Swapping a house in France for one in the UK

[RogerWarner]

We have the opportunity to swap our France home/house for one in the UK.

Has anyone done this?

Does anyone know the procedure or know of anyone that does?

Thanks

[AnOther]

Sounds like a nice simple idea but I'm sure it will be fraught with problems.

Have a read here for starters:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/711530/ShowPost.aspx

and here

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1/1543602/ShowPost.aspx#1543602

There are also some dedicated web sites

http://www.houseswaptogo.co.uk/

http://www.thetravelbug.org/swap/index.php

[Russethouse]

 Someone over on http://www.grumpyoldgitsinfrance.com/GOGIF_old/ is doing it apparently - maybe they could help ?

[oldgit72]

From what I can see, you would need something with 3 or 4 bedrooms and a fair bit of land in France to get a 2 bed mid terrace back in blighty. Why would you?

[mint]

Because size isn't everything?

[Swissie]

Perhaps because somebody is getting older and the place in France is too big with too much land - and wants to go back to UK for health and family reasons - and the 2 bed terrasse in just in the right place and just perfect. Why not?

[RogerWarner]

[quote user="oldgit72"]From what I can see, you would need something with 3 or 4 bedrooms and a fair bit of land in France to get a 2 bed mid terrace back in blighty. Why would you?[/quote]Probably because we have too!

Is that a problem?

Anyway answer the question please.

[RogerWarner]

[quote user="oldgit72"]From what I can see, you would need something with 3 or 4 bedrooms and a fair bit of land in France to get a 2 bed mid terrace back in blighty. Why would you?[/quote]Probably because we have too!

Is that a problem?

Anyway answer the question please.

[RogerWarner]

Or perhaps we have to get back to Blighty

[Pickles]

Basically, you will need to discuss this with a notaire. What you are proposing is not impossible, but both the UK and French systems need to have an idea of the value of the transaction, as it will affect the tax (fees etc) payable in France and the rate and amount of stamp duty in the UK. Therefore you need to come to an agreement as to what the monetary value of the properties are (I believe the value of the French property at least would have to be written into the French acte de vente). The value agreed has to be a reasonable market value, because otherwise the local commune can preempt the sale.

Regards

Pickles

[Swissie]

Will be very interested in hearing how you get on with this. I think it is basically a brilliant idea, but possibly complicated. As discussed on another thread recently, if a sale appears too low for the Commune (or tax office) to be true - they can request to buy it themselves at that price (+10%).

[AnOther]

[quote user="Swissie"]Will be very interested in hearing how you get on with this. I think it is basically a brilliant idea, but possibly complicated. As discussed on another thread recently, if a sale appears too low for the Commune (or tax office) to be true - they can request to buy it themselves at that price (+10%).

[/quote]And get told to 5od off and mind their own business !

[Russethouse]

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="Swissie"]Will be very interested in hearing how you get on with this. I think it is basically a brilliant idea, but possibly complicated. As discussed on another thread recently, if a sale appears too low for the Commune (or tax office) to be true - they can request to buy it themselves at that price (+10%).

[/quote]And get told to 5od off and mind their own business !

[/quote]

[:)][:)][:) That is what they are doing isn't it ? [:)][:)]

[Swissie]

Ao, I'd just love to know how you'd get on with that one.[:P]   Wonder if it'd work?[I]

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Swissie"]Will be very interested in hearing how you get on with this. I think it is basically a brilliant idea, but possibly complicated. As discussed on another thread recently, if a sale appears too low for the Commune (or tax office) to be true - they can request to buy it themselves at that price (+10%).
[/quote]

A tad exaggerated!

Only approximately a third of communes have a right of premption and it is unlikely to be exercised unless some public utility will result.

Where did you get the 10% from.....the Brit in the pub with a pastis?[:D]

[Swissie]

Pastis is for sissies - but Pernod was invented just down the road, in Switzerland. We drink the real stuff here.

[RogerWarner]

OK some research has been done and its permissible.

You can sell your house for what you like whether it be for two vache or a bar of gold. What has to be appreciated is the monetary value and the taxes to be paid IAW that value.

We have had our property valued by several agents commercials. This means that us as swappers have to realise the value of both properties and the relevant fees paid need to be paid IAW the Notaires and solicitors instructions.

Boom boom no pastie, eau de vie or absinth just .....................

[Swissie]

Hope it all works out - and would love to know how it all pans out. Bonne chance.

[oldgit72]

[quote user="Swissie"]Perhaps because somebody is getting older and the place in France is too big with too much land - and wants to go back to UK for health and family reasons - and the 2 bed terrasse in just in the right place and just perfect. Why not?

[/quote]

Well as you asked:

Incresing crime

Congested roads

Looming 25% public service cuts

Neighbours from hell (possibly on 2 sides in your mid terrace)

Weather

Kids who have no respect

Surveilance society

High taxation, ang getting higher

Consumer culture

Value of UK property likely to fall substantially

To mention just a few.

Good luck to anyone who wants to return but speaking personally I cannot think of any circumstances where I would want to. I'd rather downsize to a smaller place here for half the price of one in the UK with the bonus of not having most of the above.

[Russethouse]

 Lincolnshire is probably not quite as bad for many of those problems, plus health and family pretty much outweigh everything else in my book !

[Gardengirl]

Quite so, Russethouse.

Some of the list given by Oldgit may apply in some places, but I think you'd be very unfortunate to find all of those problems in one place, apart from the very largest cities. That was such a bleak picture Oldgit painted.

We have few problems where we live in UK, although some areas of our town do. But having worked for many years on a problem estate, the many good people vastly outnumbered the bad apples. I'm regularly cheerfully greeted and occasionally helped by members of some of the rogue families.

We recently visited Sheffield and felt very safe wandering around the city centre, and met helpful, friendly people in cafes, around the town etc.

We were there for a family wedding, and this topic came up; nobody felt unsafe where they lived, which included a large council estate. One woman is in her 70s and has to use a white stick and use public transport. She particularly mentioned how safe she feels around town etc.

We also spent a few days in Derbyshire, where towns and villages we visited felt very safe, with very helpful people. We visited one village for the well dressings they do there. We happened to be there on the Monday evening of their carnival, when entertainment was available for all ages. We were struck by how friendly and caring everyone was, from young chaps in the pub chatting to us and making sure I could find the half-hidden ladies toilets, to children rushing happily around the village on their own, taking part in the games, but taking care not to bump into older people.

I might add that where we live in France is lovely and also feels very safe when I walk home alone at night past a large HLM. I do appreciate the lack of traffic jams etc, along with all the other good things most of us enjoy in France.

However, for these living in some of the big cities in France life is too busy, too crowded, too noisy, with crime figures high, and often very little chance of finding employment.

Rose-tinted specs about any situation aren't a good idea, but nor is painting such a black picture of the country you've left.

[velcorin]

Wow Oldgit, I'm guessing you're retired, living rurale and don't follow the French media? Love it[:D] Keep the blinkers on[:D]

 

[RogerWarner]

Oh my gawd wot a load of purveyors of doom!!

I guess oldgit you haven't visited some of the bad spots of any French big towns or cities?

Go take a look!!

France isn't all twee street cafes, even rural Brittany and Limousin has its miscreance. Oh believe me.

If we wish to return Blighty then by god we will. Its the land of my birth and I'm proud to be English!! (Now Brown and Blair have Foxtrot Oscar'd)

[oldgit72]

Blimey, I think i'm on the wrong forum. Maybe they should rename it 'Leaving France' instead of Living France. The list of reasons for not returning to the UK are my personal reasons and others of course are entitled to their own opinions. All I can say is that they are based upon muy own personal experiences of living there. Media coverage of the current situation gives me no reason to think things have improved for the better and if anything are getting worse. Of course france has problems but I would no more live in an inner city in France as I would live in an inner city in England. As for blinkers, yes I do live rurale as I did in the UK. The difference in rurale here is that I can get from a to b without being stuck in traffic, my village isn't a no go area after dark and people talk to each other.

[Russethouse]

I can get from a to b without being stuck in traffic,

That's lucky because unless you are very lucky I doubt there's a bus [:)]

 It's horses for courses, one man's meat, etc......