We have been looking for a long time for a manoir type house with around 8 hectares in the Manche. Would consider Calvados area but not more than 20 minutes to the coast. Preferably facilities for horses and other animals. Hopefully it would have a maison des amis or gite also. Would like plenty of outbuildings also. I don’t envisage Safer being a problem as we are downsizing dramatically in land. We particularly do not want it to be near a road. A long driveway or a leading to a small hamlet would be ideal. Situation is most important. We cannot find that via. agents without a lot of difficulty as some short sighted agents’ are too afraid we will try and buy the place privately!!! Ready to move now if we find the right place.
Try Notaire’s offices. Many sell properties as well as doing the legal side of things. Immonot is an online catalogue to Notaires and some of their stuff for sale.
Thanks. Tried that many times. Not many have anything remotely what we are looking for. It’s hopeless being on the mailing list as we are bombarded with everything that is the opposite of what we are looking for!!
Sounds like you want very specific things and nothing else. The French won’t bother if they don’t have what you are looking for. If you have been looking for a long time your ideal place probably isn’t there and you need to expand your search.
Have you tried using a property finding service (chasseurs immobiliers) who often work on a no find no fee contract?
As an afterthought, have you tried immos in Paris and the big cities? My son’s inlaws wanted a good price for their mother’s penthouse appartment in Brest overlooking the sea and put it on with a Paris immobilier who actually found buyers willing to pay the price the locals could not afford. These agencies would have chateau-type properties as the possible buyers would not be locals in the countryside but rather richer city dwellers looking to retire, invest etc.
No I havn’t even thought about that.
Here in SW France, there is a lady called Nadia Jordan who has a lot of contacts and is often highly recommended. If you Google her name together with"propertyfinder" you should be able to make contact and be guided in the right direction in your area of interest.
It’s a good idea.
You might find some of the older, well-established estate agents (ie not Leggetts!) have a network of contacts. That’s what I found here in the Loire valley. Given the specificity of your search, it would probably be quicker.
Thankyou very much.
Not many agents have what we specifically want. When we have contacted other agents who are pretty big they cannot be bothered if it is not in the area.
It’s put me off having any agents if they cannot be bothered to answer e-mails or phone messages, hence the advert. They are such hard work!!
Have you looked at this site?
https://www.bellesdemeures.com/recherche?div=2231&idpays=250&idtt=2&tri=Selection&m=search_hp-location
Yes have seen lots of beautiful houses in the areas we want. Only trouble is there is not enough land. We need 8 hectares!
Well maybe what you’re looking for isn’t for sale. I won’t try helping again.
As a thought, could you acquire house and land separately, though close to each other?
Hello,
That is a good suggestion but it is not safe. We are actually hoping to downsize with the land and 8 hectares is not a lot but just enough. Due to the safety of the animals it is not safe to keep them separately from us. That is speaking from past experience and also fairly close neighbours. So many of the people rent land and keep it rented even though they sell their house. That is if they couldn’t sell it for a lottisment. It’s a pity as there are so many wonderful places that should have a bit more land around than they have. Safer have lots to do with it and it doesn’t appear that they have a lot of thought for the small farmer any more. They are supposed to encourage young farmers to start up but how can they when Safer can make more commission selling land to a big farmer with more cash.
Why don’t you buy a farm? There are many for sale now as the youngsters don’t carry on the family business and they usually have a good sized house and outbuildings as well as land and animal shelters/barns.
We live on a large farm now and it’s got everything we need. Trouble is we need to downsize and cannot find anything with half of what we have here.
Get in touch with Sheelagh , I highly recommend her and if anyone can find what you are looking for, it will be her.
SAFER is interested in anything and everything. I tried to buy 7 hectares and a dilapidated farm house and waited six months for SAFER to kill the deal. It certainly helps if the house is large. Good luck.