't been mentioned yet, but I can see it looming on the horizon!  Thank you.... and if anyone else has any thoughts, please keep them coming....... Minou

Hi I have a French mate who, due to divorce, needs to sell his house.   He is quite keen to sell privately, rather than pay commission to an immobilier or notaire, and even keener to find a Brit (or other ex-pat) buyer.  The French might moan like stink about the 'English invasion' but they change their tune when they have property to sell!  He is also savvy enough to realise that his mostly-renovated (he is a very good builder) house with all its pierre apparent would appeal more to a Brit than to a local.  He asked my advice on the best places to advertise, either in France or in the UK, but I have no idea what to suggest!  I bought my house privately but it was a case of being in the right place in the right time... I just happened to spot a guy doing some work on a house and it turned out he wanted to sell it.  So I bought it!  So, did anyone here buy their house privately and, if so, could you tell me where you saw the initial advertisement? Many thanks Minou