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So what is this appeal that is so British


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[quote user="Apero"]

This thread has brought back such lovely memories of our purchase, thanks. Our dream was-

Edge of a village with baker cafe vet doctor, max 15k from a large town, access links to international airport, Old stone house, 1 acre no more, At least room for 4 bedrooms 2 reception, 3 bath, Views to die for, South facing, mostly French neighbours.

Cant say the house appeal was because I'm British, worked and lived outwith the UK since my early 20's, more 'it's France' which appeals, the location was paramount.

As soon as we walked up the drive we knew this was the one. Longere, south Loire, 5 minute walk to village, 9km to large town, good train link to Paris, south facing, amazing views, hamlet of 11 French families, 4 downstairs room, kitchen of sorts, shower sink and loo all in different cupboards, large grenier, 3/4 acre garden, barn over the road.

 

Artisan renovation done over 18mths, new roof, electrics, plumbing, fosse septic, mains water, windows, shutters (lavender color), pool, 5 bedrooms, 3 bath, 2 reception, large kitchen-heart of the home. Sold the barn to a farmer neighbour. Mrs A smiles every time we open the gate, as do I. The time is getting close for me to slow down and pass the company to the next generation, looking forward to seeing more of her smiles.

 

[/quote]

Apero, you are a lucky man indeed.  I love your part of France and your property sounds delightful.  I don't think we are in that sort of financial bracket but I am more than convinced that, with a lot of hard searching, we will get something that will feel "right".

By the way, has anyone any views on laminated floorboards?  I wish people wouldn't put them in as they (the floorboards) put me right off!

I am now more unsettled than ever, to the extent that the OH has said, OK, we move.  So chez nous, we have started work on an outdoors area that is shady and inviting, adapted from an old ruin.  In the meantime, I am still looking for inspiration and still enjoying people's stories of how they found their home and whether they fell in love with it.

I have in the meantime looked at possibilities that I wouldn't have considered and I must still maintain that the modern bungalow does not set my heart racing.  Oh well............back to the drawing board!

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[:(]

I couldnt resist replying to your post even though i hve not yet managed to buy in France. The reason for tis is that we cant agree on what we would like to buy !

Originally we both (hubby and me) were quite sure that we wanted a fermette or similar, definately rural with some land. I am an avid beekeeper and small holder , so this is a must.

After yet another property viewing session this week i saw and fell in love with the perfect place, much to my horror, our immoblier threw in a wild card of a much newer style proerty (with land) but definately no character. Even more to my horror, the other half loved it !!! and now set on that type of purchase saying that old barns are putting him off.

Help . is their any hope ? i cant imagine living in a typically "British" style house , maybe i should stay in Britain.

I know it has to be a joint ecision, but i am so so diapponted.

Has anyone else experienced differing opinions ??

jayne

[:(]bee

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Funnily enough, Jayne, when I was looking (the o/h can't be bothered with such things) I also found the perfect property for us which was modern with land.  If it had been in the right location, I might very well have gone for it, but it was just too far from Le Mans to tick all the boxes.  In the end, we went for a fermette (which, like you, was the kind of place we had imagined we would buy initially) as we found one which was much closer to where we wanted to be and that's where we ended up.  Having lived here for three years, we don't regret what we've bought but I often wish the modern place had been here, as it would undoubtedly have been less hassle!  A home is on the inside - not the outside, and a pretty exterior can bring problems with it.  If the modern place has everything else you want, then do think about it again.  It's one thing to look at a place; quite another to live in it!
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jaynebee & coops

This is a really hard one.  There is such a thing as a head and a heart and they are just such seperate entities.

I have to agree with Coops, in a way.  We have made some friends, Brit and French and, when I have been to modern houses, I must say, it all feels very clean and warm and comfortable and I HAVE (honest) done my outmost to love them.  I think how lovely for poor OH not to have to spend over an hour every morning sorting out the woodburners and there is just so much dust everywhere.

I'm not saying "never" to a modern pavillion or some such.  All I'm saying is, NOT YET.  When we are no longer able to look after an old place, THEN we'll do modern . The one thing I am absolutely sure about is that I do not want to live in the sort of house that I could live in back in the UK.  Therefore, no modern bungalows, no housing estates, no surburban semis and definitely no lawns with immaculate flower beds and NO rododendron borders!

Have now decided, in view of all the advice I have had on here, that we will sell first and then and only then commit. I'm dead scared I shall fall in love with something unsuitable, unaffordable, a money-pit and then, God help me and my bank manager!

 

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[quote user="sweet 17"]Have now decided, in view of all the advice I have had on here, that we will sell first and then and only then commit. I'm dead scared I shall fall in love with something unsuitable, unaffordable, a money-pit and then, God help me and my bank manager![/quote]A good tactic but fraught with it's own problems not the least of which is, armed with the full proceeds of a UK sale, the temptation to go wildly over budget.

Head -v- heart is a terribly difficult dilemma but one should not lose sight of the longer term practicalities and it generally works out better that way round than vice-versa [;-)]

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all this talk of 'I musn't live in a house like the uk' puzzles me, I wan't to know why ? we have all lived in uk house's and been none the worst for it, did you all come to france to get out of uk 'houses' we came because we wanted a thug free life, we found that, plus along the way, we found the loverly french people, traffic free roads, helpful neighbours, and an altogether nicer life, amongst all this we found our house, its a two storey and 8 years old, with 3000 sgm of land. Like us I'm sure most of you have come to france to retire, so as in my first question, why the need to have derelict, dusty, draughty houses, and to spend your retirement going backwards and forwards to the brico depots, we spent about 6 months putting our own stamp on this place, and can now sit back and enjoy it all, no stress,no hassle, no bricos, just happiness in our loverly france
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Hi All

I can turn this on it's head as I moved from a 300 year old cottage with a garden and paddock in the UK so my UK house is probably just like your french houses!  I was looking for something similar here I have to say but it happened to me too, saw a place that whilst needed renovation was fairly new 20 yearsish old.  So I will have a house that will look modern when it's finished and will have those benefits.  So why did I chose it?  It is in the most wonderful location has loads of land and a beautiful lake which you can view from every window!  So I think it's all about what grabs you on the day.

Panda

 

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I do take your point though (not that our house is drafty - dusty, yes, but that would be true of any place I lived in!), Fussy.  As said above, I was quite taken with the modern house I saw; only its location put me off in the end.  But I was with a friend at the time - whom I took along just to keep my feet on the ground a bit.  She was absolutely horrified that I liked it and said, quite categorically, "You can't buy that!".  However, as it was in 2 hectares, had 3 bedrooms and 2 receptions plus two bathrooms and a huge sous-sol (for the o/h to play trains in), I thought it was perfect, really.  Modern wouldn't have put me off although it was evident that it would have been a total no-no for my friend.  Each to his own.

Oddly, the French house we bought is the same age as our UK one was, in a very similar situation (rural but 3 kms from a reasonably sized town) and with slightly less land.  Only difference - hoorah! - is that it is detached.  I never want to be glued onto my neighbours again, however pleasant they are.

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You're right fussy but if someone were living in one of those bland Barrett/Wimpey/Bovis "freeze dried" houses as I call them, with postage stamp garden, completely overlooked by neighbours with squaking brats, I quite understand them saying that they don't want to live in a UK house !

[:)]

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I really think I have to put the record straight as regards my views on "British houses".  I don't mean in the least to be derogatory about them.  All I said (and meant) was that, for me, it defeats the whole purpose of the exercise if I were to come all this way to France only to live in what I could have lived in back in the UK!  Could have saved myself a load of bother and just stayed put.

Now I do understand that people have very different ways of looking at their houses.  There will always be the practical ones (like Cerise, for example) who wants clean, warm, problem free and who don't want to do too much work.

I don't want a huge project, either and, as I have said, I will never say "never" to new.  If the right "new" is found, then that is what I will have.

Being a terrible home bod, I love to be at home and I fear that if I were Brian the Snail from the Magic Roundabout (anybody remembers Brian?), I'd carry my home on my back too.  I am never bored at home or with my own company.  There is always the garden, the piano, my books............wonderful!

Please don't confuse what I said about not wanting a British house with me being dissatisfied.  In fact, I loved our UK home so much I always thought I'd only leave it feet first.  What I'm saying is I don't want a UK-type house whilst I'm living in France.  Now I'm living here, I want a French-type house.  If you love buildings as much as I do, you'd understand about wanting vernacular architecture (wherever possible).

Whew, hope that's a little less ambiguous.  Back to preparing the house (which is in France, by the way) ready to test out the market) and then to play Monopoly for real (pity I can't be the banker and issue myself a stack of euros!)

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Our dream was-

Difficult one this and I hope you won' think it entirely inappropriate, but my wife Sue and I have been coming to France for 35 years now and looked all over, We also wanted close to a village with baker, cafe, doctor, etc, max 15k from a large town, access links to international airport, Old stone house, acre or so, At least room for 4 bedrooms, Views to die for, South facing, mostly French neighbours.
We found just such a place outside a couple villages and near a major town with rail and air links;
a stone fermette with a couple of barns on an acre or so with field and wood, Traditional Charente build in stone, pierre apparent, 2 storey, not too grand, and the view, well suffice to say our property is marked on the map as a Michelin viewpoint.
Downside was that it needed a lot of work, upside apart from the location, was that it was near some friends and we have met lots of even more friendly people locally, So we took the plunge and for a few years have cajoled architects, builders and friends (essential to have friends nearby if you take on such a task) to get the property sorted and this year planned to move down to do the finishing touches(!) maybe a bit more. Unfortunately one of my little signatures came true and one Tuesday when we were least expecting it Sue was diagnosed with cancer finally passing away a couple of weeks ago. So it might be a good thing to add to your list health, luck and time. I hope to continue for my benefit and the families, but obviously no matter what, it can't tick all the boxes now.

[:(]The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

 

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What you say is so very true, John, and I do sympathise completely.  I'm not going to say anything else about Sue because nothing that I can say, a stranger after all, can be adequate and will only sound trite.

I do hope you are able to carry on with your dream, albeit it will now be without her.

As you say, how can you plan life to the last detail?  Perhaps that is why we need our dreams and to feel that, as long as we are able, we will keep on reaching that little bit higher (whatever objective we have in view).

All the very best for the future and look after yourself. 

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John my heart goes out to you, I think I can understand part way how you must be feeling, we lost our daughter three years ago, and came to france to try somehow to come to terms with it, we are still trying, every day is still a struggle for us, that's why an already 'done' house was the best way to go, we have spent years in england doing houses up, so no more, we chose a nice location, with plenty of land, and can now live the dream. I hope you finish your house soon, albeit without your sue, or maybe not, i'm sure she is there with you, I hope you can get some comfort by looking around the house that you planned together. God broke your heart to prove he only takes the best.
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I think our story will echo much of what has already been said.  We started off wanting an old stone house, bags of character, 4 bedrooms, pool, ideally about 3 acres, at least 30 minutes drive south of Bergerac and we didn't want to do very much work. We wanted to be rural but able to walk to the local shop and to school... what we ended up buying was everything we said we didn't want ... almost! [:$]

We bought a 1960's house that needs lots of work (electric, plumbing, kitchen, bathrooms, insullation, floors, doors, windows, new pool, new garage, external painting... the lot really!)  We only have just under an acre of land and we're 30 minutes north of Bergerac. [Www]

The thing that sold the house to us was the view.  I just love looking out of the window and looking down the valley.  I love walking to school in the morning and just looking around us.  We're just outside the village and we have easy access into Perigueux.  I do look at the wonderful old french houses and wonder what if... but then I look out at our view and remind myself what I loved about this house in the first place.  OH wasn't too bothered what kind of house we bought but I was adamant if had to be old... surprised myself really!  I guess now I would simply say, look at loads and keep an open mind...[:$]  I'm not looking forward to the upheaval and the wait for the refurbishment but I am already dreaming of the finished product. [:D]

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[quote user="cooperlola"]

If ever there was a reason to "go for it", that's it, .  Do it while you can, you never know what will happen tomorrow.

[/quote]

My intended message was that it is not that my grief is painful, (it is) or that Sue was a beautiful person who was cheated (she was), but Life is so Brief and Time is a Thief; to all of you out there spending years looking for perfection I would just say you may not have as much time as you think; so dial in some compromise in your list and go for it as Cooper lola says.

I didn't intend to hijack this thread, just make a contribution, please carry on!

 

[8-|] you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.

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Hi John - my post earlier on this thread has been playing on my mind all day.  I started to read the posts on this thread and replied without reading them all properly.  It was only after I posted that I realised my comments along with smiley faces was a tad inappropriate, following on from what you had just shared with us all.  I am sorry... I didn't intend to be flippant or unsympathetic... I don't suppose for one moment you ever thought I was... but nonetheless I just wanted to say sorry... and also to say thank you for sharing with us such a poignant post.
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I really didnt mean to imply that our house in England is bad,

we live in what is thought of as a "nice" Devon village , and yes our house is lovely . However, building is now rife , even in places that are designated as "areas of outstanding beauty ", 4 bed houses are being crammed into plots no bigger than a double garage spaces, and  the village has seriously out grown its infrastructure with doctors appointments taking over a week to secure.

 England is now over crowded and angry, friday nights are no go areas in the bigger towns , and supermarkets churn out plastic food . The roads are Hell and the i have regular prescriptions for anti-stress medication bcause my job is manic and although well paid for Devon, still takes its pound of flesh.

My 16 year old son is about to go to college and i fear for his future living in a place where last week an old disabled pensioner was mugged and robbed of her disabled buggy by "joy riding " youths (and we live in a better part of the country !!)

The truth is , its not the houses that i dislike , its the package that comes with it , and to achieve the kind of life that i crave France is my utopia. Yes i know i will have to work hard ,and i have no objections to that , but the type of house i can afford in france ticks all my boxes ,for approx 180,000 euros . In England the equivalent in Devon would be £650,000 .  

Quality not quantity is all i ask, where good food is "normale" and respect is still there to be earned and given.

I agree the type of house is immaterial but i do love to work on the land and rear my own food , and a modern house seems to be a contradiction of this desire.

Also in response to the other lady, i too would love to spend time with my other half on our own project at home , at least it would be for ourselves and our families future with a lot of satisfaction and fun along the way. I think i just have to convince my OH that we dont have to  complete everything immediately as we would be pressurised to do in England .

my heart goes out to John, thank you John for making me even more determined to take the step off the tread mill , life is cruelly short and there to be lived for as long as we are priviliged to do so.

take care .

jaynebee     

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John, just wanted to say your post puts many things into perspective for me.  I too hope you continue to follow your dream and know that there are so many kind people here on the forum that will want to offer any support they can and just be here if you want to talk, including me.

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[quote user="now just john "]

...to all of you out there spending years looking for perfection I would just say you may not have as much time as you think; so dial in some compromise in your list and go for it as Cooper lola says.

[/quote]

John, neither of your posts were innapropriate in the least. I don't believe the thread has been hi-jacked at all.

Naturally people will respond to you being bereaved, but also, as WJT suggests, your post makes us all consider the things that we really shouldn't waste time squabbling (with those we love) about.[:)]

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Great words, wonderful advice.  I must admit I have been guilty recently of behaving in a rather spoilt fashion.  I do try to remind myself to count my blessings but sometimes the little brat in me will out.

Thank you Tresco for reminding me........

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