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Top 10 Wish List for foreign buyers - is this YOU? What would you add?


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This is purely unscientific and was prompted by my discussion with a local estate agent (I am selling up, hence my fraternizing with immos!).  We wondered "What are foreign property buyers looking for?"

I decided to carry out a survey at my local market - so listening out for English/German/Dutch voices - I approached various house hunters - here in (more or less) order of importance (most important first) are my results.  They form a rather neat Top 10.

1. Rural setting yet, walking distance to a "lively" village (privacy was important but nobody I spoke to wished to be "isolated") - and not one of those dead, all-the-shutters-shut-never-see-a-living-soul type places so common in the French countryside.

2. Short drive to a market town. i.e. 5-10 minutes. This to have all amenities: schools, supermarkets, other shops, hospitals, sports, restaurants, theatre, cinema etc

3. Within an hour of an international airport (two airports if possible, and ideally airports served by more than one low cost airline...don't want all eggs in one low-cost basket!)

4. Fully renovated or nearly renovated "Character property" - generally this meant: older properties, stone-work, original beams, fireplaces, prettiness, quirky nooks and crannies, perhaps a reminder of its history...waterwheel, old bread-oven/forge etc. Foreign buyers are more stoic about DIY than the natives.

5. 3 bedrooms was the consensus "best number". With 2-4 being the range. Generous living rooms - high ceilings, good proportions and plenty of windows/light.

6. At least 2 bath/shower rooms (and 2 lavatories). Bigger the house, the more required.

7. Some land. Around half an acre seems about right for most (though some want significantly more). The word "manageable" came up a fair bit. Outside dining areas and terraces were also desired.

8. Some water. River, pond, lake, swimming pool, sea-side etc

9. "Frenchness" - there was a desire to be in an area with a low concentration of "Brits", to be able to experience real French life...yet to have access to a support network if needed. These were NOT little Englanders (or Little Munichers or Amsterdammers etc)

10. Access to attractions/communications: Things like ski resorts, coast, cities (with their culture and bright-lights), mountains, wine chateaux, lakes etc all "day-tripable". Didn't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, no matter how charming it is. "Broadband" i.e. ADSL, was also mentioned as important

Is that you? What would you add?

Have a great day,

Ian

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We've just bought and I would agree with most of the list... apart from number 4.  We started out with the intention of finding an old stone character house with a pool but ended up buying a more modern house simply because of the location and the view.  We were open minded with our search and surprised ourselves with our choice!  I was sold on the view before we stepped inside! Now I'm counting down the days... 36 to go!!!! [:D]
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Hey good for you!

We are about to go hyper-modern ourseleves -  we have a building plot and are going to import a high-tech eco-friendly German kit house. Quite excited myself...need to sell my current house firrst, then it's all systems go!

My best wishes,

Ian

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I would say that what people think they want is so very often different from what they eventually decide to buy.

Thinking "outside the box" can sometimes lead to something really special.

Our house has 5 bedrooms and I do wonder whether this puts some foreign buyers off (as the survey says, "3" is the ideal with "2-4" being the range). I, personally, would consider a 5th bedroom a bonus rather than an unwanted extra.

What do you think?

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Yes, we do currently use it as a home office, but for me, the name "study" conjures up a rather small, ground floor room and ours really is a 5th bedroom, on the first floor.

In that respect, our house is ideal for a holiday gite as it can comfortably sleep 10 people. Along with our own 3 children and numerous visitors, the 5 bedrooms are always in use.

I believe that one of the main attractions is the spacious accommodation our house has to offer, after all, we all know how keen friends and family are to holiday with us once we've been brave enough to make the move here ourselves!

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[quote user="Ian"]Hey good for you!

We are about to go hyper-modern ourseleves -  we have a building plot and are going to import a high-tech eco-friendly German kit house.

[/quote]

didn't they show one once on Grand Designs.... a Huf House? Looked fantastic, went up quickly and very high quality!  Very nice... good luck!![:)]

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That's right Huf was once on Grand Designs.

We are using another manufacturer called Schwoerer - same principle (but Schwoerer can tailor your house a little more than Huf). 

  • Wood construction from sustainable forests all machined by robots in a huge factory - tiny tolerances (engineered like a German car, I guess)
  • Electrics and plumbing installed within thick mega-insulated walls
  • Solar panels, heat exchangers, rain water collection, triple glazed, geo thermic systems etc

  • One stop shop idea (kitchen, bathrooms, tiles, floors etc) all good quality

It arrives on the back of 6 lorries, with a crane and a team of unifirmed ruthlessly efficient German builders who erect the main structure in one  (16 hour) day. Then another 3-5 weeks to fit out the interior

We are really looking forward to the whole process!

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Yes, that list is pretty much our list!!  We also want to be within a day's drive of channel port as realistically we will drive most of the time with three children of sec school age.  Airports within an hour for flying maintenace visits and for lower season guests/grandparents etc

VIEW, VIEW, VIEW!!!  Not a large garden, but one big enough for a secluded pool (which must be at least 10x5m, not a diddy one!!)  and a great view that we don't have to take care of!!

3-5 bedrooms, or a 5 bed house that is easily split in two so we can rent one half out and stuill go in peak season ourselves, or use the whole house together.  Now that's just in an ideal world.

Walking/cycling distance of a boulangerie and preferably good value family friendly french restaurants.

"Kerb Appeal" in a photo so that we can rent it out and sell on if we ever have to/want to!!

 

Oh, and the small quaestion of price, E150-250 000!!

 

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