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9th February 2010
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French Property Buying GuideWelcome to the FrenchEntrée Property Buying Guide If you want to share your French property buying experience, or have ideas for new topics please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Elsewhere in FrenchEntrée... Do you need finance for your property purchase in France? Visit our Mortgage Zone for full details on how and where to get a home loan. Want advice on how the French legal system works? Then visit our Law Zone. Or need information about taxation and tax residency in France? Check out our Tax Zone. For information on insurance, credit cards and opening French bank accounts go to our Finance Zone. And for full deals on the euro and currency exchange visit our comprehensive Currency Zone. If you are looking to do up your property visit our Renovation and Decoration Zone.  Real Life Stories.jpg) 
  French Property Legal Process FAQCommon questions about buying French property Find them for me!Click the links to list French Estate Agents French Estate Agents French Property Developers  Sell your French propertyProperty listings for private sellers If you are selling a French property as a private vendor why not advertise it on FrenchEntrée.com - we have thousands of visitors every day and we are the cheapest place to advertise PLUS we guarantee your property advertisement will appear in the all-important Google search engine! Advertise your French property here Need to buy euros?Organising currency to buy your French property Looking for advice or a quote from a euro currency dealer? Enquire here Metric converterConfused by ounces, grammes, kilos, hectares etc? Site MapComplete listing of site contents: Site MapClassified DirectoryLooking for property or planning a move to France? Check out the new FrenchEntrée Classified Directory featuring:Builders France and French building suppliers Surveyors France Banks France France currency traders and brokers Insurance France Health Insurance France Broadband and ASDL Internet Connection in France French Languages Courses and Services Law Firms France and Legal Services in France French Mortgage Lenders and French Property Mortgage Brokers Removals to France French Estate Agents Property Developers France Satellite TV France Tax Services France and French Tax Advisors Swimming Pools France International removals Holiday Home Insurance  Get a French property insurance quote Looking for Bed & Breakfast in France? French property rental owners adviceLayMyHat.com is a website with free advice, newsletters and discussion forum for holiday rental owners on how to get more bookings. We recommend it!Holiday cottage Dordogne - Southern CharenteIdeal gite rental for househunters or holidays |
Property Buying Guide
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Books on Buying French Property Are you moving to France and needing more information on buying your French property? The FrenchEntrée bookshop features a wide range of books covering the buying process, French law, living in France and the regions of France. Visit the FrenchEntrée Bookshop to make your purchase. French Property Tips Newsletter ArchiveAre you looking to buy a new property in France? Keep up to date with all the latest french property news, law and finance stories, and featured property hotspots. Sign-up for our free newsletter or visit our newsletter archive to view previous newsletters. French Property Tips Newsletter |
This Guide has been written to give you a general step-by-step overview of the property buying process. It includes information about estate agents, the notaire, contracts, clauses, surveys, mortgages and much more.
At the end of 2008 we interviewed more than 20 property experts across France to see what their predictions for the 2009 property market were. In this article we disclose the reality of the 2009 property market, which has been a rollercoaster ride for many, and our premier partner estate agents’ predictions for 2010...
The French property market has seen some positive movement this autumn. In their latest report, the FNAIM (French Federation of Estate Agents) reported that a 2.8% overall increase in property prices has been seen in the third quarter of 2009. But will prices continue to rise and the market recover, or is this just a short-term increase as a consequence of longer-term price falls?
We had nearly 700 readers complete our Buying In France survey. Intriguingly, the results revealed that, of the 93% looking to purchase or who have already purchased French property, 66% will use it for permanent residence. Despite the economic slowdown and weaker pound, 82% of participants still regard French property as good value.
Why do some people insist on a survey while others just accept the comment that it’s not done in France? Purchasing a property in France is probably one of the largest financial investments in your life, so is it worth getting a survey? Surveyor Philip Atkinson discusses why and when a survey is worth getting...
What is the best approach if you're planning to put your house on the market, or if your house has lingered on the market for a while without receiving any offers? Sophia Mose of Pays d'Oc Design, a professional Home Stager operating in the Lot and Dordogne, sets out three steps savvy sellers can take to make their property stand out from the competition.
There are two annual local property taxes in France, taxe d’habitation and taxe foncière. They are paid by both residents and non-residents and are often higher on second homes than on main residences due to possible discounts on the main home, explains David Franks of Blevins Franks...
We asked FrenchEntrée regular readers to share the benefit of their property purchasing experiences with others looking to buy in France. It was interesting to find that a reoccurring piece of advice was to be aware of the area as many have experienced their village or town to be far noisier than anticipated. Here is a selection of what they had to say...
Trevor and Pat from Milton Keynes have been holidaying in France for many years. This year they decided to take the plunge to buy a property and move to Burgundy. Here is their story...
With a rise in sterling against the euro and fall in French property prices, there is evidence that British Francophiles are once again seizing the opportunity to buy in France. Here we ask experts in the French property market if they've noticed an increase in British buyers and why now may be a good time to buy. Plus, we get some first-hand accounts from recent French property buyers.
At FrenchEntrée, we have noticed our property enquiries from American and Canadian buyers increase in recent weeks. We thought we’d talk to some of the North American buyers who have recently purchased, or are currently looking to buy, a French property, to find out what type of property they're buying, where and why.
Believe it or not, gazumping can and does happen in France. We take a look at why it happens and what can be done to prevent it...
In the last couple of months, we at FrenchEntrée have noticed an increase in our property enquiries. In particular, we have seen a rekindled interest from property investors. In this article we discuss why, what and where investors are choosing to buy French property.
VEF, who have been selling French property to overseas buyers for twenty years, have sadly been the latest company to fall victim to the credit crunch...
We’re at that time of year when anyone looking for a property in France may be considering taking a viewing trip. Here we look at how you can make sure you are as prepared as possible, by looking at the mortgages available and getting pre-approved, so that when you do see that dream property you are in the perfect position to snap it up!
Vernon and his wife, Ann, from Doncaster, had been thinking about moving to France since they retired in 2007. In December 2008 they started to make their dream a reality when they signed the contract to their great value home in Poitou-Charentes.
The developer of a residential scheme in a small traditional French town which ‘ticks a dozen boxes’ for Britons planning to retire to France is targeting the UK’s growing ‘grey’ market in a bid to boost sales as construction proceeds.
French planning law is a huge topic however the rules and procedures were somewhat simplified by new legislation with came into force on 1 October 2007. The resulting rules apply throughout France. Here, legal experts from Heslop & Platt explain the procedure...
We have compiled a selection of case studies from recent French property buyers, some of whom have moved permanently to France while others have bought a second home. We have examples of buyers in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, and similar questions were posed to all of them in order to compare their views about buying French property and to ascertain what they think about the timing of their purchase in light of the current economic slowdown.
The FrenchEntrée Property Finders were pleased to meet many people interested in buying French property during 2009, while exhibiting at The France Show. In a video clip taken on the day, Graham Downie, our Cognac Property Finder, said that buyers should not compromise on location: ‘You can change a property but you can’t move it.’
Having found your bargain dream property, it can come as a bit of a shock to those used to the UK market that the buyer pays the agency fees and the legal fees – this can make your French house up to...
If you are thinking of moving to France but want to make sure it is the right decision, take advantage of John and Emma’s experience, they opted for a smoother approach in moving to France and found an easy alternative, and a potential little earner!
One way to save on the amount you spend on your family holidays each year would be to invest in a holiday home of your own, thereby not only providing you and your family with years of relaxing holidays but also enabling you to stay in a home-from-home environment that you can tailor to suit your individual needs.
FrenchEntrée have this month officially launched their property finding service FrenchEntrée Property Services. Having signed several property finders across France over the last few months they are now ready to help find buyers their ideal home.
President Sarkozy has promised ‘very powerful’ economic support for the property market, but at the same time stressing that prices need to come down. Meanwhile, economists say the French market is a long way from the crashes of the UK...
The survey was sent to all international registered users of Primelocation.com who have recently shown an interest in overseas property. The survey revealed that 58% of participants are still planning to buy a property overseas, with 24% looking in France, despite the current economic downturn. 
'It is important to establish, through your Notaire, that all completed construction works have been carried out by registered builders and artisans, who must have a SIRET number. Work carried out by non-registered builders or artisans carries no guarantees' says Chartered Surveyor Brian Lindley...
For the French it's quite common to get your own home built. Now more and more Britons are considering the same option in France. David Murray, author of a new book on the subject, explains how to go about it
If you would like to spend more time in France, something more than a simple two week summer holiday, maybe a month, maybe a few years or maybe even the rest of your life, taking on a longer term rental is for you.
Hilary and Arthur Moore were pretty certain they wanted to move to France from their home in Nottingham, England. But to be sure - and to know that they had chosen the right part of France - they rented first. Here Arthur explains why it was the best thing they could have done
In recent years, buying new build houses has increased in popularity with overseas buyers in France. This article outlines the pros and cons of buying a new build versus a resale property.
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In the first of a series of articles Tim Williams explains the reasons behind his family’s bold decision to construct a new, green house in south west France. In part two, he discusses how his family acquired the land to build the house. In part three, he discusses his search for "ecological help", and in part four he explains how he worked with the architect.
With the cost of energy rising, it’s more important than ever to find the most effecting ways of heating and providing energy for your house. Marc Asker of EcoPower considers the options and gives some practical advice
Hunting for houses in France can be as exciting and daunting as anywhere else. Here the FrenchEntrée team offers practical advice about how to decide what to buy and where
Unlike in the UK for example, having your property surveyed is not compulsory with French banks and building societies. However, for some French property buyers, getting an independent survey can be very worthwhile...
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The compulsory surveys are now grouped together in a single report known as the Technical Diagnostic File (Dossier de Diagnostic Technique) or “DDT”. DTT surveys are to be conducted by the vendor and include surveys on energy performance, gas and electricity, an inspection of sewage disposal systems (if not connected to the mains) and natural risks.
If you’re looking to sell your house in France, what’s the best way of going about this? Michael Streeter looks at some of the reasons why people sell their French home and considers some practical selling tips
Before you can start looking for your place in France, be it a holiday home or a permanent residence, it’s important to narrow down your search to a particular region, or selection of regions. France is a big place, after all...
During a property sale, the notaire ensures that all the proceedings comply with french property law. Whether the property is bought direct through a notaire or through an agence immobilier a notaire still has to oversee the legal aspects of the sale...
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