can I work as an estate agent

[jon]

What should I do if I want to work as an Estate Agent?

[zeb]

You can probably get work easily as a freelance agent (is that agent commercial?) working from home, for one of the internet based immobiliers - no qualifications needed, helps to speak French, must be registered to work in France etc etc and willing to take a small commission on a sale whilst the immo you do all the work for, takes the big cut! Oh, and you start paying cotisations immediately you register and all your expenses etc etc - you then have to wait absolutely months for your commission (if you sell anything) to get paid!

Have a look at www.leggettimmobilier.com - they are advertising for agents.

[P-D de Rouffignac]

Very difficult. Estate agency is a highly regulated occupation. Minimum requirements typically include at least 10 years experience and/or an advanced degree (masters level) in law or business, plus proven proficiency in French, and evidence of a 'clean' police record, if you are coming from outside France. You would need to assemble a complete dossier containing the above, all translated by an approved French translator, plus evidence you have obtained professional liability insurance and for handling client monies. Your best option is to get some experience by working with an established French estate agency, perhaps dealing with English speaking clients, but be aware if you later plan to set up on your own your contract may restrict you setting up in competition with XX kilometres of your previous employer. Also, the the shine as gone off the property market in recent years as prices have risen and many agencies I know are struggling or closing down.

Regarding you second post about opening a (coffee) shop. Again very difficult for 'just a couple of days a week'. I live in a tourist area on the Mediterranean coast and the season is only just starting to take off. I have a friend who has come from outside the area, rented and equipped a shop to sell sanwiches; ice creams etc, and some days he is lucky if he takes 50 euros. Weekdays are still quiet, weekends depend on the weather even here in the south. He and several other commercants I know bed down in the upstaire stockroom for the season - they cannot afford a studio apartment at 500 euros a week. The place goes crazy for six weeks in the high season when everyone works 18 hour days in order to make a living. After October, most close down till March or April.

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear but it is a realistic assessment of the situation.

Peter-Danton de ROUFFIGNAC

 

[jc]

I have several friends in business in the South and echo what you say about sleeping over the shop in high season-also staying open till the last customer has gone-could be two/three in the morning.The season starts at Ascension and closes second week of September irrespective of the weather-high season is from Bastille to Assumption-mid July to mid August.I have seen a young couple who had obviously rented a little restaurant sitting just inside the door as we went out for the evening and still sitting there as we came back several hours later-not one customer but they still have to have the stock/food in place.

[jon]

So it is very very hard to make a living in France?It is obviously a buyers market...when it comes to property?By the way I am not planning to open an ordinary coffee shop with baguettes and bought in cakes.We are making mostly our own....I am a pattisier...the cakes will be madiera type afternnon cakes with fresh berries, pavlovas and lemon or choc tarts.etc...we make real esxpresso/mocha etc and the setting  which we are using is rather special.

We know that this work is not easy as we have worked 16 hour days in London.We will aslo sell other gifty products relating to the countryside outside.

What special permissions are needed....is this all sorted out by the notaire?Jon

[jon]

By the way you have said that estate agents are closeing down struggling.......the fee is 5 to 6% on a sale .....that is more than twice the uk figure.So maybe if it were trimmed to 2/3% so much would be different...acheavable??????????

[Danny]

Hi Jon,

I'm not sure but I think these fees are set for all immobilieres and I doubt you would be able to just reduce them. Whereabouts in France are you considering setting up your businesses? I really think the best advice would be to speak to an immobiliere and find out the ins and outs from someone who does it here - many of them speak english and of course you don't have to ask in the area you want to set up, where they would understandably be less than forthcoming with useful tips! With any business here I can't recommend strongly enough that you learn the language as soon as possible - your clients may well be mainly english-speakers but notaires and others probably won't be. If you start up a business you will receive many calls and letters and demands and it slows things down so much not understanding them. You don't need to be fluent, but I would make learning the basics a priority.

Re your coffee shop idea - you say that this would never be a huge money-spinner so I would think about it only after you have established your other business and an income from it.

Good luck and research research research before you jump in - please never underestimate the social charges and local/business taxes - they can be overwhelming to a small enterprise.

Jane

[P-D de Rouffignac]

Just to comment on some of the points in Jane's reply to your post. Agency fees are not regulated and can be set at any level by an estate agent. Notaires' transaction fees, including acting as an estate agent, are set at a fixed percentage. That said, I am not sure that reducing fees by a percentage point here or there will do much to revive a flagging property market. Larger and established agents (two in my local town have been around for more than 50 years each, as have the notaires) can weather the storm when they also run large departments handling rentals and property management for co-ownership properties (syndic). Note that special, additional qualifications, and a separate licence in addition to transactions, are required for the latter.

Regarding proficiency in English, proof is required (I am English despite my French name and I had to undergo a French exam and supply a certificate of competency) as well as a degree in law or business (I have a masters degree [LLM] in law from Warwick university which was certified as equivalent to the French BAC+5). These are minimal requirements bearing in mind that a normal 'compromis de vente' (pre-contract) for example can run to over 30 pages of legal French which you are expected to interpret for the client. You would not even be considered for professional indemnity insurance cover without any of these minimal qualifications. And so on.

Whatever you may think of estate agents, please do not assume it is an occupation you can jump into without taking account of the above.

Peter-Danton de ROUFFIGNAC

[jon]

Peter....I  would like to say that THE REAL estate agents in France are very proffessional and efficient.Some of the English support teams appear to have arrived on the scene and  appear to have the idea that selling property in France is an easy job.I do not have this idea!

When a client expresses interest in a property the agent needs to know the answers to all the questions...what surrounds the house...how far from shops...what structral condition the property is in...what style of house it is...what is in the garden.....hopw many rooms...sizes of...taxes payable...cost of notary fee....what period is the house....and access to several photos.It is mad to expect a client to spend a week or even a few days, flights and hotels...just based on a brief tel call and one exterior photo.

But some agents expect this!Explain to me how the brokers come into play....the large companies which are set up in London/England who form associations with several estate agents and  placate details/photos of  properties of which they have flimsy details and  then manage to book rendevous with Estate agents.Very often this process is fruitless because the detail of the original interest has been diluted due to lack of clear facts.

I am going to settle in France with the idea of giving to the comunity;participating in what is there and hoping to add to it with my skills.What I do I try to do with panach and to a highest standard possible.Helping people find beautiful homes in just a possability......but I am not a scholar....

My skills lie in cooking and hospitality and that is where I will conentrate.I will not immitate what is already within my area...I will create my own product.

[jon]

By the way......It is...is that right...at the moment a buyers market?You say the estate agents are having a very difficult time?