Review of Buying Property in France

IF you are busy reading up on moving to France the range of titles on offer can be quite overpowering.

You will find those written by ex-pats who have moved out to a tumbledown farmhouse, or pages of useful facts and figures from a journalist who has clearly spent many hours at the laptop.

But there are not that many guides to buying a property in France that have been written by someone involved in the actual ins and outs of dealing with houses.

Penny Zoldan, the owner of Latitudes a UK-based agents, is the author of Buying Property in France and has distilled 17 years experience in the trade into her new book.

The first thing that grabs you is the use of some stunning photographs that show just how varied house styles are in France, but as you read the book you can also see Penny’s own thoughts and tips begin to shine.

Her advice when working alongside estate agents in France is particularly valuable, as I know many people have been very frustrated at being dragged across the Channel to see homes that are not suitable.

Penny recommends sitting down with an agent when first meeting them, even though you may be keen to start looking at homes, and outline what you are looking for now that you are in France and don’t be surprised if they light a cigarette in front of you.

Her mantra is to work with the French way of doing things, as trying to change it will just lead to heartache.

The different stages of buying a home are each given their own chapter so there is plenty of information that you may not need, but there is no harm in knowing.

There is also quite an extensive section on buying property for investment purposes, either in a leaseback scheme or as a way to earn rental income on a buy-to-let basis.

The advice on life in France, such as opening a bank account and schooling is dealt with swiftly, the book is more about buying property but again you can see that many of Penny’s tips come from experience.

For example, if buying in the south of France an ice making machine in your fridge is likely to be a necessity and do you really need to bring everything you have got from the UK? There are so many interesting markets you are sure to find a suitable replacement.

This book is firmly aimed at people who have yet to purchase a home in France, but are seriously looking at the options available, and is worth finding a place on your bookshelf for.

Contents:
How to get started
How to find property in France
Different properties
Visiting properties in France
Getting your finances in order
Taxes and maintenance charges
Making an offer
Solving potential problems
Signing the final contract
Taking possession
Life in France

Buying Property in France, by Penny Zoldan.
Paperback. 191 pages.