tugrin

Hi everyone,
I haven't visited for a while as I've been scurrying around trying to get my house ready for selling. I have hit a bit of a family wall in that my daughters boyfriend (24 and 'knows everything' ) is putting a real damper on the whole idea ... you have'nt thought this through/ you won't have a support system over there/everything in France is impenetrable.....etc) BUT the biggest obstacle he has come up with is 'You simply CANNOT buy a house in France in less than 18 months' having apparently based this on some personal experience.
Is this true folks - surely not!
Please please tell me it's not!

InVinoVeritas

Hi, welcome back!

Assuming we are not including the time taken to find that perfect house and negotiate that bargain price and then arrange that super loan then I would say three months is about the time it should take.

tugrin

Oh thank you so much InVinoVeritas - his 18 months is entirely taken up with legal problems - no mention of 'the search' - he seems convinced the French legal system is useless and archaic - but then he is 24!!! just need sensible info to counteract the worry he is causing my daughter who was really enthusiatic to start with until he started!!! Ireally hope I will be in France by the autumn and am starting the actual search in May after I finish work although I have already been researching and searching online for weeks.
Thanks again!

cyrian

Hi
It can take a couple of years to sell a house in the countryside due to a slow market and Brits returning to the UK.
The process is quite efficient but is very different to the UK system.
You would be well advised to find out as much as possible about the process in France. Have a look at the Notaires de France website in English.
You need to understand inheritance laws and work that into your Acte de Vente.
Good luck

Chatter Static

Buying a house normally take 3 months and it's the period that every Notaire pencils in for the final signing. So to cut it short your daughters boyfriend doesn't have a clue. If you found a house now had the cash your could be moving in before june "Simples" As the Others have pointed out it's the selling it that is normally an issue waiting to find buyers...

EuroTrash

I first saw this house advertised in probably around June, was planning to spend July looking at properties but actually didn't look at them all because I decided on this one almost immediately, signed the compromis within a fortnight, moved at the end of September and had it all nice in time for my first Christmas there.

Tell your daughter to find a new bf there's too many 'experts' like him in France already.

tugrin

Oh guys you have put song in my heart!!!! I would SO like her to find a new bf - he's an only child of a truly disfunctional mother and has never moved home in his life! I on the other hand have bought and sold 6 houses in the UK know clearly know nothing...
I have looked at the Notaires site to get an idea of costs (around 20% on top of purchase price seems to be a working margin? Am I right?) There also seem to be a lot of English estate agents, around selling, presumably, to the expat community. I am working on my property buying language - trawling through a thousand or so a vendre ads helps along with google translate.
I can go to sleep a much happier lapin tonight with all your advice, thanks.

Novocastrian

It took slightly longer than the 3 months for our purchase to go from offer to closing (about 5 months), but that was due in part to our putting some conditions into the offer (a capped cost on a necessary demolition of a chimney stack which was in a dangerous condition). The condition meant that the work had to be carried out before the Notaire could start drawing up the Acte de Vente.

When you're looking for properties online pay close attention to the abbreviation tfc = tous frais compris = all in price, most immobiliers quote an asking price this way.

It means that if the asking price/offer is 100,000 euros tfc (for example), then that's what you pay: the seller has including the notaire and estate agent fee in the posted price.

InVinoVeritas

Novocastrian is right but agents are somewhat inconsistent in how they refer to the selling price and it also varies by area. Legally speaking the seller pays the agent's fees and the buyer pays the notaire's fees so it's always best to ask what has been included. It gets tricky when you're haggling the price down as the agent is sometimes apt to change the way the price is made up in order to make it appear cheaper. To be safe when saying a price always add "tous frais compris" afterwards.

A useful site (in English) is http://france.angloinfo.com/ which as a section on buying a home.

Tweedpipe

As usual, some excellent advise here, and right on the button!
It took us well over a year to find our 'perfect' property, but as soon as we'd decided it was less then 3 months to complete everything and move in.

So Tugrin, you can tell your daughter that she has a boyfriend who is an amalgam of Derrick and Rodney Trotter; namely a scheming bluffing dipstick! Imho she needs to be shot of him, and quickly - or expect the worst....

As a footnote, may I add just a friendly word of warning. Two to three years ago I was advising friends to wait a little time for the economy to improve before taking the plunge and moving to France.
Today with the current economic and social climates, I certainly wouldn't advise even my 'worst' friends to make a move to France (unless one had pretty deep pockets and totally carefree attitude).
Think your plans through very, very carefully. Fortunately we live well, and have been here for many years, but just looking outside ones own patch, generally I have never seen it so bad. There are hopefully better times ahead, but when this will happen is anyone's guess.
I wish you good luck, and especially good judgement in your plans.

tugrin

Hi Tweedpipe
I know things are bad BUT if I stay here my options seem to be a tatic caravan in Hunstanton or a 1 bedroom flat in lowestoft (East Anglia where I am currently) neither of which will be goo for my health o wellbeing.
I have lived on the poverty line for most of my adult life but am now determined that if I have to continue to be poor I would MUCH rather do it somewhere warmer and exciting with the challenge of learning more French so I can converse relatively freely (stilted at the moment). I will have enough from the sale of my current house and a pension lump - if I dont I just know I will lose the will to live in my retirement - sounds dramatic I know but it is time for me to have an adventure.
The duaghters b/f is a complete pain in the a - a control freak- I really hope she dumps him soon.
Thank you very much for your concern and advice - I know it's from the heart AND of informed unlike the stuff I'm getting here in the UK!

EuroTrash

You can get an accurate estimate of the charges at http://www.calcul-frais-de-notaire.fr/ - it varies slightly according to département.

Everyone has their own priorities and only you know yours, but I have to say they sound a lot like mine. I struggled to make ends meet for a long time in my early years here, and still wouldn't say I "live well" in material terms, but I've never aspired to luxury - back to basics is fine for me. The economics of it come very low down on my list of factors to consider when deciding where to live.

Tweedpipe

Tugrin,
As I said in a previous post, "I've got high hopes for you". I truly like your attitude!
The last thing I would wish on anyone is to lose the will to live in their newly-found, well-earned retirement. It certainly sounds as if you have an adventure-lust that seriously needs to be pursued, and that you're not going into this blindly. So after completing your detailed planning, "Go for it!"
And please keep us advised of progress.
You are sure to have further doubts and many more questions - some of which probably concerned us in the past. We're here to help you out if possible.
Bonne chance.

tugrin

Your faith is gratifying Tweedpipe nd Eurotrash- that's me- I dont want luxury living in the sense of possessions just great surroundings and somewhere to be calm and reflective. I paint and write (strictly for own pleasure) and read lots and not the most gregarious of souls but like a wee bit of socialisation to keep me happy!
I have ummed and ahhed a lot over region but have finally decided to start my search round Tarn and Aude in the south - I know you get less for your money but the climate is more to my liking. I am planning first foray in May. Any suggestions as to which specific area to start in greatly appreciated - any couch surfing folk out there??? If not - cheap places to stay and a list of areas to be avoived would be just as good.

bhouse

Tugrin -
First of all, bon chance!
We found the French system to be a breath of fresh air compared to the English system. However, you do need to be prepared to think for yourself rather than leaving it all to a bunch of solicitors.

Timescale? We saw our ideal property on 5 October 2013. We completed and moved in on 6th December. And we couldn't be happier