Struggling to get agents to send details of property

[MrsJaye]

NormanH, thank you so much. That's exactly the kind of thing we are looking for. A bit further away from the area we wanted but only about 15 miles so both worth a look. Thank you.

[alittlebitfrench]

Actually, they are not what you are looking for AT ALL !!!.

The second one is covered in asbestos tiles/or tiles containing asbestos. Stick a new roof on it, rewire, plumbing, fosse and make it comfortable and the cost will far far far exceed its resell value.

Those houses are not worth anything. You would not buy them at 5K euros. Don't make the same mistake as thousands before you.

Take Mintys advice. Go already renovated. Renovated houses are cheaper !!!!

[MrsJaye]

Thanks for the advice ALBF. All renovated projects seem out of our budget, hence partially renovated. We are fortunate in that we can undertake all trades, except gas/oil heating so labour is free. We have no expectation of buying a place and making money, just to create a holiday home for long term use. Is there a website that shows actual sale prices of property rather than advertised prices?. Are the sale prices hugely inflated in these areas?

[BritinBretagne]

There is no easy answer. Buying a renovated house brings up its own problems and may end up much more expensive. In my time in France I have seen numerous renovations where the renovator has used placo and rails to do a quick cheap job resulting in a clean, crisp (characterless) interior with all the problems and structural faults conveniently hidden. Look through the forum pages and you will soon come across problems of damp, animal infestation and wiring problems that suddenly appear once the holiday home is locked up and left. If you do the renovation you can control the costs and set the standards. It might cost more than you first thought but at least you will know what's what. I'm typing this in my renovated stone cottage, I trust the roof, electrics, fosse and plumbing because they have all been renewed since I bought the property. At the end of the day I ended up living in a house that was still amazing value even though it cost a lot to renovate on top of the bargain price of the original structure. Would I swap it for a city centre appartment? No way.

[MrsJaye]

Thanks BB. We live rural now so also want rural France too so most of what is on offer in the locations we like are barns, some partially converted. I agree that doing the work yourself you can control the standard and it's not daunting to us.

[alittlebitfrench]

I agree with B&B in terms of a renovated house will bring up its own problems. I work on the logic that every house in France is a renovation.

If you want to do it for the passion, then buy something that is worth the hassle.

https://www.leboncoin.fr/ventes_immobilieres/1172379386.htm?ca=4_s

Whatever you buy on your budget I would by on top of that a couple of shepherd huts or a camper van.....because you will need them.

But remember, a renovation is an expensive hobby.

What is your budget BTW ? It would help to know in order to find properties for you.

[MrsJaye]

Love the character of that one ALBF. I've requested details on that one and another with the same agent about 5 times as well as emailed direct. I ve emailed in French and English. Maybe they're on holiday as I receive nothing back. In your opinion, how realistic is the selling price? It comes with about 2 acres of land - any rural people.....do local farmers want grass keep for free in France?? I've 5.5 acres at home for my horses but if they don't get round to grazing the 2 acre paddock the local farmer happily cuts, bales and takes the bales as payment.

Forgot to say, budget is around £35k

[alittlebitfrench]

I like that one. That is worth the hassle. It looks like it has electricity which helps. You don't want to buy anything without electricity or water.

In terms of price, well you don't know what is around it or other hidden problems. It looks to good to be true.

But if it is OK, I reckon you could offer 30 k. Its a moulin so it probably will hold its price.

Can't you ask your friends to and have a look ?

I should imagine the local farmers will cut the hay. They probably already do.

In terms of contact, you will have to phone them. They probably will speak English.

[alittlebitfrench]

LOOOOOK

It is for sale with the Notaires....DO NOT PHONE THE OTHER ESTATE AGENT !!!!!

https://www.immobilier.notaires.fr/fr/annonce-immo?idAnnonce=560707&typeTransaction=VENTE,VNI,VAE&page=1&parPage=12&localite=617

[Chancer]

So a dodgy agent can add 63% or €15K to the sellers price just for placing a free ad on Leconcoin [:@]

 

Just think how much more one of them with an English website could charge, a watermill in France for less than €50K, better snap it up before someone else does.

[BritinBretagne]

[quote user="Chancer"]

So a dodgy agent can add 63% or €15K to the sellers price just for placing a free ad on Leconcoin [:@]

 

Just think how much more one of them with an English website could charge, a watermill in France for less than €50K, better snap it up before someone else does.

[/quote]

Beware of snapping anything up. Too many people before you will have done exactly the same before finding that there are many other similar properties at the same price in the same area. It's a buyers' market and the market is flooded. In my opinion put location high up on your list, you can change many other things later.

[alittlebitfrench]

@ Chancer

If you look closely, the Notaire is selling it with less land !!

Also, the Moulin is on what seems to be a main road. Best not have a cat.

@ Bit in Bretagne

Is it a buyers market ?

Shame Leven is not about as this is his thing. I am sure he could give the OP some tips.

[MrsJaye]

[quote user="alittlebitfrench"]LOOOOOK

It is for sale with the Notaires....DO NOT PHONE THE OTHER ESTATE AGENT !!!!!

https://www.immobilier.notaires.fr/fr/annonce-immo?idAnnonce=560707&typeTransaction=VENTE,VNI,VAE&page=1&parPage=12&localite=617[/quote]

??? wow that is some mark up!!!! Very valuable lesson learned!! - thank you ? So the Notaire is like the solicitor? And properties can be listed directly with them? Now I see the reluctance to give out details and how easy it would be to waste money on agents!!

[alittlebitfrench]

Notaires are not always cheaper !!!! You have also got to take into account agency fees.

On another forum some time ago someone linked to a house for sale on a Brit estate agents website asking for advice. I found it 110,000 euros cheaper on a French website being sold direct by the owner.

Leggits are always good for a laugh.

It is dog eat dog in France. The sale price will not reflect its value.

[BritinBretagne]

Yes a buyers'market. Rural France is full of properties for sale. Many of those change hands at a price much lower than their owners want. It's a difficult time for sellers as they often take years to find a buyer or have to drop their price to compete. Much better to be buying than selling at the moment. I'm sure you're going to tell us again some micro habitat in Paris where it's a sellers' market but examples like that are irrelevant, if true. Estate Agents every advertise to encourage owners to sell through them but that's not the same as a real demand. Simple economics really. Not hard if you try.

[Chancer]

B.I.B.

 

If you didnt realise it my comment about snap it up at €50K was tongue in cheek for a €24K property already being punted at €39K.

 

Things have changed, I no longer regularly get unknown people knocking on my door asking if I know any Brits (pigeons) who want to buy their hovels for the bargain price of 3 or more times what it is Worth.

 

Dont exactly know when it stopped but I thought of it yesterday when what I thought was another knocking on my door, turned out to be a French  plumber wanting some UK 15mm copper pipe [:-))] - dont ask, because I didnt!

[alittlebitfrench]

@ Bit in Bretagne

The Op has emailed the Estate agent selling the moulin 5 times and they have not responded. They have lost a sale because we have found it cheaper. They are not operating in a way that suggests that it is a buyers market.

In terms of rural France. Well I am not so sure. As i see it, houses are either naff or overpriced with respect to the area. So I am not sure it is a buyers market. Good houses will sell quickly.

In main cities/towns and places where people need to live in order to work then it is not really buyers market because you are really dealing with the dregs. The good houses get sold within a week.

In Paris, Lyon, marseille, Montpellier etc try finding a 'good' 3 bed flat !!!

BTW, I don't live in Paris anymore. I am back home living just on the fringes of the best city of France.

[BritinBretagne]

In many parts of rural France good houses do not necessarily sell quickly. There are too many on the market and too few buyers.

I have friends who have their large rural house, in excellent condition with a lovely swimming pool on the market for just over €425,000. They do not have queues of people lining up to buy it. It's priced reasonably but is too big and offers too much for many buyers, people who view often buy in the area but end up with houses up to €200,000 cheaper which fulfil their needs. My sister in South Devon lives in a terrible house in a sought after area. She has received offers of almost half a million pounds for her house despite it not being on the market. That's a sellers' market, here, in rural France the buyer is king.

[alittlebitfrench]

How many French living and working in rural Bretagne (or rural anywhere) can afford a 400k house ?

That is where you and other expats/immigrants miss the point. You are relying on expats or second home rich French buyers to buy your houses at silly prices.

I could sell my house at 500 k within a week to a French family ....and it does not have a swimming pool.

[woolybanana]

French owned big rural properties with swimming pools in such areas as Normandy have been out of favour for the last few years as people realise that they cost too much to run and maintain.

However, it is not uncommon for families to own such a big property and rent in, say, Paris, using the house as a second home.

That being said, the market is some places is buzzing though whether this will spread to isolated rural properties is doubtful, even if mortgage rates are very low.

Round here, the Belgians have been buying a lot, though I suspect mainly good quality stuff round the Baie de Somme and Le Touquet, though I have noticed quite a few semi-rural properties with sold notices appearing.

[BritinBretagne]

Why have I made a mistake Mr KIA? I don't live in a vast expensive house, I live in a modest stone cottage. Yet again you make uninformed general comments. I look forward reading a thread on a topic you actually know something about. That might be informative. Until then...

[alittlebitfrench]

What are you going on about BinB ?

I probably bought my house and spent less less than you did...lol. I have the scars to prove it.

Some of us/like most in France can't choose where to live !!! We make the most of what we have got.

[Chancer]

The market is still very strong in the Baie de Somme and discussing the tourist season with the Booking.com manager for the region he tells me that they had a really good summer there this year whereas the inland parts, my region were down up to 50% in July and August so I actually did a lot better than I thought.

 

My property/business will be valued soon, buyers of a property at the likely price in this region will be non existant, it will be  investors, probably Dutch or Belgians.

[alittlebitfrench]

You are missing a trick here Chancer.

The Chinese will buy it. They are buying everything else up in France. You should see Paris. Bar tabacs, bistros, brasseries , restaurants, boulangeries you name it....they are buying it.

Your business will be a novelty to them because it already makes money. LOL.

[Chancer]

I used to think that my competitive advantage was being able to speak French but I was only comparing myself to the English B&B owners who are empty outside of the season (admittedly a long season) and who only recieved English or Commonwealth customers but this year has seen me change that view.

 

Speaking English has been a real advantage with the multi-nationality customers this year few of which expected me to do so but for all of them their English was far better than their French, I currently have German based Polish immigrants and a Spanish national both of which are working on a Wind farm some 40km away, the former have extended their stay to a month and are talking of 6 months, neither group speaks any French, the Poles are fluent in English the Spanish guy I communicate with a litle Spanish and sign language.

 

The contract workers at the factory now that they are at a critical technical stage of the new production lines are all non-French and they all speak English, whether it be wind farms, hi-tech production lines, building the new science park, building the airport or a car wash at Intermarché none of them are hiring French businesses but neither do they hire English ones! - So Brexit wont have any effect [:D]