Thoughts on selling

[scalehill]

I've had a holiday home in Lassay Les Chateaux for about 20 years. It's too big for me now as the 5 kids have grown, and even when they do go back for the odd break it's usually just as a couple. So I'm starting to think about downsizing and finding a smaller property in the village. I've had 2 immos come and give me a valuation, which have a pretty wide variation of 40k and 55k, inc fees. Both of them opt to charge the fees to the vendor, round about 9%.

I'm not really in a position to try and sell it privately, as I'm not there often enough to arrange viewings, so I would like to have it with at least a couple of agents. Having never sold in France before, any advice on how best to proceed with the agents?

Being realistic, I'd like to come out of the deal with 40k, before taxes. I'm not sure how the agents would react if I asked one to go up, and one to come down, to try it on the market at 45k inc fees.

Any thoughts welcome

[mint]

Is it really worth downsizing?  You could end up with having to PAY for a smaller property?

BTW, I do know your village but not your local property market at the present time.

[woolybanana]

Local agents will be pricing for a fast sale regardless of your interests. Check prices round about the village and the area so see what is appropriate.

Remember that someone will always try an offer if you stick the price up a bit, but don't be unreasonable.

The agents may already have one of their buddies in mind if they think the price is a bargain and may be trying to get it cheap off you by taking advantage of your lack of knowledge.

[suein56]

Woolly has the right idea in my view.

Looking here :

https://www.leboncoin.fr/recherche/?category=9®ions=18&cities=Lassay-les-Châteaux_53110,53110&real_estate_type=1

it seems that there is a wide variety of houses for sale in the area. Doing a rough comparison of these with your house should give you a better idea of the value of yours.

Start slightly high as you can always come down or accept a lower offer.

Sorry you will have to copy and paste the link as I cannot make it clickable.

[richard51]

Yep - you are "les Anglais".

We had 2 beers and a coffee (me!!!) in a bar by the market in Périgueux yesterday and were charged 16 euros.

After questioning went down to 8.20.

Grrrr.

Nb I was driving. Today was driving again and saw the typical French Sunday driver - Grr again.

[suein56]

Richard51 wrote : Yep - you are "les Anglais"

Sorry, very slightly off subject but not hugely, it can be just the summer season rip-off whether you are French or English.

Scene is a wooden terrace in front of a café/bar .. normally ie most of the year, a petit crème is 1.50€ .. but in 'summer' ie beginning June to end of September then there is no petit crème available only a grand crème, also known as a café au lait, at 3€.

See the deception there ?

Which is why there are no locals there at all .. and only ever tourists, especially during the season.

No one likes to be taken for a fool .. especially on a permanent basis.

[richard51]

Sue - take your point about tourist rates. This was a bar used mainly by locals ( selling oysters as their speciality ( six for 7.50 euros.)

I made the mistake when paying of saying 2 beers and one coffee at the bar and giving the person a 20 euro note.

NB to opening post - I suspect that what you are asking and what the exchange rate is now compared to the time when you bought represents good value for the holidays your family have had.

Best of luck. Many people will have lost lots.

[scalehill]

Apologies, I probably didn't make my query very clear. No, I'm not being taken for a mug or being preyed upon as les anglais. The big difference in valuations I can put down to the variation in prices in a place like Lassay where, for example, a 1 bed, 50 sq Mtr, is up at 48k, and a detached 3 bed at 49k. Different target markets, Paris weekender/Brit family holiday home accounts for some of that.

As I said,in my own mind I pitch my own at 40k in my hand, meaning sale price of 45k. My query was really how likely a local French immo would be OK with listing a property above their own valuation (one of them), or listing well below their own valuation (the other one), given that ideally I want to have them both list it.

[mint]

As it's your house and if you are not overpricing it, just tell the agents how much you want in hand.  Might give them a bit of wriggle room but be very firm about how much you expect.

[PaulT]

Have you ever watched Homes Under The Hammer on BBC1? Some hero buys a house that needs doing up, does it up and then they get two estate agents to value it for sale and also for rent. Eye opening when one values it £50k different to the other. So how good is an estate agents valuation? The other trick is to over value it so the seller thinks this is the agent to go with. Then having signed they suggest lowering the price.

I presume that French Immos are as 'good' as UK ones.

Perhaps you just need to say to them 'this is what I want out of the house do you want to take it on and do not forward any offers unless they meet what I want'. They are not doing you a favour,you are putting business their way.

[NormanH]

I think mpst  agents will accept your price....if they don't go elsewhere.

Off topic a little there is a Facebook group "French Property For Sale Under 50,000 Euros"

It might be worth posting it there with the proviso that any visits would be done by an agent..

https://www.facebook.com/groups/176214252957053/

[BritinBretagne]

That page looks deader than a dead thing.

[suein56]

BinB wrote :

That page looks deader than a dead thing.

As it's a closed group ie members only .. and I have no intention of joining .. the page might well look dead but there are 6313 members .. so it might not be that dead.

[YCCMB]

Bit offputting that it is a closed group though. If you have to join to either see what's for sale or add your property, it's not very attractive on either count.

[NormanH]

I had a lot of interest, all from UK buyers.