At last some good news on currency exchange which should help the French Property Market in 2009! Since the heady days of £1 to €1.50, we have seen the pound / euro at parity around Xmas 2008 and now it is edging back to €1.20
We have some expectation from the currency market that it could be in the range €1.20 to 1.30 soon. As economies struggle in the Euro zone, the euro is coming under more pressure and its strength is weakening. The next interest rate change in the UK look likely to be upwards and that should encourage appreciation against the euro.
Hopefully this will make French Property more attractive again for foreign buyers? There are certainly green shoots of recovery in some regions of France already – enquiry levels are improving with more people wanting to view.
One of the major factors for a UK resident deciding to buy a French property is the sterling / euro rate. If the pound gains in strength, then a French property becomes cheaper (in pound sterling terms). So where is the currency market heading? Our partners for French Currency Exchange Services at.....click title for details
Sunday Papers still advising a good time to sell in France
Do you have a holiday property or investment property in France ?? Papers are advocating selling (if you are inclined) very soon.? They argue that the euro is now likely to weaken against pound sterling so you get more sterling.....click title for details
The French Property market is showing some green shoots. So looking for a popular area of France? These results are the accumulation of property searches for the last 3 months (ending May 31st 2009) on 1st for French Property.
Once again Brittany is the front runner with the Languedoc-Roussillon hot on its tail. Chic Provence is in 3rd place and Aquitaine (Dordogne – very popular still) close behind.
Two of the cheaper regions – Lower Normandy and Poitou Charentes come next.
Perhaps, the surprise is the Limousin not making the charts. In terms of enquiries, Limousin is high on the enquiry list
At last some good news on currency exchange which should help the French Property Market in 2009! Since the heady days of £1 to €1.50, we have seen the pound / euro at parity around Xmas 2008 and now it is edging back to €1.20
We have some expectation from the.....click title for details
The latest European housing market review by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said there was evidence of fragile recovery across much of Europe, with low interest rates and reviving economies helping to stave off "market meltdown".
Image via Wikipedia
Top Countries:
Scandinavian homeowners enjoyed some property price growth last year. Norway.....click title for details
Sunday Papers still advising a good time to sell in France
Do you have a holiday property or investment property in France ?? Papers are advocating selling (if you are inclined) very soon.? They argue that the euro is now likely to weaken against pound sterling so you get more sterling if you sell now! If you bought a French property at least 12 months ago, then you should be sitting on a sterling profit. Sterling has weakened about 25% in the last year.? At one point nearly getting 1 euro = 1 pound. The sterling seems to have strengthened to about 1.11 euros to bound. However, the currency gurus are suggesting that pound sterling could now strengthen. Portugal, Spain, Italy, & Greece economies are in very poor shape and this could influence the direction of the euro against other currencies. The last time we published a similar report, the French Immobilier were scoffing!
French Home prices dropped less than 4% in France in 2008 according to reports (we see great regional variations however!) – so in theory you could be looking at a 20% sterling gain if you can sell now.
The Sunday papers also report an upsurge in re-mortgaging French properties by expats so that they can buy properties in the UK – prices are down about 17% min in the UK over the last year. Re-possessions and auctions can yield properties at 40% of last year’s value in the UK.
InterNations is the biggest global networking site for expats of various nationalities and their family members. At the moment, InterNations unites almost 200,000 members in 235 cities worldwide. On our platform, expatriates and their partners can connect with compatriots, ask for advice on everyday life in their host country, provide.....click title for details
A property expert has warned that investors hoping to buy a home abroad must take taxes into account when working out how much profit they will make on their home.In the most part, those who decide to invest in French property look set to do well, as the country's stunning.....click title for details
Is it the gobal financial crisis or is France still one of the top places for cheap barns? We think so!
This barn situated in Poitou Charentes is certainly not a project for the faint-hearted but it could make a charming home and sits just a couple of minutes from the bustling town of Bussiere Poitevine with all your basic shops.
Situated at the end of a lane, it is a very quiet spot and the barn measures approximately 150m2 at floor level. A CU (change of usage) has been granted previously but this has now expired so it would need to be re-applied for but this can easily be done as part of the sale process.
Converting an old derelict barn into the perfect home is one of the most interesting challenges, and is guaranteed to test the limits of perseverance. On the other hand, French barns for renovation are plentiful, the lifestyle in France is more appealing, and with proper planning will provide a home.....click title for details
Remember the days in the UK when people were buying barns for renovation at grossly inflated values? Perhaps the Barn renovation business will get a shot in the arm with French Barns - typically less than 50K euros in France. Here is an example: Huge French barn with around 3.....click title for details
This area borders the Cognac Region and the Charente River valley. Known for being the second sunniest region after the Cote d’Azure, the Charente also benefits from its mild winters. The recent opening of the Ryanair service from Stansted to Angouleme (our regional capital and 30 minutes drive from our office) has meant that the area is now even more accessible to the UK. There are also airports serving the UK at La Rochelle, Limoges, Poitiers, Tours and Bordeaux, all between 45mins and 2 hours drive away. The port of St Malo is 4½ hours drive away and Calais about 7 hours.
Charente Region
The Charente has beautiful properties in lovely locations. Over the last few years the area has experienced growth and investment and property prices are still very favourable. We continue to see bouyant interest from overseas buyers and new interest from Parisian house hunters who, with the extension to the Eurotunnel network, will shortly be only two hours from Paris. With the Lille connections this also means that St Pancras, London will be about six hours from the city of Angouleme.
The present financial climate provides opportunities for buyers. We are contacted on a regular basis by buyers considering lowering the asking prices for their properties so now is the time to be making contact with us to find your home in the Charente.
Charente Maritime gite property ref: CLM/625
In view of the exchange rate, price now reduced from 699,000 Euros, to only 650,000 Euros,
Our agent tells us "making it an even better deal, & there is still a little room for negotiation".
Snap up a bargain today!
.....click title for details
Autumn tends to be an active time for foreign buyers in France. The holidaymakers are returning home and serious buyers are returning to the market.But after years of rising prices, finding bargains is harder than ever. Average Price rises: Last year 15%, Over five years 73%So it is growing more.....click title for details
Who said the property market was dead in France? Yes, there might be a slow down but there is still plenty of activity.
We are always pleased when one of our private advertisers is successful especially in a niche market such as a Chateau – the chateau was located in the Midi-Pyrenees – and it received much interest!
Let our advertiser Gaynor tell you in her own words:
“After only five months my property has now been sold, I had over fifty inquiries and after three visits a sale was accepted; I wish I had something else to sell! Plus the satisfaction of not having to deal with the estate agents.
Many thanks , great website! I would recommend it to anyone!”
Well if you are looking for a chateau – we do have more – in fact about 125 chateaux at the last count! >> Chateaux for Sale
If you are looking to sell your property in France – you know our site does sell property and not just chateaux! >> Sell Property in France
We can all dream - so sit back with a glass of champagne, and enjoy! Real viewings take about a week to arrange.
[kqf=4]Click titles for full details.
This list updates automatically so bookmark!
Many more - click here >> French Chateaux.....click title for details
Dreams are made of this - suspect somebody will convert this to a hotel or luxury apartments. But what a spectacular residence if you a spare million. http://amplify.com/u/6s1a
.....click title for details
