French Regional Variations
Character Properties in France
French legal system & banking regulations
Buying new ‘off plan’ properties in France
Buying land in France & building your own property
Having survived one of the most financially volatile years in the last decade, I am sure many of you must be determined not to let the financial doom and gloom stop you from getting on with your lives.
There are several reasons why now is a good time to purchase a property in France with properties being a little more negotiable but with the French property market holding up a lot better than in the UK.
Furthermore it is definitely true that those who buy in France want to spend more time there and enjoy what the country and people have to offer, as opposed to those who buy in other countries who are just looking for a bargain property with some sunshine and entertainment, which could be anywhere in the world.
In case you need reminding of all the good things that France can offer, here are at least 21 good reasons for choosing a property to buy in France.
VARIED FRENCH REGIONS: WEATHER, GEOGRAPHY & CULTURE
The different regions of France vary considerably from each other so that there is literally somewhere for everyone. In a country almost three times the size of the UK with a similar sized population, there is space for everyone. Whether you are looking for flat areas, hilly areas, areas with rolling hills, mountains, rivers, lakes, streams, sandy beaches or dramatic coastlines, you will find it in France. If you prefer to live in isolation with no neighbours in view, or to be in a buzzy village or town with shops, cafes and markets, or in a coastal resort, there is somewhere that will be ideal for you.
CHARACTER PROPERTIES TO BUY IN FRANCE
France has an exceptionally wide range of styles of properties as it is a big country and styles of architecture vary from region to region as well as from era to era.
Whether you are looking for a brick-built maison de maitre, a stone farmhouse, a Provencal villa, a chateau or a cottage, you know you can find it in France.
You do need to take account of what areas offer which styles. For instance in on the granite coast of Brittany you will find a wide selection of lovely granite cottages, but don’t expect to find a similar property in areas further South, such as Provence. When these old properties were built, they were built using the local materials and not as nowadays when we transport whatever we want to wherever we want. The colombages properties of Pas de Calais, Seine Maritime and Calvados were due to the availability of the timber and you will see this style in other regions where timber was available. Chateaux are available throughout France but their styles vary tremendously depending on the time and area that they are built in.
FRENCH PROPERTY PURCHASES: SAFE LEGAL SYSTEM & STRICT BANKING REGULATIONS
France offers a very simple and safe legal system for purchase of properties. The purchaser is very protected and even has a seven-day cooling-off period after signing a contract when they can change their mind – not something that we have in the UK. The notaire in France is the only person who conveys properties and will adhere to strict regulations as to all the details that must be checked prior to transferring the property. This, together with the strict banking regulations and limitations on mortgage amounts should give a great deal of security to those purchasing in France.
NEW PROPERTIES ‘OFF PLAN’ TO BUY IN FRANCE
If a character property doesn’t appeal, there is a wide selection of new properties available which you can buy off-plan, i.e. from the plan before they are built. The benefit of buying new is that you are able to choose your décor, the notaire’s conveyancing fees are lower, you will be paying a 5% deposit immediately and then stage payments when the building starts, you will have a 10 years building guarantee on the property. Most new developments will be built using low maintenance materials. As well as all this you will be moving into a property at the same time as many other like minded people on the same development, so that from a social aspect you may find it easier to make friends for you and your children.
POSSIBILITY OF BUYING LAND IN FRANCE & BUILDING YOUR OWN PROPERTY
If you have always dreamed of building your own home exactly as you would like it to be, then this is a very real possibility in France where land is not quite at the same premium as in the UK. You can buy an individual plot of land and find a building company or architect to produce plans for you. The benefit of this is that as well as getting exactly what you want, you only pay notaire’s fees on the land.
You will find architects and building companies in almost every town. Some will produce a selection of standard designs for you to choose from and perhaps amend a little, and others will build exactly what you fancy. Do bear in mind that if you are buying land, that you should make sure that it has building permission on it and check how many square meters you can build. Your architect or building company will then deal with submitting the final plans of what you require to the town hall for permission to be granted. You can have them build just the shell of the house and then complete the works yourself or you can have a totally turn-key operation where it is ready to move into when they finish. Do remember to keep some money back for landscaping the garden.
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