Uk agents dealing with French property

[Panda]

[quote user="caro"]

So, Panda, if you've used an agency in the past, why do you think it's so strange for me to want to do the same. Just curious.

[/quote]

Hi Caro

Sorry only just saw this, I saw a property I liked the look of on the internet (about 4 years ago) and it was with VEF, I didn't know they were an intermediary at that time so went for the viewing where, as I said before, I was dragged around all manner of rubbish which did not suit me and when I asked even the simplest question about the property they had to call the agent to check.  I then found out about the 'additional charges' which to me are just a waste of money, I knew more about life in France than the person who took me around.

I have since bought privately and via a french based agent but as I said before I would not use an intermediary that charges extra for what  a good french based agent would do any way.

In the current market you need to be able speak with the person who ieither is the seller or someone who knows the seller personally so that deals can be negotiated, it's a buyers market and everyone will be falling over to help you with what ever you need if you will buy their house I can assure you.

Panda

[jon]

VEF ....are they still around? They are brokers....definition....the have glamourous stands at the property exhibitions and are not in touch with the properties at all.They are used as a viechle of intising clients from uk to the agents in France.Brokers seem to get upset when you request details about a property and expect that it is fine to spend a few thousand pounds taking a week over here with the info so vague and often relating to property which had been sold ages ago.You need to be interested in property [and people] to be an immobilier.

[Will]

[quote user="jon"]You need to be interested in property [and people] to be an immobilier.[/quote]

Dead right Jon. Being married to a particularly good one, I am well aware that the skill of the job is trying to match the clients who come into the office with the houses on the books (which for many reasons are not necessarily the houses that the clients might, based on a pretty picture and a brief description, pick out for themselves). Too many people in the business only see the euro signs, not the customers.

 

[Benjamin]

Will

That rule is true of selling anything successfully on a long term basis, be it a service or a physical thing. [:)]

 

[jon]

Will did you say that your wife is an immobilier....basedin 50?Working with French agents.....or she is a French agent?

[Judie]

I am a french registered salaried negociatrice working in an estate agency in southern Manche.

Judie ( Mrs Will ) [:)]

[jon]

Judie good to meet you.How are you finding the property market?I am just joining the ranks......have been involved in buying property for myself for years and Agents thought that I was an agent.....so now I am llealrning how to become one.

[Panda]

Odd time to start in that line of work right now Jon.  I know an agent near to me in the Charente who has not sold a single house in a year!  The shame of it is that immo's tend to employ on commission only she's been crippled by huge cotisations payments not to mention the amount spent on diesel and all for nothing. 

[jon]

Odd.....not so easy but not odd...properties are still selling here.....not one a min....but lets not be negative...and lets remember people look for different things in different areas.

[Judie]

Hi Jon and everyone else.

It is certainly quieter on the property front, and I've been selling for more than 6 years, but the sales are still trickling in. I sold one yesterday, in our commune infact, so extra brownie points for me!! I think that some of the larger local agents may well flounder with several staff and high overheads. I work for a tiny agency, just the boss and me, and my hours are very flexible, so I work when there is work to be done. Luckily, my boss is away often, so there is more work for me, otherwise things might be a lot different.

[Cat]

I can echo what Judie says Jon, things are very quiet on the property front.  Partly because banks are not lending, partly because prices are often over-inflated and sellers are unwilling (or unable) to drop to a realistic figure, partly because people are unable to sell their property in order to buy another one, partly due to the poor exchange rate, and partly due to a general lack of confidence in the economy.

Houses are still selling, but agents won't be getting rich on the proceeds in the near future.  As Judy says, because of the high overhead, many already laying off salaried staff and turning to commission only agents commercial instead. 

It's not negativity, it's reality. If you are not seeing it in your area yet then you are lucky. 

 

[jon]

I am aware of the woes of the world....and it will be a bumpier ride for a few years.But....there is a but...a good agent tells his clients...."IT will not sell...it is over priced...and it will not grace the portfolio.On the same token purchasers have to note that even in a buyers market people will not give their property away for zilch!The types of property are so different...and the types of agents too.As I have mentioned before.I have studied agents for a number of years!

[Cat]

I do love your optimism Jon.

[martyng]

I put my two pennorth in a few posts back about our experience of buying using an intermediary - in our case VEF - and feel I must reply to the comments of panda and jon who disparage their (VEF) existence.   Yes, when we eventually viewed properties (and that was not on a whim but after a long lead in period) we did see some that were not suitable, and out in the sticks - panda's description was a bit more pithy in an earlier post! - but then isn't that true of all house hunting whether in UK or France - if you have a bunch of particulars that look right on paper.  We saw 17 in all - and the (two different regions) VEF agents knew them all - they do live in the area, are integrated/acquainted with local immobiliers etc.  17 is about par for the course methinks, and number 17 was spot on.

This type of arrangement using an intermediary may not be to every one's taste, but as others have said, if you are busy at home - to be able to prepare the way, set aside a couple of weeks to view, and then have the backing of a home-grown firm to assist, translate, find a mortgage company to suit etc etc - and then have the agents in situ with their local knowledge, contacts ref insurance agents etc, is just the ticket.  We're happy anyway - we feel the fee was well worth it.

[Absolutelyalan]

I'm a newby to the forum, and you may have bought your property and be digging your garden by now, but I wonder if you've investigated British agents based in France. I know many of them are really no different from French agents in the service they offer, but some we know do offer a more supportive service. Like you, we are looking in the Aude/Ariege departments, and there's a husband and wife team called Jeremy and Petra Campbell, trading as Cathar Castles. They are based there, near Chalabre. They've been agents for around 10 years and are now semi-retired, but they offer a property-finding service if you give them your requirements. Because they've been in the business for years, they are plugged into a lot of local agents and also know lots of properties that don't go onto any agents' books.

I'm not related to them, by the way - they've been helping us look around for some time, and they'll also hold your hand on visits to the notaire, bank, etc. It might be worth looking up their website.

[OldyamYams]

Hi All,

We are also newbies to the forum.

We are in the position of just completing our house purchase in the Deux- Sevres near to Moncoutant ( can't wait for it all to be finished and moved in). [:D]

We spent weeks on the internet looking at properties, in all we must have downloaded something like 80 or 90 property details and ended up with a short list of about 20 that we thought would be just what we were looking for.

We then booked the ferry for half term in October found a Gite to stay in and made appointments with the agents of the properties we had decided on.

All of the agents we met seemed to be self employed by the agencies and every one of them was very helpful and knowledgeable about the houses and area they were showing us. With the occupied houses we visited they all seemed to know the vendors and all about their reasons for selling.

In the end all the criteria we had set ourselves for the perfect house meant absolutely nothing, because when we saw this particular one  every thing else went out of the window.

Tony the agent dealing with the purchase is very good and doing all he can to help us with bank accounts house insurance etc..

As far as VEF is concerned we sent an email asking for details of one of their properties,  before they would send the info they  insisted on us agreeing to their terms and conditions and also wanting us to pay their fees of over £4,000, needless to say we refused. From that point on we had a continual stream of emails and phone calls trying to get us to look at this property or that.

So I can say with conviction We would definately not recommend them to any oneelse.

Hope this is of help to some one and look forward to posting many more times.

Dave & Linda