Is the big rush over?

[Frogslegs]

Running a gite and b/b we have seen many, many people hoping to buy their "little dream" of a house and gite...always for a "bargain"! But it appears to me that the flow of would be buyers has now trickled to a few and estate agents nearby have moved out and those that remain have few enquires. Having been here just three years we calculated recently that 16 local Brits that we know well, are selling up or have downscaled due to buying the wrong properties. Does this appear in other departments, We are in the Deux Sevres near Melle. 79

 

[Miki]

We have certainly noticed a slow down in people staying here and looking for properties but, we have to take the seasons in to the equation.

We had plenty of searchers again this year from January through to May, then barely anyone but that is pretty much the way, house buying can often go in France. I would say though, that our feelings are things are slowing down and we have noticed more folks than normal around here, are moving on or going back to the UK. What that all adds up to, we shall see more clearly sometime next year I think.

 

 

[zeb]

We still hear of people moving into our commune, and 90% of Brits who were here when we moved in three years ago are still here.

I think only estate agents can answer your question but I'm wondering if there are still many "bargains" to be had.

There seems to be quite a bit of greed about - the semi detached cottage behind us, not a ruin but with leaks, no heating, no proper sanitation etc, just two rooms (but room to extend), and no parking at the front or side as it's on a public chemin, has just been put on the market by the children of its French owner (94 yr old) for 80,000 euros! Friends reckon it will sell, the Brits will buy anything apparently, but we will see.......

helen

[Weedon]

Maybe its just part of the settling down of the "more money than sense syndrome".  I suspect that the people who buy and stay put are the ones that think more about the implications of what they are doing with their money and lives. In our case we simply could not afford to throw hard earned cash into some sort of media driven must have and so when we made our life changing move it was for the long term which I suspect was not the case for the "fly by nights" who will simply move on to the next in thing.

Weedon

[Lautrec]

The TV programmes such as 'A place in the Sun', 'No going back' etc ad infinitum have been fueling the rush of Brits to find their  dream home here in France! I do think, that all these programmes should carry a official health warning stating, "That seeking the right house and settling in, can damage your health!" The prices quoted for the houses featured are so sadly out of date; the series quite possibly having been made up to two years ago!

We came over to France a year ago and thought we could by a house needing no work on it for 100,000. euros We were soon disalusioned. Today, you get what you pay for and paying ,pin money' sometimes brings you a whole load of worry and work!

But having said all that, I would not change our situation and ever return to the UK. The house we bought is now beginning to be a comfortable and good looking home. But at the expense of some hard work and the outlay of some extra money. So people thinking of making the move, don't be put off. Our old humdrum UK life is now much more exciting and offers a new challenge every day!.

[Dave&Olive]

we are taking the plunge into the b&b/gite bussiness but had also a plan "b" if things did not work out for us,but after the response from my post on hand made furniture it looks like plan A & C plan B in the pocket just in case.

thanks for all the feed back on that

                                      Dave&Olive

[Val_2]

I have never seen so many private sales in the FPN as there has been for the past three or four months now. Surely this also indicates a change in that people are either selling up because they have made a grave mistake and can't make a living here,can't afford to keep two homes going or just want rid of and go somewhere else. Another indication is the number of calls we get asking for estimates for work and then find on asking that the caller lives over 100miles away and only wants a door hanging and do we know any other english artisans in their region.I personally think that 2005 will see the phenomenon begin to slow down and prospective buyers will start to go further afield.

[Pierre ZFP]

Well, we are in Pas-de-Calais, not far from Le Touquet.  We chose that area so we can get there in 3 hours door-to-door.  We were incredibly lucky and bouoght 5 years ago just before the prices went though the roof (no pun intended). In our area now it is not so much a lack of buyers as a lack of anything for sale.  Even the agents windows seem to be full of properties with 'Vendu' over them.  I know of someone who bought a place last year (against my advice as it was too run down) and has now sold it as there was just too much work to do.  Sometimes the dream doesn't come true I suppose. Even though the price of my place has gone up tremedously, I guess I wouldn't make very much because of capital gains tax Etc. - not that I have any intention of selling!!!

Grey and forcast -4 deg C in Luxembourg

Pierre ZFP