buying a house

[lynne]

Can anyone tell me if they have come across this before and what can I do to safeguard myself.

I should have been leaving Yorkshire to view a property near Limoges tonight at 12.20, viewing booked for 2pm the following day. The immobilier contacted me at 4pm less than 24 hours  before the viewing to tell me the vendors had been in touch to say that they had signed a contract to sell, but didn't tell anyone until the deed was done just incase it fell through!

I've just lost around £250!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the second time this as happened at this rate I wont be able to afford to buy a house.  I might add they were both ex-pats.  Is this the norm in France am I better spending several months out there house hunting?

[Val_2]

As far as I can see the vendors of that property havn't really done anything wrong apart from hedge their bets and take the offer whereas you may well have arrived there and not liked the property if they had waited. You should understand that people are desperate here in many many cases as they want to leave France and if they have to play a little underhand, they will do so rather that risk losing what maybe their only chance to sell. Ideally you should have several properties lined up at least so you don't waste your trip.

[NormanH]

You paid for the ticket, so you could have come over and had a look at a few other properties 'on spec'..

Certainly any seller will bite the hand off a buyer and not wait for anybody else.

[mint]

[quote user="NormanH"]You paid for the ticket, so you could have come over and had a look at a few other properties 'on spec'..
Certainly any seller will bite the hand off a buyer and not wait for anybody else.
[/quote]

Buying here is the same as buying anywhere else, in a sense.  You always need to be aware that the seller could pull out right up to the time of the compromis. As the buyer, you too could play the game.  Keep your cards close to your chest and definitely do not set your sights on just the one property.

I had a very nasty experience when I was giving the notaire our details and was on the point of exchanging the necessary dosh when the seller pulled out WITHOUT giving a reason.  We'd already visited more than once and had even spent a week in a gîte near the property and I was practically dreaming every night about living in the property.

What I would say is, NEVER COUNT YOUR CHICKENS and, anyway, a couple of trips is NOTHING.  Won't recount all my househunting experiences as that would easily make the contents of a couple of books.

But, as Norman has advised:  arrange viewings, two a day if possible, and always believe that you will end up in the house that will be just right for you!  As I have.......[:D]

In the meantime, next time you are over and wish to see my house in the Charente Maritime (no, not yet on the market so Mods, I am not promoting my house [:$]), send me a PM.  Seriously, Good Luck with your search.

It takes time, money, determination and hard work, but you'd get there in the end.

[Quillan]

It happened twice to us when we were looking for a house. On one occasion we drove for three hours and when we arrived at the meeting place we were told that the house we had driven all that way to see had just been sold. Lucky for us, the agent said, she just happened to have a couple more that we might be interested in, yeah right [:@]. After the second time this happened we gave up using English agents or English people working for agents and dealt direct with French Immobiliers and had much better results if though hampered by little of no French language skills on my behalf. Good luck.

[lynne]

Sorry I've not been very clear about it.  I've just spent 6 weeks out in France looking at houses. Prior to that we had the first let down, prior to that 3 weeks at Easter and a week in February.  This one was a bit special and it was a case of flying out tomorrow returning the following day.

Even the immobiller told the vendor they were dispicable, all this was only arranged on Saturday so obviouslly they knew then what was happening.  I don't know how they sleep at night,  Can I just add its land and a lake no house so it's not as though they needed to sell up to move,

 

[lynne]

 

Council tax 1200 per year, Electricand Gas150 per month Water £32 per month.  It's cold and wet the NHS is crap. I know this may seem a daft question but why are people wanting to leave France?  Surley it's not to return to the UK. If it is there in for a nasty shock when they get here.

[lynne]

Thanks

I think I'll spend my money on a motorhome don't think the nerves can stand much more. I'ts nothing like buying and selling here in Yorkshire.  It sounds very much likedog eats dog.

[woolybanana]

Oh dear, oh dear, you have had bad experiences. Usually the procedure is rather leisurely and well organized. It is so sad you got shafted by a nasty expat.. Well, I guess you should persevere if you really wanna come to France.

As to why some return,well, there are tons of reasons from missing grandchildren to being deported, like Norman!

[NormanH]

Are you seriously suggesting that if you had an appointment to view a property in Yorkshire, and the vendors had a contract that had been signed the day before that it would have been different?

I don't follow your thread to be honest.

[lynne]

Missing grandchildren I hope they'll come with me but I do see what you mean. I don't really know how I feel at the moment.  I certainly can't throw any more money into it this year.

[Judith]

Lynne

Can I say that, unfortunately, wherever you are, whatever nationality, you will always find people like this - and, yes, at the moment, as sale is a sale (we have been trying to sell the house we left to move just up the road, for over two years, so if you get a serious buyer, you stick with them) ....

But on the other hand,  you also get the really genuine people, who would never do this (the equivalent of my word is my bond approach).  It is very difficult to buy from abroad - you really do need to be here to see the house as soon as it comes on the market ... and in my opinion, now having bought once whilst in the UK and once already resident in France, the latter is much easier. 

Of course, if it is only a holiday home you are looking for, you cannot come over and rent and spend time here (we bought, and this is something I would not do again) but not everyone is as bad as the ones you have experienced.

It can take several years or several trips depending on how many trips you can make in a year, before you find the house which is ok for you.  Often people cannot decide it the house is right for them, because they have not seen enough houses to know when one is right and one is wrong ... the more you see, the better you get at judging quickly.

Note: I do not say, the house of your dreams - it does not exist - all you can do its find one that fits the majority of your needs,, and go for that...

[NormanH]

[quote user="lynne"]

 

Council tax 1200 per year, Electricand Gas150 per month Water £32 per month.  It's cold and wet the NHS is crap. I know this may seem a daft question but why are people wanting to leave France?  Surley it's not to return to the UK. If it is there in for a nasty shock when they get here.

[/quote]

France local taxes 1800 a year Electricity alone 150 a month, water 120 a month.

Health insurance 120 a month on top of any other cover.

Perhaps it is you who may have a shock if ever you succeed in buying a property in France?

[lynne]

Yep in that the vendor would have known that they intended to sign a contract and would have put this to the prospective buyer.  Otherwise there may well be a littigation case for loss.  So in other words if this had happened here I would have been advised to put in a claim for financila loss against the vendor, ie my fares from yorkshire to stanstead and back, flights ,car hire and hotel.  It makes them stop and think about riding rough shod over people.

[woolybanana]

Great Bobo, Norman, you pay that much for living in a barrel. Maybe a bit of insulation?

[Russethouse]

[quote user="lynne"]

 

Council tax 1200 per year, Electricand Gas150 per month Water £32 per month.  It's cold and wet the NHS is crap. I know this may seem a daft question but why are people wanting to leave France?  Surley it's not to return to the UK. If it is there in for a nasty shock when they get here.

[/quote]

What IGGE makes you think that its any 'better' in France, different, yes, but better ? Not always.....

Are you going to be working or have reached retirement age ?

 

 

[lynne]

wow thatseems an awful lot more than most of our friends who live in France pay.

[lynne]

That's a good question.  We both have a work pension but would like to do some kind of work.  My brother and his wife who will be coming with us will eventually need to work.

It just seems that having spent the last 25 years visiting france everyone seems to have a negative approach to life in France,  We have several friends who live in different departments who love the place.

[woolybanana]

Lynne, I like my life here, and believe me I have lived in a shedload of places. But I am realistic about France as I would be in UK or anywhere else. Better to be forewarned I think

[lynne]

Thanks

[idun]

[quote user="lynne"]

 

Council tax 1200 per year, Electricand Gas150 per month Water £32 per month.  It's cold and wet the NHS is crap. I know this may seem a daft question but why are people wanting to leave France?  Surley it's not to return to the UK. If it is there in for a nasty shock when they get here.

[/quote]

I left France after a very long time to return to the NE of England and that was four years ago. Shock, nope, not at all. The NHS has been fine. The council tax isn't that different to France and I lived in a village in France. Water, well, get a meter, we always had them in France and then that's up to you as to how much you use.

Gas and electric, well heating and electricity bills can be expensive in France. It can be cold and wet in France and there can be heat waves, and I prefer the former to the latter.

Where I lived in the Alpes was for the most part glorious and I have good friends there and a son, who is struggling at the moment. And the NE of England, well, much of it is also glorious...... and I am including parts of Yorkshire in that.

Both are just countries with problems. Watch french news it is available via sky 799 TV5 Monde. You'll see that there are problems with the rich deserting France and the health system and crime and the prison system and decent housing and terrible unemployment. And the expat idyll, I bet lots are struggling these days, friends in France tell me prices have risen a lot since we left.

 Yes, I reckon that the average is that many leave from 2 to 10 years, we made a planned move back after almost thirty years. How will you feel when you are paying just the same on your main bills. I know that I get more for my council tax in the UK and my gas and electric are far lower than they were in France, when we had the luck to get mains gas to our house in our small village, so I really can compare.

 

 

 

I am wondering how you could be happy if you move with this grass is greener view of France, when I don't think that you know France that much about France to start with.

[lynne]

I agree with what you say but I live in a detatched house with a postage stamp for a front garden and a postage stamp for a back garden.  Even if the bills are the same surely the open spaces make up for it.

I have a caravan in France have had for the last 20 years ok its out in the sticks but there's never anyone pushing in front of you in the supermarket.  The campsite owner can't understand why everyone is so security concious do you have a lotof caravan theft in England says he.  Thats a laugh.  He quite often leaves the car unlocked and keys in the ignition overnight.

Shock of shocks I'm on a water meter,

 

Any how it dosent look as if its going to happen because if the business about the house wasn't bad enough the comments on the forum have really put me off.

It's a world recession I know and year on year we've seen how far our euros go I'm not completley green.

[lynne]

NormanH is that euro's or the good old GBP

[Russethouse]

Lynne, Have you properly investigated health care.....you say you have a works pension, do you have a state pension too ? Do either of you have any pre existing conditions etc....

Where were you hoping to find a property?

Don't get me wrong, I love visiting France, but as others have said, its not perfect. Every country has its pros and cons and France is no different.

Also you mention 'space' be careful, some people find that after a few years having space is not something they don't want to have the worry of.

[idun]

I now have a postage stamp of a garden. All that land around our house in France is thankfully gone along with it's grass cutting. We could have had more land in the UK, but as retirees with no love of gardening, the postage stamp was not up for negociation or compromise. No idea why your water bills are so expensive in the UK. I am very careful with water, so can keep my bills down.

No pushing in in supermarkets? I obviously lived in 'the other France'. Ticketing didn't always work, but proper queues, noooooo, they were not part of the culture, chacun pour soi was more like it. And crime, yup we had crime too. My doors were always locked.