Gypsies

[cooperlola]

No, Moya you are not alone.  As said above, my experience was positive too. 

If you're worried about your property price o/p, then I guess you have two options.  We bought but probably got our place at a bargain price due to other people's attitudes so if there is a perceived problem you'll probably pay less for the place; or you can just leave well alone.  Your choice.

[Immokalee]

Moya, your posting is very encouraging. 

Benjamin, I think I did say in a previous post that it was the owner who told us. I've been busy beavering away today and have had a reply from an immobilier I met some months ago. She doesn't have an active interest in this as it is an owner sale.  She tells me as far as she is aware it is a temporary site for mainly Eastern European workers to hook up to toilets and shower.  I have to say the site did look clean and litter free. Washing on the line but no people about. 

Yes, it is a great property, ticks all the boxes bar one.  Its difficult to make a decision. Here in the UK we bought a dream home 17 years ago with land renovated it and had an wonderful life. 3 years ago a private hospital was built 50 yards from us with 75 beds for those detailed under the mental health act. It came as agreat culture shock but we are learning to live with it ...... and yes, it houses some less desireables!  That said I don't want to run into a similar situation in France!

[Framboise]

I think that living with what you have in the UK is discouragement enough to contemplate going ahead with the barn.  Out of the frying pan and into the fire as they say.  However, as soon as we clamped eyes on our place we fell in love with it, warts and all, so it did not matter who lived nearby really because it simply was destined to be ours.   Perhaps you feel the same way about your barn?  Anyway, you get awful neighbours everywhere because the lot we finally got rid of here 18 months ago were the bane of our lives and they weren't do-as-yer-likeys!

Basically you have to weigh up the pros & cons as to whether you can live with the "what ifs?........" or just turn and walk away because there is sure to be something out there waiting for you to come along and fall in love with it.   Ultimately only you can decide on this issue.

[Blanche Neige]

Immokolee said

"...............it was the owner who told us. I've been busy beavering away today and have had a reply from an immobilier I met some months ago. She doesn't have an active interest in this as it is an owner sale.  She tells me as far as she is aware it is a temporary site for mainly Eastern European workers to hook up to toilets and shower.  I have to say the site did look clean and litter free. Washing on the line but no people about."

Of course the present owner is going to tell you that all is O.K. and there are no problems, he wants to sell the barn!  The immobilier has nothing to lose either.

Ultimately you have to think of the re-sale potential, buying this now for your own use may be all well and good but the day may / will come when you could want to leave and find it hard to sell.

 

edit;

I realise I have echoed P's posting above.

[MrCanary]

moya - I certainly concur with what you say about your UK 'posh' neighbours, we have similar here in Norfolk. We are lucky with our bolt-hole too, with good French neighbours looking after it for us. When we are not there, we get great pleasure out of knowing our lovely house is there waiting for us!

[Athene]

Here in leafy lane Essex, a garden centre had a piece of land and applied to the local council for building permission. It was refused so they sold it to travellers! The travellers (well that is what they call themselves even though they do not actually 'travel'!) moved in with loads of caravans and connected themselves to water and electricity! There have been protests from the community and reviews from the council but recently the travellers have been granted a stay of 5 years! I cannot see what it is like on this land but all the people in the area have put their houses up for sale and no-one is buying! So they have lost out big time on what is probably their main investment in life!

Do not buy this house!

[Framboise]

Yes Mel, the only thing that sustains us through life here here is knowing that we will be off to our new beginning  in France next year when the house should hopefully be near completion.  I have taken friends out to visit, people who are adamant that they would never leave England much less this area, and without exception they all return to England saying "I now understand what you mean...".    Even my sons (two of the three have been there so far) fell under the spell of the place, the peace and quiet, the uncramped lifestyle, the sense of freedom and the people, so it looks like our idea of skipping off into the sunset to grow old may be under threat of Kid Invasion!    And theres us thinking we would leave home and grow old disgracefully.  Hmmm.  

The only thing that I regret is not having been able to make this move when the children were young, (all four are late teens to mid-twenties now), because I am positive they would have had a far better start in life than this country can offer them, but hindsight is a fine thing isn't it?    My husband and are lucky that we have Our Exit Route already waiting there for us as you do too, we just love that inner glow when we open the gates to drive into our yard thinking "This is all ours", then the neighbours pop up with a cheery "Bonjour!" and a wave.   Here you daren't look at some of the oiks that loiter on the streets for fear of what they might do which is a sad indictment of society nowadays - one we certainly will not miss at all.