Dreams are made of this...

Hindsight - oh what a powerful tool!

I'll never forget the moment my husband said 'I've had enough - how do you fancy living in Normandy - I want to call it a day at 50'.

It was November, he was 49 at the top of his career as a Fleet Street photographer, very highly thought of in the Newspaper Industry.

For 20 years we'd taken holidays in France, especially Normandy - our style was always, get off the boat & see where we end up - staying in mainly restaurants - (no drink driving!). Honfleur was one of our favourite 'romantic' destinations. We also spent time mooching around looking - just in case that perfect little house with sea views for holidays was winking at us.

We even went as far as going into estate agents arrogantly asking why nothing was available and why anything remotely with a sea view was at a silly price - one agent summed it up for us in his heavily accented beautiful English - "Monsieur, Madame, the French also like to look at the sea!" We were quite put out as surely everyone including him knew that the French know nothing and house prices are dirt cheap!!

So we go back to the 'big' announcement that dark November morning - I'd my own business - but it took all of 2 split seconds to say YES.

So here we are in Normandy now owning 2 houses - do we regret it? A big resounding NO, however, there's always a but…hindsight…we could have saved on the money front and also the heartache front.

That 2 letter word always seems to creep in - IF.

We were lucky - our main home is the first house we looked at - absolutely what we had described, South Westerly facing, had to be habitable, lots of out buildings for cars, 5 acres for gardens, old building to be renovated, not near a road.

We're actually in a huge old farmhouse with 15 acres, 2 barns bigger than the house at right angles (thus an added bonus a glorious courtyard), and our own private lane.

Now that is as far as Lady Luck takes us - the first house and it being perfect! If fate hadn't have stepped in for us I know we would be still in the UK carrying on with our "lives."

All the other houses that we were shown that "matched" our description were an absolute joke….I am convinced we were shown these properties to keep us busy so we didn't feel we'd wasted a trip. Quite frankly we wouldn't have been able to take the time off to keep coming back to look.

Our other house (maison secondaire), is totally opposite to our main residence, a modern seaside house right on the beach - this house took us 20 years to find -found by accident only since living here!



Now the reality….

We have had almost 2 years of hell -our home was habitable… along with 1000 plus mice, the rising damp hitting the falling damp and the dry rot having its own floor show in the middle. Coupled with that a dodgy builder who it turns out has a philosophy that if you have any money it was his given right to relieve you of it!

It's not unique to behave the way we did - demanding builders to start immediately and to be finished almost as quickly….that is why there are so many dodgy builders here in France. We actually make their market for them and the dreadful thing is - they are all BRITISH!

Court cases abound at the moment with British Builders getting their just rewards, but too late for the unsuspecting folk that have handed them their hard earned money.

This is one of the reasons why French Property Finders has been set up. We are on your side - we are here to help you. Unfortunately as much as we would like to we cannot afford to do it out of our own pockets…so we do charge a fee. But let me explain what we will do for you in return.

Save you money - we can do this in many ways:

• Listening to you - therefore finding the match so no unnecessary journeys

• Finding properties that are not subjected to high fees

• A realistic assessment of the cost of intended project

• Feasibility advice

• Advising on location & guidance around the area

• Advising on builders/Architects etc.

• Help with the legalities and translation services

• Help with accommodation

• Assistance with services - EDF, France Telecom etc.

• 1st hand knowledge of how it all works!

• Expertise on shopping/soft furnishings etc.

• Dealing with the mayor re permits for construction etc.

• Networking in France

• Save your holiday for holiday - not house hunting!

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We are HERE in France full time to chase up if we need to on your behalf and checking what has come onto the market on a virtual daily basis - no matter what an estate agent tells you in France - they DO NOT do that!! I see them in action everyday - it's a different philosophy - I've actually worked for one so I've even seen it from the inside! It is different to the UK!

Prices are rising in France - we are witnessing a property shortage also - in the 2 years we have been here, now in our area it is a rarity to see house that is derelict - the French have also got caught up in the home improvement trend.

A lot of people do think that property prices are cheap in France - and yes they are…BUT just because a former cowshed can be purchased for £5,000 it does not mean that it will automatically be given habitation status or that it will only cost £10k to do up. The cost of building work in France is more expensive than the UK - this is why we will help you assess - we will be realistic about your budget and your dream.

I also mention shopping - we found it as one of the hardest things in France - where to go - we all take it for granted in the UK for example - B&Q for DIY - in your local French what you think are DIY shops you have more chance of finding an incubator, electric fencing or the latest in chicken feeders than finding a drill bit! The time and mileage we have wasted in trying to find something - I would dread to calculate it!

Living in France certainly has it's ups - there is no way would I return to the UK now. All my priorities have been turned on my head - I used to live on Zantac, a bucket of wine a day and at least 20 fags a day! I don't smoke now, what is zantac? we have red table wine with our lunch and dinner for the sheer pleasure - not to escape stress and to purposely get slightly squiffy.

I've NEVER worked so physically hard in my life - but I've never felt so at peace. I can highly recommend this lifestyle….but do take advice!!

And we are here to help.

 

...with French Property Finders!