This French Life

Category: Property

  • What should you ask of estate agents?

    Redfrenchlifeblock03040_20IF you have bought a property in France through an estate agent, how much can you ask of them post-sale?

    Having never bought a place myself, this question was running around my mind after receiving a couple of emails.

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  • Basic residency rules for France

    Coins1803_13ALTHOUGH Johnny Halliday may have fled to Switzerland to dodge the French tax authorities, it is not an option open to many.

    So issues concerning tax are likely to be high up on many people’s agendas when they are thinking about a move to France.

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  • Drawn to France by dreams of past

    Borrie_1201_1_10A LIFE in the countryside, where manners and respect hold sway, are the main reasons people are keen to live in France.

    Often people will say that they moved to France because they felt it was like 1950s Britain, where neighbours have time for each other and that there is a real quality to life.

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  • Cascade Catastrophe!

    185657837_1fbbc7a10e_mTake a quiet afternoon, you are talking as you tidy away the washing in the bedroom, when suddenly you hear a dripping noise.

    You check the bathroom, the toilet nothing then you reaslise it is coming from the spare bedroom. You open the door and – water is pouring through the ceiling!

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  • Life in a chateau

    Delabarre140107ALTHOUGH it is possible to visit many of the chateaux found across France, both their restoration and day-to-day upkeep can be a real challenge.

    But that is what Marnie de Vanssay has taken on by bringing the family home of her husband, which dates from the 14th Century, back to life.

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  • Calendar for your holiday home

    Availcheck100107I HIGHLIGHTED a website a few months ago that allowed you to set up an availability calendar for your holiday home.

    A friend recently emailed me to say that they were having problems updating it and wondered if I knew of any others.

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  • Le Donjon du Faucon Noir brought back to life

    Fauconnoir291206WHEN most people start a restoration project in France they don’t usually have to learn ancient building techniques or deal with the discovery of human skeletons.

    But for Harry Atterton and his wife Jacqueline these challenges are all part and parcel of bringing back to life one of the oldest castles in France.

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  • More British pensioners head overseas

    Redfrenchlifeblock03040_16THE number of older Britons living abroad is expected to hit 3,325,000 – or one in five – by 2020, a new study reveals.

    Figures from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims that currently one million pensioners, or one in 12 of Britons over 65, already live overseas.

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  • Handy guide to moving abroad

    Passport0609_2THE Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has been highlighting the perils and pitfalls of moving abroad.

    They have stressed the importance of getting your financial affairs in shape, ensuring health provision for yourself and family is set up and raising awareness of making informed decisions when buying overseas.

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  • Getting the best from estate agents

    House1810_5BUYING a home or investment property in France is exciting!

    There is just about every type of home and property one could wish to find, writes David Seymour.

    France is a large and diverse country, and you are sure to find your dream home whether it be a superb town house in Bordeaux, a prestigious chateau in Gironde or a holiday home in Lot-et-Garonne.

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