Moving to France

[fish4information]

Property in parts of the UK takes as long to shift as in France. We hope we have finally sold in the UK after nearly two years of intensive marketing and five chains that did not complete! and anticpate moving to France in June 2007. Can anyone recommend a good currency exhange service? Our plan is to caravan at  prefferred locations to see where we finally want to live. Has anyone bought by going directly to a vendors home in response to an advert and was this easier than using an agent?

[Iceni]

[quote user="fish4information"]

 Has anyone bought by going directly to a vendors home in response to an advert and was this easier than using an agent?

[/quote]

Sort of - we were given the url of a property for sale by an internet friend. The vendor is American so marginally fewer language probs than with the French. As to whether it's easier depends on how you view the curate's egg.

John

not 

[alnmike]

For large anounnts €5000 plus we use HIFX, for less Moneybookers.com. But I'm sure there will be other recommendations!

[Cassis]

FX has been done to death.  PLEASE try the search facility!  [:)]

Try here:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/2/604794/ShowPost.aspx

[Nicoll]

Just have a look to

http://alternath.weblisto.com

 

 

[Patf]

When we were looking for a house lately we got quite adventurous at one point and if we liked a particular village, knocked on doors and asked if they knew of any houses for sale. We actually saw 3 houses by this method, but would have been stumped, I think, if we had actually gone ahead to buy one. What to do next? How to agree on and confirm a price?etc.Language is part of the problem, but there could be other technicalities. If you speak fluent french it would be worth a try. Pat.

[Mark]

Pat, I'll be househunting in a couple of weeks but I think I'd be too much of a scaredy cat to go cold calling.  Would it be worth enquiring at the Mairie for a few pointers towards people in the village selling privately I wonder?

[Patf]

Good idea to try the Mairie - the secretary seems to know everything that's going on in the Commune. I should add that if you do try to buy privately I think some french vendors ask inflated prices when they see you're british.We looked at one house privately and they asked 200.000 euros. We later saw the same house in an immobilier's window for 190.000 euros. Pat.

[Cassis]

[quote user="fish4information"]

Has anyone bought by going directly to a vendors home in response to an advert and was this easier than using an agent?

[/quote]

Easier? I doubt it; unless you are familiar with the house buying process and speak fluent French then having an agent to manage the process must be easier (if dearer), I would have thought.

[Moorejw]

For currency exchange try www.firstratefx.com very good service every time. For buying privately you need a good command of the French language and a friendly notaire. Or you could try a hand-holding service. Have a look at the ads in the Magazine!

[helenhismadwife]

we used moneycorp.com recently they were excellent and had a good rate, when hubby pushed them they gave us an even better rate (1.475) at the moment it is about 1.49 the rate obviously changes changes. We transfered the money on the friday to them and it was with the immoblier on the monday.

Helen

[Cassis]

Basically, all the FX companies are competitive - even most banks are, when told what rate you are being quoted elsewhere.  Just try a couple and you'll be okay, judging by the fact that almost everyone is convinced they got a good deal.  Cock-ups happen in the transfer process occasionally but there does not seem to be any pattern to it, judging from posts on the forum.

[Deimos]

With foreign exchange, which is best depends on amounts and what you are looking for. Some (often banks) offer a day rate and that rate will often be worse than a rate available from those that use dynamic rates. Dealing with your own bank can sometimes be a bit simpler than arranging payments to a 3rd party (depending on where you are and what your banks security requirements are like and what mandates you have given them) Some (normally those offering the dynamic rates) will offer additional facilities e.g. buy ahead, buy when rate hits a certain level (24 /24), etc. Which is best for you will depend on when you need the money balanced against convenience.

Not possible to do the xxx are best.

When I was looking I called several companies in a short period (half an hour) when the rate was fairly stable and just asked what rate they would offer now for a £50000. Then later called back the best rate ones to look at what facilities they were offering.

Ian