Different Ways of Life

I am writing this article from England, where we are spending a few days preparing for the French Property News exhibition at Birmingham. We are now into our 5th year living in France, and have absolutely no regrets about the move, which only gets reinforced on a visit such as this. This is our annual reality check, and it doesn’t take long to work.

Today’s newspapers are full of doom and only further many people’s desire to quit Angleterre. To highlight the situation I will quote a few articles. Firstly, the main headline is Gordon Brown’s plans to tax the gain on main residences at 40% (CGT). The paper quotes an example of £36,720 tax on a gain of £100,000 after personal allowances. Not a great vote winner, but a great way of filling a £10,000 billion plus blackhole! Only one sale in thirteen will escape that taxman’s attention.

Then one reads of a payout of £567,000 to a teenage boy, awarded in damages, after he fell through a glass roof whilst trespassing. Rather typically, his parents are already in prison, and he has been expelled from school. In comparison, a 20 year old nurse received £49,000 for defending children during an attack by a machete wielding schizophrenic some while earlier. C’est la vie.

Next, £300,000 of taxpayers’ money is ploughed into a scheme to tell travellers how to avoid eviction from illegal camps. So whilst law abiding residents have to fund their own lawsuits to seek evictions, the taxpayer publicly funds for illegal activity. Sheer madness.

Meanwhile, the trend for laminate floors, spawned by the various makeover programmes may be about to go on hold. ‘Floor rage’, caused by the terrible clattering upon such flooring is resulting in unprecedented complaints to the environmental health officers.

Debates continue about hospital superbugs... it seems that bleach and disinfectant plus a few basics in hygiene still haven’t arrived with the NHS Trust. Reading a magazine on living abroad, I observe with interest that a midwife working abroad comments about the difference between hospitals in GB and mainland Europe. She notes that all beds are electric to help patients sit up, and that cleaning staff come on to the ward twice a day, (and also wash the tops of lockers), with the overall attention to hygiene described as incredible.

Other headlines that grab your attention are those related to a man being beheaded on the streets of London and a police commissioner complaining that he hasn’t got the resources to investigate his current workload. With all of this in a brief snapshot on a single day, but the French are still intrigued as to why we flock here in such numbers!

Apart from the better climate, and a totally different way of life, it will be a less stressful existence, with a healthier lifestyle. In addition, life is cheaper, homes more affordable, there is the opportunity and challenge of a new start, a new language, plus the prospect of retirement in the sun, living among like-minded people, in the land of good food and wine.

Congeniality is a must if you are planning a move abroad. The ability to make new friends and put yourself out a little with new people will be a highly valuable asset. Locals will appreciate your integration and welcome you to their society. Language courses are available for all skill levels, and there is always one not too far away.

Take a few moments now, and savour what you have here in rural France. Consider what you have to offer to the local community to repay what it provides for you. The local community is very important to the French. It is part of the enjoyment of living here. Try to mix and involve yourself with French people. The rewards are worth it.

The daily TV programmes show that it is possible to 'Live the dream', and I notice the increased number of hits on our website on a Monday, when those stuck in the UK try to banish those workday blues. We try to help people planning the move with as much practical advice as possible, but as the saying goes, you can only lead a horse to water. Regardless of our efforts, some people don’t heed the advice, and to quote yet another saying, to fail to plan, is to plan to fail. So some Anglais end up here wondering what is happening and where there next Euros are coming from. They haggle over the purchase price with the vendor, and then use their local bank rather than a currency specialist to transfer the money out here. The same process occurs when they sell up and go back. They strive to get the very last cent for their house and then use their local bank to remit the money back to Blighty!

We offer help and guidance for both buyers and sellers. It is our goal to get the very best deal for all parties. The feedback that we get from our clients is that we are getting things right. We are that bit different from other agents and go the "extra mile".

If you are here looking for a house, use your head and not your heart when you buy. Don’t try to do too much on an inspection visit, be realistic with your goals. And why not give us a call?