Twinboys

We're looking to purchase a static caravan for holiday and rental purposes. I wonder if anyone can recommend any agents/sake sites. And the pros and construction of buying a static in Languedoc-Roussillon.

EuroTrash

Beautiful area, why not.
Read the small print carefully. A few years ago there was a bit of a fuss over some campsite owners allegedly taking the p155 - excessive installation/disconnection fees, excessively high cut of the rental taken from bookings, obligatory maintenance fees, requirement to upgrade the mobilhome every 3 or 4 years with an approved model, etc. Folks who had signed the contract without reading had got stung and were trying to make a case for the terms of the contract being "abusif". Never saw the end of the story.

InVinoVeritas

I think ET is right - the story is here:-

Mobile-homes: le racket continue | SOS conso

Somewhat bizarrely, statics caravans are called mobile homes in France - just so you can search Google for some agents - although I think it is usually the site owner who deals with such, if not all, transactions.

From what I hear, I think there are also the same issues on campsites in the UK

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
Can't help on the "mobile-home" front, except to say that the Mairie would be the first port of call, to ensure that you have the right to instal one.
Have you already spent summer holidays in the L-R? And in a static home or caravan? It's usually blisteringly hot and dry, not helped by the Tramontane wind. Unless you're in a very shady location (plenty of trees), I imagine it would be uncomfortable.
We live in the north of the Hérault, and even at 350 m, I find the dry heat (35°+) unbearable and stay indoors in my stone house, with wooden shutters closed and "only" 26° in the sitting room. It would be worse on the coastal plain with no insulation.... French OH supports the dry heat very well, but not his English rose of a wife!

Twinboys

Renew every 3- 4 years explains alot..there are a number of sales which require the Mobile homes to be removed.

Twinboys

Hi, yes we have spent the last 4 years on holiday in L-R. Spending time at Sete, St Pierre La Mer, Narbonne Plage & Minervois. 35c is one of the main attractions to this area, although we tend to need to be near a pool or beach. Family and friends find it hard to believe when we tell them about the weather! It's like a holiday in Spain without the usual "Brits abroad" culture & a much more refined choice of food.

Pulaski

It's only bizarre if you think that "mobile home" is called a "mobile home" because it is mobile, when obviously a static caravan isn't.

Here is what Snopes has to say on the subject.

dmu

Fair enough, just wanted to warn you in case you weren't aware!
I read post #1 too quickly and misunderstood the mention of "construction" (typo for "cons"?). Just to clarify, you mean that you wish to buy a mobile-home already installed in a dedicated site/estate?

Twinboys

yes, sorry predictive text on mobile. Was meant to read pros & cons. I'm looking for a cheap bolt hole for family holidays in the summer. Haven't the finance to purchase a half decent property, read about mortgages in France and don't want to commit to the minimum mortgage available, starting at 75000-100000. Think the only viable option is mobile on site with pool? Any advice is greatly appreciated

EuroTrash

Not trying to put you off but do the figures carefully if you want this to make sense financially. Campsites aren't daft and they're not in the business of offering cheap bolt holes, they're in the business of making money from holidaymakers.
Leaving aside the initial outlay I imagine the site fees are going to be a couple of thousand a year at least, plus insurance/maintenance/repair costs (mobilhomes can take a battering when they're left empty and the winds get up or the temperatures go way below zero). How much do you spend on an average family holiday - do you have a very large family? How many years would it take to break even on the outlay, after you've factored in depreciation? Are you sure you will all still want to keep going to the same spot for that many years in a row, and you won't be itching for a change?

I have friends who have a mobile home in Argelès. They reckon they break even because they rent it out all summer and only use it themselves off season, which works perfectly for them because they work in tourism so they never take holidays in summer. But for them it was very much a heart over head decision, they've been in love with Argelès ever since I've known them and quite simply they get a kick out of owning their own mobilhome there, it makes them smile and go all misty-eyed every time they think about it. If that's you, then go for it (with caution) and enjoy, but as a head over heart decision, it needs careful weighing up I think.

dmu

Google is your friend - "vente mobile-homes neufs Languedoc-Roussillon" will give a lot of results, but mainly second-hand, not new. You'd have to find out the reasons why people are selling their static home before you invest.
Agree with ET, Argelès is quite easy to fall in love with, with the Pyrénées just behind and Spain just down the road....

cyrian

It might be a good idea to rent a gite with a pool initially and that would give you the chance to explore the area and static caravan parks.
When you buy a house or static caravan you need to make sure that the area works for you before you commit.

EuroTrash

Or better still - rent a mobile home for a week on a site you are considering buying on?