Buying a property in Normandy - France

Apart from the fact that it is presumably where the Normans came from (which you may of course already know) what else is it important to know when considering a property in Normandy? First of all it is obviously handy for the channel ports so great for those who plan to use their French property as a holiday home - but it also means that it is easy for others in the U.K. to reach you. Great if you want to keep in touch with your grandchildren, but this ease of access can also be a nuisance if people think they can just turn up - so lay down the rules right from the start.

Before they visit you of course have to have somewhere for them to come to - you need to decide what it is you want and where. It helps if you define what it is you want from the property - A family home? A business? An investment property? Are you going to move every last item or are you starting afresh. Is this to be a place to visit a few times a year and perhaps let out for others to holiday or will this be your new home? This will affect the quality of house you want to purchase - what is fine to put up with for a week or two may not be the level of comfort and style you want for a more permanent home. How much room do you need? Is a garden around the house essential? Do you plan to live in town, a village or hamlet or in rural bliss? How far away are facilities - not just a bar and a bakers, but things such as a market, bank and medical advice are all necessary.cider

How familiar are you with the area? Going just a few kilometres inland will bring you into some delightful countryside, but also bring prices down and give a choice of lots of traditional houses, a converted pressoir (cider press house) for instance, or a farm with all its out buildings or dependances as well as some newer builds. Big house, small, a flat, some land - all these are questions you need to ask yourself beforehand so that you can explain to the agent exactly what you have in mind.

It is a fact that few French people are prepared to travel more than 20 minutes to work so if you look at places just 25 minutes away from a city there may well be more choice.

Don't rush into things. Make several viewing trips rather than doing things in one mad rush - the various properties will blend into a mush and so will you. At the same time this is something you have decided to do so don't keep putting off making a decision.

Decide beforehand how much you can realistically afford, including a percentage to cover and fees, renovation, moving your belongings etc. How much work are you prepared to take on - with the necessary energy and skills a place with half a roof may be just the challenge you need, or are you more the kind of person who just wants to unlock the door and move in?

In the U.K. you might just drive round an area and look for ‘for Sale' signs. These are scarcer in France and distances are further i.e. agents might cover bigger areas. French agents like to be in control of who sees their properties and will insist on accompanying you, even to an empty property. This isn't necessarily a disadvantage as it gives you plenty of time to talk to them and they can point out points of interest, the advantages of a particular area, local activities etc. they can also show you the actual dimensions of a property, not always as obvious as you might think, so that you don't assume there is no garden when it is just over the road and neither will you assume that land belongs to your property when it doesn't.

If your French isn't fluent do try to find a bi-lingual agent and if you can persuade another Brit who has previously purchased in France to accompany you all the better - they may well spot things you don't and will explain terms that are new - do you know the difference for instance between a permis de construire and a declaration a travaux and all the rest.

Don't be put off if difficulties occur as they undoubtedly will. This is your dream - go for it and enjoy.

If you are looking to buy a property in Normandy visit our website on :
http://www.sextantproperties.com/normandy

Article Source: http://www.propertymagnate.com/articles

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