Buying in France

[Jacqueline]

We are contemplating buying a house with 2 Gites in Central France, my husband would carry on working in London 4/5 days per week and come over for weekends and obviously holidays until we could pay off the mortgage. Our friends think that we are mad for even considering complete change of life but we are kind of seeing this as a new way forward - any comments

[Dick Smith]

That's a very difficult question to answer. I don't want to rain on your parade but there are many issues to consider.

How much research have you done into taxation and other regulations for running gîtes?

Have you looked at the costs of a weekly commute? Not  cheap if you are in Basse Normandie.

Do you have children who would need to be educated in France?

Have you got property in mind? Are you looking to convert/renovate or are you looking to buy an existing business?

If you read through all the live threads and use the search faciility you will get some idea of the possible pitfalls. You will get answers if you ask more specific questions.

[Jacqueline]

Hi Dick

Thank you for that. I do realise that there are lots of implications as you said tax etc. We have no children and there is an existing business that we are looking at but its all just a bit scary (and exciting at the same time). I would really love to have some contact with people who have done a similar thing for advise, pitfalls etc. The business that we are looking at has 2 Gites one of which is rented for 26 weeks of this year so far and the other for 12 currently the people who own it also rent the main house for around 8 weeks, which I really don't think we would do but, may well be committed to this year.

[Apero]

No experience in Normandy; sorry. However, I have a place further south, where we have bookings to cover the cost of advertising, agency care taking, running costs year on year etc,  I work abroad and my wife lives separtely from the 'business' and I come home to her. Merci ma femme.[kiss]

Given your stats; which you should inherit, where do you live when the 'main house' is rented. If this is suitable/comfortable, with Dicks input, to live on this alone, without other income; go for it, But, and this is a bit 'BUT', keep a foothold in the UK.

For a saftey net to catch you; just in case!

 

 

[BIG MAC]

Our house is in the Mayenne basse Normandie Loire area.

We find every excuse to get there and are smitten however the practicalities of getting to the area vs weather seems to send holidaymakers a little further south.

We think its a fantastic place and alhough we have lots to do to our place are hoing eventually to live there permanently just trying to figure out the best way to finance it.

I am a building contracts manager so hopefully if I can get my French up to scratch I may be able to work in the industry over there.

I realise little of what I have said helps your predicament!

OK How about Fly Be services into Rennes maybe that will help?

[napoleon]

Jaqueline,

               Your thread seems to have changed from "Buying in France" to "Buying in Normandy". Your initial posting talks about Central France. Are we still considering that area or have I missed the change to Normandy? I have some experience of both areas but which one should I tackle?

Lots of silly questions. Sorry.      Alistair

[Jacqueline]

Hi Alistair

It is actually Central France that we are looking at (I had a bit of a brain storm this week). I would really appreciate any advise that you could give me.  Thank you