BOUGHT TOO CHEAPLY?

[Stan]

We purchased our French home three years ago, at what seemed a fair price. Our vendors now claim quite indignantly that they sold it much too cheaply. I can only guess at what they expect me to do. I don't feel that I should make a financial gesture on principle; after all, we have spent a fortune and a huge amount of time on renovation and the vendors are not at all hard up. I find the whole thing distasteful, as they are still neighbours. I can just imagine what response they would get in Britain! Have any other LF Forum similar experiences?
Stan Molton

[Punch]

Sounds like a right Bloody cheek to me Stan. |I can only guess that they have seen the prices that some English are willing to pay, or have seen the prices of similar properties offered by immobiliers in areas where many English buy, and have gone green with envy!
I know my local notaire quite well, and during a dinner party on friday evening he told me he has just sold a small plot of land with a small lake, to an English guy for twice what it is worth,(he offered full asking price) who plans to do carp fishing holidays.

As long as there is a demand like this, prices will remain volatile.

Paul

[Teamedup]

A ......... cheek isn't it.

Forget it, but if you are chatting with other neighbours I would be subtle, but not at all shy about the faults encountered in the house and how much you have paid on re-doing it during the last three years.

[Maurice]

Our French vendors have been quite direct in telling us that they sold their property too cheaply to us. It was bought in 1999 for 30,000 and we have spent about 70,000 to renovate it.
At a total cost to us of 100,000, I don't think that that it too cheap for Normandy. I just try to keep the vendors humoured whenever I meet them. Unfortunately, my partner is inclined to be more direct, so one day it might all come to a head...
Maurice

[Mazan]

>We purchased our French home three
>years ago, at what seemed
>a fair price. Our vendors
>now claim quite indignantly that
>they sold it much too
>cheaply.

This is just about as typically French as you can get.

[cliff]

I thought that the French were complaining about the British paying too much for property and inflating prices beyond the reach of local people. On this basis, the local community should be grateful if at least one British buyer hasn't paid too much.
Cliff