Jump to content

Contemplating buying some Land in France..


fessen
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi Guys,

Just joined this forum, I gathered this would be the best place for the info I require.

Anyway..

I am from the UK, I am in my early twenties, self employed.

I have always liked the idea of living abroad, as there is nothing in the UK that is keeping me there.

My partner and I have expressed some interest in buying some land in France with some ruins or restoration work, or just building land itself, and working on it.

We are not homeowners in the UK at present, as mentioned above I have nothing keeping me in the UK, and also I don't see the point in spending £150,000+ on a 2/3bed semi when I could get potentially more for my money in France.

I am not in the position yet to bite the bullet and go to France, but this time next year, I will be all being well.

My plan is:

Buy some land, continue to live in the UK, but start the restoration/build as and when

1) we have the money

2) the time.

Working for myself, I do get quieter periods, where I would have the time, and living in France has always been one of my plans.

I have researched some things myself online, and getting the hang of it.

The french language is not really an issue, as both my partner and I have a good understanding of French, and it is also something we wish to pursue with and ultimately become fluent.

Things I am not sure about are:

For example..

Can you run a business from France without any issues? (it is already registered etc in UK)

I understand when you purchase a property/land etc, the fees on top are around 7-10%.

Say I purchase a restoration project with a few acres of land, can you live in a Caravan on your land, whilst the work is being done?

Ultimately the restoration work or building work, will be over a few years, as mentioned above, we won't have all the funds available to get it all done.

And also from what I have read in terms of planning permission, you get a year or 2 to start it? Then once it is started you can take as long as you like?

Sorry for the essay guys :).

Any help is much appreciated, and anybody in a similar position, I would love to hear from you.

Kind Regards

Chris
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Far to many questions really but to get you going:

[quote user="fessen"]Hi Guys, Just joined this forum, I gathered this would be the best place for the info I require. Anyway.. I am from the UK, I am in my early twenties, self employed. I have always liked the idea of living abroad, as there is nothing in the UK that is keeping me there. My partner and I have expressed some interest in buying some land in France with some ruins or restoration work, 150K will not go far in restoring a ruin unless you do everything yourself.  That will mean giving up work for a period and to simply live your 150k will rapidly evaporate.  or just building land itself, and working on it. We are not homeowners in the UK at present, as mentioned above I have nothing keeping me in the UK, and also I don't see the point in spending £150,000+ on a 2/3bed semi when I could get potentially more for my money in France.  You could get vastly more in Bulgaria but do you want to go there?  The super DIY jobs on a home in the sun at 25k are now 70k+ and are well out in the sticks, with no faciliteis nearby.   I am not in the position yet to bite the bullet and go to France, but this time next year, I will be all being well. My plan is: Buy some land, continue to live in the UK, but start the restoration/build as and when 1) we have the money 2) the time. Working for myself, I do get quieter periods, where I would have the time, and living in France has always been one of my plans. I have researched some things myself online, and getting the hang of it. The french language is not really an issue, as both my partner and I have a good understanding of French, and it is also something we wish to pursue with and ultimately become fluent. Things I am not sure about are: For example.. Can you run a business from France without any issues? No!  Well not legally.  A simple search on this forum about employment and running a business in France will show you that compared to the UK it is an expensive and bureaucratic system. (it is already registered etc in UK)  Likely to be even more complex if you want to stay legal - search on working in France for a UK company.  I understand when you purchase a property/land etc, the fees on top are around 7-10%. More like 15% if estate agents fees are to be added. Say I purchase a restoration project with a few acres of land, can you live in a Caravan on your land, whilst the work is being done? You will need permission from the local town hall - mairie  - but often known by her nickname marie. [:D] Ultimately the restoration work or building work, will be over a few years, as mentioned above, we won't have all the funds available to get it all done. And also from what I have read in terms of planning permission, you get a year or 2 to start it? Then once it is started you can take as long as you like? That is how it often seems to work but officially work is supposed to be completed within 3-4 years Sorry for the essay guys :). Any help is much appreciated, and anybody in a similar position, I would love to hear from you. Kind Regards Chris[/quote]

 

Despite what may seem negative comments what you propose is do-able.  Just go in with eyes wide open and with rose tinted spectacles left in the UK..

 

Remember also that many Brits come here with a desire like you to have a few acres of land.  Fine if you are here full time, but a potential nightmare if it is a holiday home or part time project.  The first 2-3 days are spent on each visit cutting the jungle back so that you can find the path to the front door, so to speak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="andyh4"]

Far to many questions really but to get you going:

[quote user="fessen"]Hi Guys, Just joined this forum, I gathered this would be the best place for the info I require. Anyway.. I am from the UK, I am in my early twenties, self employed. I have always liked the idea of living abroad, as there is nothing in the UK that is keeping me there. My partner and I have expressed some interest in buying some land in France with some ruins or restoration work, 150K will not go far in restoring a ruin unless you do everything yourself.  That will mean giving up work for a period and to simply live your 150k will rapidly evaporate.  or just building land itself, and working on it. We are not homeowners in the UK at present, as mentioned above I have nothing keeping me in the UK, and also I don't see the point in spending £150,000+ on a 2/3bed semi when I could get potentially more for my money in France.  You could get vastly more in Bulgaria but do you want to go there?  The super DIY jobs on a home in the sun at 25k are now 70k+ and are well out in the sticks, with no faciliteis nearby.   I am not in the position yet to bite the bullet and go to France, but this time next year, I will be all being well. My plan is: Buy some land, continue to live in the UK, but start the restoration/build as and when 1) we have the money 2) the time. Working for myself, I do get quieter periods, where I would have the time, and living in France has always been one of my plans. I have researched some things myself online, and getting the hang of it. The french language is not really an issue, as both my partner and I have a good understanding of French, and it is also something we wish to pursue with and ultimately become fluent. Things I am not sure about are: For example.. Can you run a business from France without any issues? No!  Well not legally.  A simple search on this forum about employment and running a business in France will show you that compared to the UK it is an expensive and bureaucratic system. (it is already registered etc in UK)  Likely to be even more complex if you want to stay legal - search on working in France for a UK company.  I understand when you purchase a property/land etc, the fees on top are around 7-10%. More like 15% if estate agents fees are to be added. Say I purchase a restoration project with a few acres of land, can you live in a Caravan on your land, whilst the work is being done? You will need permission from the local town hall - mairie  - but often known by her nickname marie. [:D] Ultimately the restoration work or building work, will be over a few years, as mentioned above, we won't have all the funds available to get it all done. And also from what I have read in terms of planning permission, you get a year or 2 to start it? Then once it is started you can take as long as you like? That is how it often seems to work but officially work is supposed to be completed within 3-4 years Sorry for the essay guys :). Any help is much appreciated, and anybody in a similar position, I would love to hear from you. Kind Regards Chris[/quote]

 

Despite what may seem negative comments what you propose is do-able.  Just go in with eyes wide open and with rose tinted spectacles left in the UK..

 

Remember also that many Brits come here with a desire like you to have a few acres of land.  Fine if you are here full time, but a potential nightmare if it is a holiday home or part time project.  The first 2-3 days are spent on each visit cutting the jungle back so that you can find the path to the front door, so to speak.

[/quote] Ultimately it will be living there F/T, HOWEVER there is NO immediate rush to get this project done. In terms of restoration, a fair chunk of the work will be done ourselves, and my father. It will not be something we probably sell, it will be something that is kept. You mention bulgaria, I am not particularly keen, I'd rather have somewhere that is driveable, and I can be there pretty quickly if need be, without the worry of flights. I understand your points, and take them on board.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can understand not wanting to go to Bulgaria.  I deliberately put it there to test how far you were prepared to go in wanted to buy a better/bigger property.

 

Bob T is right to warn about insurance, If you have friends and relatives "working" for you in France and they have an accident, you are responsible for their medical bills unless they are a French registered artisan with their own insurances - just another thing to think about.

The biggest problem may be your timescales so look at a project where the external fabric can be completed with the timescale of maximum 4 and preferably 2 years within getting your permits for construction.  The authorities will then consider the property to be habitable (and tax you accordingly) even though you may only have an earth floor, empty shell, temporary electricity and no running water.  The rest you can do at relative leisure.

As I said above, it is do-able but do your research and don't be afraid to ask more questions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Andy and Bob.

That probably is something I hadn't thought of.

But I would imagine we would have something in place.

Yes for our first 'project', so to speak we will be looking at something that requires some work, but perhaps not from scratch if you get me.

As we are new to this, and I imagine you get lots of people posting on here weekly saying I want to buy some land and move to France, hence your first replies.

This is something we are both truly passionate about, and want to do it.

From your profile, it says you are in both Cologne and Ardèche.

Did you move here? build or house ready built etc?

Regards
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The amount of visitors who I meet who want to buy a barn for €5000 and convert it is beyond belief. I think if you have the drive you could do what you want, but beware, it will always be much more expensive than you think.

I have been to Cologne, but am now in the Dordogne :-).

I bought my house as is and moved into it. It was very old fashioned and needed a bit of work, but nothing major.

My advice would be to follow your ambitions, but make sure that you do everything above board. it is no good building your dream home and eventually moving into it only to find that the locals will not speak to you because you still have a UK registered car or have done all the work illegally.

They day you move here will be the first day that you start asking yourself why you did not do it years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5000 Euros for a barn, why pay that when you can buy a chateau for 20k. It's the truth, loads of people have done it according to 'A Place in the Sun', mind you that was a repeat of a repeat  of a repeat. [;-)] We get (in the B&B) a few Brits house hunting who tell me this, I don't bother anymore, I just smile and don't say a word, I mean I have only lived here 10 years so what do I know!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't forget that you don't have to think about just the types of property that get featured on those programmes (stone barns, heap of stones with Grand Designs potential etc.)

There are other, more modern types of property which are in need of TLC and often reasonably priced. I bought a 1970s Pavillon style house seven years ago because of its location though it was horrid inside. We have then spent the same amount again remodelling and renewing it. Except for remodelling the roof structure to add a third bedroom, most of the work wasn't a huge engineering or building feat, though beyind our limited talents. It was for us the perfect compromise: as bought, liveable, sound and secure, but with our work, very much the house we would have designed. The first tranche of work was managed while we were in the UK and the last bit while we were living in the Netherlands. I'm glad we didn't bite off more, because it was just enough of a challenge at times. And be warned. Our biggest (successful) challenge lay in taking an English person to court here to get back from him money we had paid on a job he couldn't fulfil. In the end though, it enabled us to live here mortgage free in a house we could never have afforded in the UK. I could go on about all the other benefits of a life in Europe, but you've probably worked that out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah Q, fancy you saying that :-

'I mean I have only lived here 10 years so what do I know!'.

I knew there would come a time when you would come round to that way of thinking.

Can you even begin to imagine how I used to feel when I had been in France 20 odd years and people on here used to treat me that. (can't do smileys)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="idun"]Ah Q, fancy you saying that :- 'I mean I have only lived here 10 years so what do I know!'. I knew there would come a time when you would come round to that way of thinking. Can you even begin to imagine how I used to feel when I had been in France 20 odd years and people on here used to treat me that. (can't do smileys)[/quote]

It' not the forum I have a problem with after all you don't know who you are talking to and there are still one or two around who have been a lot longer than me. It's the minority of B&B guests I used to get house hunting, not so many anymore as they can't afford it. They know everything, they don't ask questions to try and get the best information out of me they can, they simply tell me what living in France is really like even though their previous visits to France have only consisted of fag and booze runs across the channel. Apparently if you have a holiday home you don't pay any tax including TF and TH except for the days you are here. Health care is free as they have an E111 (not realising that this particular document went years ago) and the French are obliged to treat them free. Anyway in general the French are pretty thick but nicely so, their not like the English, always talking behind your back. Of course they don't want to live near any Brits because they came to France for France and the French usually followed by "anyway where do the Brits hang out, which bar, we might pop in for a drink?". If you live here full time you don't have to declare yourself for tax, I mean your on a pension, you don't work here (except on the black) and anyway why should you pay tax twice. Another one is "I have an idea for a business that nobody has ever thought of in France", yeah and if I had a Euro for every time I have heard that one I would be a millionaire. So now rather than try to 'educate' them I just keep my mouth firmly shut after all they know far more than I, plonkers. [;-)]

I forgot the absolute classic "We don't do it that way in England (or the UK)". [:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="fessen"]Hi Andy .

 

From your profile, it says you are in both Cologne and Ardèche.

Did you move here? build or house ready built etc? Regards[/quote]

 

Bought a  renovation project to use as a holiday home until retirement.  Hopefully not as green as some of Q's guests [:D]but we have certainly learnt a lot en route - much thanks to forums such as this. 

Changes in work situation have meant that it is now my permenant home and I commute weekly between France and Germany.

Our experience with the renovation is broadly mirrored by a lot of others who have done the same.

They will tell you it will cost twice as much as you plan and will take twice as long -

They lie - in both cases this is at best an optimistic view.  If we were to sell at any time in the near future I doubt we would get our money back - but that is not a problem for us since we have built (are still building) the house we intend to stay in and it is what we want.  We are also now in year 9 of the 4 year project!

We wanted a couple of acres but found that was financially out of our reach in combination with the other things we wanted. 

It is probably the only time in my life I have been glad (in retrospect) to be poor.  We have half an acre-ish and at times when it was purely a holiday home that was more than enough with the need to keep grass short - especially in the summer when there is a big fire risk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Quillan"]

Another one is "I have an idea for a business that nobody has ever thought of in France", yeah and if I had a Euro for every time I have heard that one I would be a millionaire. [/quote]

The business idea on this forum that still makes me smile (sorry if you are still here) is the one of starting a window cleaning round.

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks all for the replies.

It is all a lot to take into consideration.

It's nice to see you all passionate about life in France, which is good.

I am young and have a lot to learn, but as silly as it may sound, I do not want to be living in England the whole of my life.

I want to be slightly different in the way I approach things, I want to take a risk, and I can full well imagine at times If we do take a project on, it will be extremely hard work, and at times think why did I do this, but all this will prevail and hopefully at the end of it all, have a lovely French house. (Budget out the window :p)

What you say is true, and it always have been in my life so far, if you want something bad enough you will achieve it.

ps: What is the weather currently like in the Dordogne at present?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="PaulT"][quote user="Quillan"]

Another one is "I have an idea for a business that nobody has ever thought of in France", yeah and if I had a Euro for every time I have heard that one I would be a millionaire. [/quote]

The business idea on this forum that still makes me smile (sorry if you are still here) is the one of starting a window cleaning round.

Paul

[/quote]

This is  the classic one in England, where you can usually get away with not declaring your income to the taxman [:D]

But seriously, I would pay someone well for cleaning my windows here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Patf"][quote user="PaulT"][quote user="Quillan"]

Another one is "I have an idea for a business that nobody has ever thought of in France", yeah and if I had a Euro for every time I have heard that one I would be a millionaire. [/quote]

The business idea on this forum that still makes me smile (sorry if you are still here) is the one of starting a window cleaning round.

Paul

[/quote]
This is  the classic one in England, where you can usually get away with not declaring your income to the taxman [:D]
But seriously, I would pay someone well for cleaning my windows here.
[/quote]

Pat

I will change my statement then - I hope he is still around, your first customer.

He was ridiculed because French windows open inwards and therefore do not need ladders etc.

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...