Property in France

France is the world's most popular real estate destination, with more foreign buyers than any other country. One of the common mistakes made by potential buyers when looking at properties in France is to focus on the houses themselves with inadequate consideration of other aspects. One needs to consider the other attributes of the property (e.g. pool, outbuildings, land, water features). In addition, before making any final decisions, careful consideration of the environment and nearby facilities (e.g. schools, shops, entertainment) is required.

The presence of a swimming pool can be an important aspect of the property. Summers in much of France tend to be much longer and hotter than in UK (the main originating country of foreign buyers). Consequently, a swimming pool can be enjoyed for a much longer period and is for many people a very enjoyable and important element of life in France. In addition to your personal enjoyment, it can serve as a focal point for the parties for use during the summer and is ideal for active children busy. Moreover, in the days of hot weather is not only a source of fun, but it is a way of cooling and the exemption of contracts from the heat. It should also be aware that he created for all the reasons mentioned above, a swimming pool on the resale value of the house. In fact, if you buy a property in hot southern France, you may find it difficult to sell the property, if it lacks a swimpool.

Outbuildings are another important consideration. Even if they are not in good shape, they can be renovated (subject to local planning permissions) to serve a variety of purposes. These include storage, garage, workshop, horse boxes and so on. They can also be used (again, subject to permissions) as an office, business premises, gites or other revenue generating facilities. In all these cases, outbuildings offer three potential advantages. The first is that obtaining permission for renovating an existing building is often easier than obtaining permission for completely new construction. Secondly, if the outbuildings are in reasonable condition, the cost of renovation can be much lower than new construction. Finally, many outbuildings have character features (e.g. wooden beams, stone walls) which add to the charm of the final building.

The amount and quality of land can also be important. One needs to think not only of short-term requirements but also of longer term options. For example, if you would like to have horses at a later date, is there sufficient land for stables and pasture? How about land for additional features (e.g. orchard, guest apartment, etc.)? If the property does not have enough land for your eventual requirements, you may be able to buy neighboring land to expand your property to the required size. If you are considering this option, you should try to buy the land at the same time as you buy the main property. You can do this by putting an offer on both, but with the condition that you are also able to buy the other (in France, this is known as a "condition suspensive"). The reason for this is that if you buy the house first, you may find that you are unable to buy the land or you may find that the seller increases the price as he knows that you now have limited options.

These are just a few of the more important aspects of the property itself. For other aspects, see properties in France.

Aside from the property itself, along with its various attributes and facilities, the other major factors to consider are location and associated facilities. The property itself may be great, but if it is located in the middle of nowhere, it may not be for you. Alternatively, you may be in love with the house, but if it is located in a busy area and you are looking for the peace of the countryside, it may not be suitable for you.

So one must begin by looking at the location of the property to see if it meets your requirements. To begin with, there is the immediate locality (city, village or countryside). Then there are geographical considerations. For example, do you want to live in a particular part of France (e.g. the hot south-west, the chic south-east, exciting Paris)? As another example, do you need to be within a certain distance of your originating country and family?

Related to location, there is the consideration of facilities. These include sports and leisure facilities such as beaches, ski slopes, water sports, country pursuits and so on. It also includes practical facilities such as shops, schools, medical facilities, cultural and entertainment.

One can see from the above that choosing a property in France is more than simply choosing a house. It should take into account the other aspects of the property, its location and also facilities which you need or want. Everyone will have different requirements, but hopefully the above will help you during your search of properties in France to find the one that is best for you.