Hi Marjorie, good afternoon, yes JB French Houses was also on our list, I think that we have exhausted just about every web site on the web that lists French property. We do trawl every day, but, we now have 5 good contenders for my next visit with room for 3 more. It is tempting to just take something, just in case, but I think that we now have a base from January to March/April and so we can take our time.
Thank you for the link though.
Regards.
Paul.
Paul.
Came upon this link to a prperty ad on Rootstock Ads, this am ....maybe too far north but worth a look ?
Bon chance...
hi Chris, land is so tempting but no way do I want to cut grass 7 days a week. I agree, we will know when we have found the right one. Looked at 6 to date but agents took a few liberties and forgot about the solar energy farm right in front of the house and on another occasion the shared drive with the farmer next door, 24 hour 7 days a week. Back in two weeks to start all over again.
Desole...folks...slip of pen & brain ...PAS , PAS PAS !
We viewed over 30 properties on 2 house hunting trips before finding what we wanted. Our main problem was that the agents kept showing us larger houses than we wanted, presumably just because they didn't cost much more. In fairness to the agents it did seem that there were far more 4 bedders than 3 but we didn't see much point in buying something larger than we needed with an acreage that would have kept a professional gardener very busy indeed! Apart from that i think the right house is the one you have the right feeling for, after all you wouldn't buy a car that was uncomfortable would you?
Woooooah.... What a nice chap.....:-( I feel an almost desperate need to respond to you......
Sweeping statements - which ones? Sniffed out my next kill???? I have simply recounted a conversation I had last night - I don't believe you were there Paul! Were you ?
My point, which you've missed by a mile, is that the couple I was talking to had no defined idea of what they were looking for in terms of property - they worked on feeling, they don't actually know what they want.
Surely it's a good idea to have a wish list of non-negotiable and negotiable criteria when trying to find a house - so as not to waste anyone's time on either side. Too many folks just window shop or are simply looking for inspiration or fancy a day out. Quite simply - don't visit properties that don't fulfil your non-negotiables. Potential is a highly overrated concept :-)
No reply required unless it's an apology :-)
Hi Peter, loads to choose from is exactly the problem, a nice one to have admittedly, but even so, something new seems to pop up almost every day. As stated before. if the estate agents described their listings a little more accurately, took some decent photos and gave you a bit more of a clue as to exactly where the properties were it would make the selection process a heck of a lot simpler. On one or two rare occasions we have been sent Google Earth co ordinates to find the properties on Google Street View. We could actually see the property and after a quick 360 see if it was the right place for us. Saved a lot of potentially wasted time.
32 Properties in six months is nothing, well not many anyway. Many people will never find what they are looking for cos ' it doesn't exist.
The market has always been littered with the joyriders or people who like to visit places even though they aren't really in the market for a place or they want a place but are sussing out the area and the value for money in that area. The majority of 'serious' hunters know what they want and now is the time to buy with tumbling prices and loads to choose from.
Something I find strange is that privately owned building land or building plots haven't particularly changed much in value in fact, many have risen in price. This is strange because 'new builds' in this region are generally down with artisans laying people off. The smarter communes are selling off building land for almost nothing in an attempt to lure young couple to their communes.
Oh dear Simon, you seem to be making some rather sweeping statements without really knowing any of the facts and at the same time making some rather poorly disguised pointed and sarcastic remarks about groups of people you do not know.
You ask the rhetorical question in your most recent post "if you ask me"... well Simon.... I haven't.... If you don't have anything positive to contribute, then please don't bother wasting you time contributing to this discussion. I have been a member of this forum for 48 hours or so and you have already sniffed out your next kill. Please do not bother to respond as you and I don't seem to have much in common. If you do, you will only look desperate.
No problem Paul,
Good luck with your hunt....(I expect you are aware that a similar property in that part of the Dordogne will be much pricier)...
Be sure....rent for longer if you have to.....
How I've laughed! (slightly spooky discussion...)
Anyway....I was talking to some house hunters last night who have viewed an astonishing 32 properties since April! I asked them what on Earth they had on their list of 'must have' criteria that was making finding a suitable property so difficult. Apparently they didn't even have a list as such - they work on 'feeling'. Bit nuts if you ask me - wasting the time of all those 32 sellers.....
I guess some people will never find what they're looking for - simply because they don't know what they want.....
Hilary, I put myself in a bit of an awkward position, and possibly some other Forum members also by asking the question and I can assure you that I am very grateful to everyone who has made a positive contribution. In time both my Wife and I hope to have something to offer other newbies once we ourselves have settled in. We are not incapable of making our own way but it sure makes a difference and saves an awful lot of time if you can discuss your plans and ambitions with other like minded people. Good luck.
Paul.
Hi Hilary, thank you. Just had a look at their web site, they set a really high standard. They are just a little too far North, almost at Poitiers whereas we are looking further South in the Dordogne region with Sarlat as dead centre. This house hunting game is not as easy as I had imagined it to be. I will continue with my search, I am back again soon and will keep trawling the now very familiar web sites in the hope of adding to my viewings list.
It was good of you to respond, thank you and good luck with your move.
Regards.
Paul.
Par de problem....ce n'est par grave ! ....you do not wound me....comme ils disent dans Monty Python .... il est seulement une blessure de chair !
Well I know these thinly veiled(?) comments are aimed at me.....but at times I find it hard to suppress my entrepreneurial spirit...
It is unfortunately a 'buyers market' ...and I've found 'my hearts desire'...so I can't hold back...
Bon chance to all who want to move on.....I have no malice...I would never trap anyone...it's not right...
Hello Paul,
Thanks for your good wishes for my plans (fingers & toe's crossed and a blood sacrifice to Montezuma!)....so that I manage to make this happen....
I hope you find what you are looking for too...these people John Ball and his wife who are selling up (after 8 years doing the Chambre d'hote) may well be what you are after...
The place is only about 15 mins drive to L'Isle Jourdain...lovely town on the Vienne....not sure how much land it comes with but it is a magnificently restored barn...open in some places to the rafters, so minstrel gallery type of affair (husband ex-builder) ...very good workmanship, woodwork stonework and good taste in the furnishings. the bedroom that I stayed in looked pristine and had a large en-suite shower, spacious, clean & modern....
I think the place has 8 ensuite rooms all of a similar size and a couple are on the ground floor..so good for people of limited mobility. I paid a reasonable 46 euros inc. petit dejeuner. i think they are asking around 245,000 euros...which to me seems good value for the standard of workmanship and the design / decor elements, fixtures & fittings etc.
http://www.chambresdhotes.org/Detailed/4536.html
This link may not be the most recent...it reads 5 ensuites...but I'm sure they told me they have 8.
Bon Chance ! (as they say en France)...
PS if you do buy this and I get my place we may well run into each other doing the shopping !
Forgot to mention, I give Green Shield Stamps too !
Even more hilarious !!!!!
Paul you must be concerned about the large amount of posts from people, who's main objective is to put you up in hope that you may buy their property.
Hi Hilary, sorry for the late response but was out all day Saturday. We must have passed your place on the way back to the Airport. Followed the Canal to our left and then the River. I was in the back of a recovery van at the time as I lost the keys to our hire car and so I didn't see much of the route. I slept overningt in a hire car as a result and so your place would have been a palace compared to a Ford Focus. We had been looking approximately 30/40 kilometres to the East of you and possible 30KM North and South. We have also looked at Brantome, further North still which is beautiful. But we are not wanting to be too remote , We currently live on a farm near York and are looking for something with a few acres, barn,house suitable for friends to stay plus B&B or Gite and no close neighbours as we have 3 dogs.. One of our dogs is very barkey and would drive any close neighbours mad. I think that I am staying approximately 40 KM to the N.E of you for the 4 day visit as it is directly in the middle of my hunting ground, but thank you for the offer. I had mentioned in another post that I felt a bit guilty now as I have had a few offers but can only accept one. If your friends house is a fairly close match to what we are looking for then we would be happy to contact them, thank you.
My last comment concerning French Estate Agents is that the whole industry seems to need a good shake up. Photographing someone's pride and joy with a mobile phone camera? using very poor photos some even out of focus. Some of the subjects that they photograph in peoples houses in order to display the properties they are selling are just weird. I would stay well clear. If I cant get a feel of a property within a few clicks, then I move onto the next one. Good luck with the house sale and for the offer to stay.
Regards.
Paul.
Hi Andy, sorry for the late reply but I was out for most of the day. I have taken a look at Moulin de Latreille. Very nice location and the house/B&B is beautiful. Just interested to see if they may have come across anything for sale or rent in the new year. This forum has, for the best part been very helpful. I feel a little guilty now as I have had two or three very kind offers but cant accept them all, plus a couple of house leads.
Thank you Andy.
Regards.
Paul.