Re: Second time around...........

[mint]

is so much more difficult!

I mean your second move within France.  I swear it's worse than deciding on your second partner!

The first time, it was relatively easy, especially if, like me, you didn't know France at all well.  You come here, all dewy-eyed (some would say wearing rose-coloured spectacles), you make appointments with immos or with owners selling privately. 

You go view their houses, you think most of them look "very good and such value, my dear".  You imagine all the locals are pretty friendly, well, they do say "bonjour" and step off the pavement for you to pass.

You buy a property as quickly as is decent (yes, just like marrying that first spouse) and, after a while, you think, well perhaps I was a bit precipitate.  Now what I don't like about living here in my house is....and you dwell (pun intended) on all the negatives.

So, what to do?  If it's a marriage, you get a divorce.  If it's a house, you put it on the market and you go find yourself another.  Simple, right?

Wrong............it's so much harder the second time around.  For a start, you have lost that initial sense of curiosity and discovery.  After all you have lived here a while now:  you know all the pitfalls (all the good bits too but you don't think about those when you have itchy feet), you understand about excessive pig-farming in Brittany, high voltage cables in Normandy, the Brit immigration problem in Dordogneshire, winter in the Auvergne, floods in the Var, etc, etc.

And, suddenly, albeit France is a massive country, you are totally unsure about where you really, really want to be.  After you have ruled out this department and that region or they have ruled you out because you can't afford to live in them, there aren't many places left in the whole of the Hexagon where you would like to settle. 

I've tried the househunting equivalent of internet dating, only to be disappointed time and time again.  I've tried asking for personal recommendation  (the equivalent of a matchmaker, I suppose) but, to date, have not found THE one.

For those of you who have moved within France, have you found the second time around to be as frustrating, time-consuming, energy-sapping as I have?

I was going to say I'd rather find another husband, until I remember that I am already on Husband Number Two!  Oh, dear............

[Gardian]

Go south ................. but on high ground.  Forget this Northern nonsense.[6]

[LEO]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

is so much more difficult!

I mean your second move within France.  I swear it's worse than deciding on your second partner!

The first time, it was relatively easy, especially if, like me, you didn't know France at all well.  You come here, all dewy-eyed (some would say wearing rose-coloured spectacles), you make appointments with immos or with owners selling privately. 

You go view their houses, you think most of them look "very good and such value, my dear".  You imagine all the locals are pretty friendly, well, they do say "bonjour" and step off the pavement for you to pass.

You buy a property as quickly as is decent (yes, just like marrying that first spouse) and, after a while, you think, well perhaps I was a bit precipitate.  Now what I don't like about living here in my house is....and you dwell (pun intended) on all the negatives.

So, what to do?  If it's a marriage, you get a divorce.  If it's a house, you put it on the market and you go find yourself another.  Simple, right?

Wrong............it's so much harder the second time around.  For a start, you have lost that initial sense of curiosity and discovery.  After all you have lived here a while now:  you know all the pitfalls (all the good bits too but you don't think about those when you have itchy feet), you understand about excessive pig-farming in Brittany, high voltage cables in Normandy, the Brit immigration problem in Dordogneshire, winter in the Auvergne, floods in the Var, etc, etc.

And, suddenly, albeit France is a massive country, you are totally unsure about where you really, really want to be.  After you have ruled out this department and that region or they have ruled you out because you can't afford to live in them, there aren't many places left in the whole of the Hexagon where you would like to settle. 

I've tried the househunting equivalent of internet dating, only to be disappointed time and time again.  I've tried asking for personal recommendation  (the equivalent of a matchmaker, I suppose) but, to date, have not found THE one.

For those of you who have moved within France, have you found the second time around to be as frustrating, time-consuming, energy-sapping as I have?

I was going to say I'd rather find another husband, until I remember that I am already on Husband Number Two!  Oh, dear............

[/quote]

and typing at the same time!

.

[Anton Redman II]

We found it very hard work. First time holiday home - very cheap. Second time main residence - eventually found an area we were happy with but very hard going.

[Kitty]

I agree, Sweet.  It was easier for us when we decided that we wanted to stay in the same area because of all the friends that we had made.

[Patf]

I agree with you, Cathy. We decided to move, but within the same dept. Because of friends, and also things like familiar shops, not having to change vehicle registrations, medical records, bank accounts etc.

Besides, we like the Gers very much, just didn't like the house.