New to it all - what is F4 etc.

[johnandnorma]

We are contemplating buying a house in the Picardie area and would like to ask all sorts of questions about the process.
We are very much Francophiles and in fact used to live near Paris many, many years ago.
We would be very interested in making contact with anyone else in a similar postion.
The sort of questions we are facing at the moment (apart from can we afford it) are :
- do we really have to go through an appointment with the estate agent
- what are the costs of keeping up a holiday home (we intend to move permanently in due time)
- how do we secure the property in our absence
- where do we find the definitions of property types F1 etc.
etc. etc.
Nothing we face seems insurmountable but it would be nice to trade information.
John & Norma

[suzi04]

Sorry, I haven't got any specific information for you.... but most of your questions have already been answered if you trawl back through the archives or use the search function. As for "F1" I seem to remember that the number refers to the number of rooms.... may be wrong though!

[Chrissie]

"F" refers to the number of outside faces the property has. A standard terraced house, for example, would be F2. (Once the numbers get higher than 4, I assume the house has a complicated shape!)
"T" is the number of rooms exluding kitchens, bathrooms, hallways etc, so T4 is likely to be one reception room and 3 bedrooms, or maybe two of each. The other measure which is often quoted is the liveable area in square metres - i.e. includes bathrooms, hallways etc, but excludes outhouses or boilerrooms. It's an interesting exercise to work out this figure for your own house, so you have something to compare their numbers with.
Good hunting!
Chrissie

[johnandnorma]

Thanks to everyone so far for replying.
Can anyone point me at web sites and/or books that give useful information. I have the David Hampshire - Buying A Home In France.
For instance : there must be a formal definition of F4, T3 etc.
John