Le Boncoin

They weren't my friends (far from it!) I can only go on what they said and they reckoned they paid 100,000 euros for the wreck that they sold and then they had it up for 80,000. They only lived in it for 2 years! I believe it actually sold for around 50,000 (they were very vague!) To be honest the house was only worth about 30'000 if that!

When selling I believe you can stipulate that you will only take offers if finances are already in place. Myself and my husband previously had to pull out of a house purchase 5 years ago after the bank changed its policies over night and around 250 Brits lost the houses they were in the process of buying! We had already jumped through all the hoops and had the offer and were in the process of signing the compromis! So even when you think you have the mortgage sorted it can be taken away!

The house we bought last year had already been sold to someone else and then he had to pull out because of not being able to get the mortgage. We were so lucky to be cash buyers by then.

I think the majority of the viewers of the property that I was a key holder for were cash buyers. I guess it all depends on how much a house is selling for as some probably inherit when relatives pass away. All of the viewers were also middle aged upwards.

I know it is extremely difficult to get a mortgage in France though.

I'd be interested to know the dept your friends sold in, and what scam the brits mentioned tried to pull? It certainly seems the way to go if you want to sell quickly, but my reservation with selling to the French is, don't most of them need a mortgage and, if so, does one wait until the paper confirmation of mortgage offer before accepting an offer, as I used to constantly advise in UK years ago? Here when selling several previously, we have not wanted to accept an offer 'conditional to a mortgage offer' and be tied to a couple only for them to pull out a good while down the line when the mortgage offer is not forthcoming for whatever reason, and not lose the 10% deposit, even tho' you may well have lost other potential sales....

In response to the poster asking abouting selling a house on Leboncoin - last year I was a key holder for Brits selling their house and who had returned back to the UK. 95% of the viewings were French with a couple of Bretons and Belgiums to add to the mix. 2 viewings by Brits. Within 24 hrs of putting it on the site they had over a 100 emails and a steady stream of viewings. These owners didn't speak much French at all but used a google translate tool to communicate. Their notaire also spoke some English. There was 1 British scammer & his mate who tried it on and blew hot and cold. Gave them a flea in the ear and warned the owners! Never heard of again!

Their British neighbours across the road on my advice also posted their house on the site and had viewings and sold within a few days! All but 1 viewing was by French people and they ended up in a bit of a bidding war as 2 couples were desperate to buy. These 2 houses however were in a sought after area so sold relatively quickly but I know of other people who have tried to sell for a few years through estate agents.

Personally if I'm selling something I only take cash in person or paypal in advance, no cheques and certainly won't fall for the over payment scam! Had someone try it on when I was selling my UK headlights after changing over to French!

Putting a house up on Leboncoin cuts out the middle man ie estate agent and saves the buyer money so it is a more lucrative option plus no need to lower the price to allow for agency fees. Just notaire's fees on top.

usually you just contact the vendor.....if there isn't a phone number you click on contact via email...its not quite ebay!!!

Thanks for your comprehensive but disappointing experience you had with that person Jane. It confirms what's already been said on here earlier about it's usually the seller who has to watch out for crooks. That's also why I usually like to buy things locally by going to see them and, if I like them, take them away with me

Alan tried to reply 3 times lol and tablet playing up so this is shirt versionnow. Last year tried to sell Celine Dion concert tickets worth 900e. Put them up for 500e, someone wanted then instantly for wife, said seats were perfect..in Carre d, or. Few days after they weresent phoned worried no tickets, wanted tracking details, gave them. 2 days later phoned saying received tickets, very disappointed with seats as I had lied to him, he TOLD me his wife was handicapped and these seats were no good, me being naive felt terrible, must have been a misunderstanding, what can we do..he says dont worry I, ll phone a friend who I think will take them. He phones back, fri3nd will take them for 200e, I say I, ll think about it. nest day I check with the PO again and in fa t he has not received the tickets !! Also the meathod we used he cannot receive goods untill he has paid. I rang him back and asked have you definately received the tickets, he assures me yes, so I say, but in that case you have already paid for them, he says ..oh non, the facteur is a friend and she let me open package to check it before paying..which is totally illegal, so I say, in that case I am going to porte plainthe a t my local gendarmerie. 2 minutes later he rings back saying he had not received tickets, had opened nothing and I was trying to trick him and he was going to porte plainthe against me !! So I did go to the gendarmerie and porte plainthe, they rang him, I had also recorded my telephone conversations with him,so, long story short, he was a conman, trying to buy tickets as cheaply as possible to sell them on and make a profit. I was lucky, 10 days later I got my money, he obviously thought it better to make a tiny profit rather than none.

Most of the time,it is do- able by email

Really helpful reply - cheers. The bizarre thing is OH's spoken french is always praised as having a really good accent, etc, but she can't comprehend much in a conversation coming back at her...I'm, however, better at the comprehension but my accent is dire! Not fair on her as they always 'fix' on her assuming she's the bi-lingual one, and then the pressure's on her and off me :-) At least she can always find a way to be understood! Face to face and both of us we manage fine, normally, so maybe it is one to consider, when the time comes...the market is so dire still we're not sure when to pitch.

they were bought and sold over the period from 2007 to 2013 (would have been earlier but le bon coin was in it's infancy and not used widely). All bought from French people and all sold to French people. A lot of negotiating/haggling on all but one purchase where the price was firm and it was the a question of the first to get the dossier together at the notaires got it (no not a scam, it was going very cheap, I sold it a year later for a 30% profit). Our present house was negotiated with the owners around their kitchen table with the usual official/unofficial (no I won't expand on that!) Some took a long time others didn't - how long is a piece of string situation. If your French isn't up to it then best to get somebody else who is fluent to handle the communication side of things. Yes, many French are a bit wary of foreigners, just like anywhere else really, unless you're fully integrated and fluent with very little accent, then they're curious as they can't quite place you untill they see your name (use initials or the village name or something else rather than an a non-french name, I often use my OH's last name !) ;-)

I'd be interested on the breakdown of your house sales, eg, nationality; whether there was much haggling, the speed of them and interest generated, etc. We're considering going down this route but our telephone french is poor, and our written french not a whole lot better! Is it therefore feasible to have a french pal take calls and send e-mail particulars, make a rendevous and we take it from there? Also do you sense the french are reluctant to purchase from other nationalities?

Can you see this on your page ?

Yes Danielle, you are probably right saying scams happen more to sellers than buyers. However, the OP asked if anyone knows how to buy from Le Boncoin so that's why I asked for clarification from Jane. Mind you, attempts at computer hacking still go on whether you use LBC or not.

It's when selling that the scams happen most often. I have had five or six bad experiences (telephone calls from Ghana and someone who managed to hack my computer despite all the necessary protections). I stopped using Le Bon Coin and only use Priceminister now as they deal with the transaction, gurantee lost items and payment and there fees are very low (and have been lowered again for cheaper items this year.

Yes, its pretty good in my experience, for both buying and selling. If you want something particular, you do have to be patient, and keep looking. Its a shame they do not have a "Favourite Searches" thing like Ebay, which sends an automatic email if something turns up.

What scams are you referring to Jane? I've bought at least 50 various items from LBC in the past couple of years. I've emailed mostly initially or phoned the seller before going to see the items and pick them up. I only ever buy things from the area in which I live and, in the main, the sellers are genuine (although some a bit greedy) but I've not come across any scams. The only thing I didn't buy was a marble topped coffee table which turned out to be Formica. I've recently picked up a trailer load of free horse manure - which is always my favourite price.

I don't think there are any more than on any other open marketplace. I've used it since it came out, have bought and sold 5 houses, two cars, a tractor, boat amongst other things and yes of course I've had people from Africa saying they want to buy the house or others trying to get me to take part payment and instalments etc. and all the other classics but isn't that the case everywhere, common sense and as you say, Jane, just be careful!

There are also a lot of scams on it though Andrew, have to be carefull.

Mandy's said it - contact the seller direct, either phone or email and negotiate/buy. Best market place in France - sold and bought cars, houses and all sorts of bits and pieces, currently have a voilier for sale if there are any takers...! ;-)

You just need to contact the seller directly either by email or telephone. You then just make the arrangements for delivery and payment between you.