Steve - I note your ‘lol’ . . . but the idea of getting a macon (builder) out with you on a viewing is not the way to go - you need clear requirements as to what you want done, otherwise you are inviting him to write his pension plan ! It may be helpful for you to know also that in France every trade-person is trained and licenced very specifically. It’s very clearly identified by their Siret Number, issued by the local Chamber of commerce.; and they have to have decennial insurance cover specifically for that trade. So - if you decide on Saturday that the electrics are evidently a cause for concern (and you have a clear difference with this particular property between the house, and the Old Coach House), you need to get an electrician to advise you - not ‘a builder’. A good Agent should be able to help with this - they have the contacts.
Looking ahead, when you find the property you decide to buy - especially if it is an older house like this one - the notaire will underline to you that you buy it ‘as seen’. It is up to the buyer to satisfy themselves. If you have any area of concern, you must ask the seller to provide information about it - one of the reasons why having one notaire act for both parties, as is usual, is so sensible. You can then expect a Clause to be entered into the Contract - a ‘vice cachés’ - to cover you against the seller failing to reveal something that they had knowledge about.
Hi everyone. I thought I’d come back to you on this one, seeing as you were all kind enough to share your wisdom.
Short answer: It’s a no from us.
We estimated Euro 50k to fix the problems in the main house: heating, electrics, insulation, roof issues, exorcisms in the cellar. Euro 50k to make adjustments in terms of en-suite on the 1st floor and a bathroom on the 2nd floor plus other things to make it how we’d like it, decorating and furniture. Euro 50k on the outbuilding which is in a shocking state with leaks, mould, rotten timbers and a whole host of other issues.
Add to that, we didn’t get the vibe we were hoping for from the town itself….super clean and house in a great location with an 8 minute walk to the centre. 2 fabulous restaurants, but that was kind of it, although hard to be sure from just a flying visit.
So, we’ll keep looking, but also consider whether or not to stop searching altogether.
Thanks for letting us know! It sounds like you’ve made a wise decision. Vibe, especially out of season, is important.
We considered buying a house for holidays, but felt it wouldn’t provide a worthwhile return on the investment. Letting might have improved that return, but that would bring the headache of having tenants in another country.
My impression is that the house was so attractive (I defy anyone not to think that!), you wanted to snap it up. In our long search we saw several houses like that, but we were fortunate in having a list of criteria that none of them fitted.
The good news is that you now have lots of opportunity to continue to explore France and find an area which suits you, where you get the feeling you could settle here. There will be more than one - probably more than a dozen - so don’t let the search for perfection blind you to what is good.
(For example, we knew we wanted to be in a town. I wanted there to be sustainable industry in or near the town, even if only tourism; bakers, pharmacists and doctors. A town of no less than 1,500, not much more than 10,000. South of the Loire, so warmer and less rainy, but not too far south so not too hot. The list went on, and was very useful in keeping us on track when there was a risk of heart ruling head.)
Don’t lose heart, of course: it’s such fun looking!
A useful update, Steve - thank you ! Sounds like a perfect example of the dangers of window-shopping on the internet ! This is never a substitute for spending time viewing properties for real; the more you see, the more knowledge about France and it’s very different property market you will gain.
As a former estate agent myself (in the UK) may I make a couple of hopefully helpful pointers ?
Firstly, it’s important to separate essential outlay, such as necessary electrical repairs; and costs related to making the house “as we’d like it”. Defective or non-conforming features should be reflected in the price you agree to pay; in theory they should already be reflected in the asking price; but in France the agents carry out their valuation by a calculation related to the total square metres of the building(s). This is why your personal experience of pricing, in the area/region that you come to like, becomes vital. Being a ‘cash buyer’ means little here, because no notaire will accept a signature on a Contract unless the funds are in place, one way or the other.
But money spent on your personal requirements - such as your comment about €50k for bathrooms etc - you have to make strictly on the basis of what value would it add to the house.? You cannot knock it off the purchase price.
So the 2nd point is that you must determine ‘What will the house be worth if I spend the money necessary to achieve point 1 ?” Money spent on bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools etc may not be reflected in the resale price.
Please don’t give up so soon - your comments about ‘the town itself’ may be the clue - have a look at other regions, this is an astonishing country, with something for everyone.