Questions you should ask yourself when buying a property in France
Jos Deuling, Sunday, 31 March 2013
Through a simple questionnaire, you can get a reasonable estimate whether this is a property that suits you:
It is wise not to spend more than your budget even if it is tempting to spend that an extra 20,000 on your 'dream home'. In case of deferred maintenance make sure that you know exactly what needs to be renovated. Hire an expert to assess the condition of the property. See bottom of this page for an overview of English speaking surveyors.
If you have ambitious plans and want to give the house a different destination (e.g. a Chambres d'Hotes) or if you want to renovate the house completely, then you need at least a certificat d'urbanisme. Check with an independent expert.
To finance your home with the proceeds of the rental income is a risky business. You're not the only one with that idea around. More and more foreigners start a Chambres d'Hotes or start to rent out gites. Furthermore, the number of tourists in recent years has fallen. Calculate your profit! If you need more security, than you should get a job.
The times of plenty in the housing market are over. Previously you could still make a gamble. Prices rose after all anyway. Nowadays you should be happy if prices don’t fall. Buying a house as an investment property is not obvious nowadays. If you still want to invest your money in a second home in France, choose a popular region like Paris, the Riviera or the French Alps.
Through a simple questionnaire, you can get a reasonable estimate whether this is a property that suits you:
- What is my budget?
- What are the maintenance costs?
- Can I rent the property and what are the rental costs?
- Is the home easy to reach?
- Does it have a fast Internet connection and a good cell phone connection?
- Do I want to live here year round?
- Will I use the house 20 years from now?
- Is it not too cold in the winter?
- Can I sell the property easily?
- Is the house located near tourist attractions?
- Are there airports nearby?
It is wise not to spend more than your budget even if it is tempting to spend that an extra 20,000 on your 'dream home'. In case of deferred maintenance make sure that you know exactly what needs to be renovated. Hire an expert to assess the condition of the property. See bottom of this page for an overview of English speaking surveyors.
If you have ambitious plans and want to give the house a different destination (e.g. a Chambres d'Hotes) or if you want to renovate the house completely, then you need at least a certificat d'urbanisme. Check with an independent expert.
To finance your home with the proceeds of the rental income is a risky business. You're not the only one with that idea around. More and more foreigners start a Chambres d'Hotes or start to rent out gites. Furthermore, the number of tourists in recent years has fallen. Calculate your profit! If you need more security, than you should get a job.
The times of plenty in the housing market are over. Previously you could still make a gamble. Prices rose after all anyway. Nowadays you should be happy if prices don’t fall. Buying a house as an investment property is not obvious nowadays. If you still want to invest your money in a second home in France, choose a popular region like Paris, the Riviera or the French Alps.
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We were not secretive about the fact that we wanted to move to France and we talked to several people about our plans. France is a big country, and it
is impossible for one person to know everything about it. Yet in a short time, we met a large number of specialists. Acquaintances of ours had stayed
with friends in the Auvergne and told that it was the most beautiful region in the whole of France. Others had camped in Provence, and for them, it was
inevitable that you should have to buy a