Buying an old house in France

Buying an old house in France

Before moving to France, it is advisable to sit down with your partner and family to clarify what you are hoping to achieve. If you like the idea of buying something completely different, if you want a country cottage surrounded by flowers, wildlife and gardens, but don’t have the time to spend on maintenance then buying an old property is not for you. With the character and charm of old properties, often comes with pitfalls such as poor insulation, draughty rooms, and high renovation costs.

However if you are realistic, do your research, and set an appropriate budget buying an old house could be the best option for you, bringing you one step closer to ‘living the dream’ in France. You need to be make certain you understand the extent of the project, being away from your friends and family in a new country with a new language, is likely to cause issue that you haven’t thought of. Make sure you are realistic about what you can achieve.

It is important to research, many people buy run down properties in France with high hopes and dreams of running a holiday resort. By looking on the internet you will see this is not a new idea, however, if you are a marketing expert and have good building skills, then buying a property to restore and run commercially could be ideal. Remember to make sure you are clear about what you can afford, what is practical and what you are capable of.

Before you purchase an old property ask your self-why is this property for sale as many old houses are in a bad state of repair. This could be connected to various laws of property progression in France, where family issues don’t agree on selling the property but cannot afford to renovate it either. These type of properties are usually not worth investing in.

There are many types of old properties in France all estate agents have them so be fussy. There is no point in purchasing a house for a decent price and having to spend over the budget on renovation.

The budget of your renovation needs to be strict together with the purpose of your renovation. You need to discuss with your family if you are aiming to sell it for a profit in the upcoming years, or do you want a nice home to settle in?

Naturally, if money is not an issue, or if you are an experienced builder, old properties can make you good money.

Buying an old house in France