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Planning
a viewing trip
How do you go about planning your visit to France to get
the maximum benefit? The starting point is defining quite closely the sort of house that
you think you want, and being precise about the price range.
Next you need to allow for a day with each agency - it is
probably realistic to view 4/5 houses in a day. If you hope to view more be warned - the
day will be long and tiring, with the prospect that all of the houses blur into one as you
conclude the day. A good tip is to take a camera and/or video as they are sure to jog your
memory after the event.
It is important to plan your visit well in advance. French
agents are generally considered 'more professional' than their British counterpart and
will not normally take 'off the street' trade, relying upon clients who have demonstrated
that they are serious by booking viewing trips in advance.
The property market is so active currently, that we are
really only agreeing viewings with clients for specific properties during the week
immediately before their visit. It is worth booking your visit for a day or two with us
well in advance to ensure our availability.
We will agree a rendezvous point with you in advance and
arrange for contact numbers to be provided. We do not require you to drive half way across
the Poitou-Charentes to drive half way back again, unlike some agents.
We work with French Immobilier who speak little English,
but they do appreciate the efforts of our clients to communicate with them in French, even
if it is only "Bonjour and au revoir".
Healthcover
(E106 / E121 / E111)
Whether you are in France on a temporary or permanent
basis, you will probably rely upon one of the above forms which are obtainable before you
leave the UK for health cover. Contrary to certain articles, we can arrange an
International Healthcare policy, providing the equivalent of BUPA cover, which will cover
the policyholder anywhere in the world. After a certain period of time, if you are a
permanent resident in France, you are required to register with the French authorities to
become part of the 'system'. We have some notes that will assist you - 'CMU - making an
application'. Having joined, you will almost certainly need to take out what is called a
'top-up' policy - which again we can help with (with no medical underwriting needed).
Financial Advice
For financial advice on investments, insurances and
mortgages, e-mail: allez-francais@wanadoo.fr
Travel links
For travel arrangements, why not fly to Poitiers or La
Rochelle with BUZZ. www.buzzaway.com |
French
Mortgage offer
This edition we are featuring the loans of Abbey National
(France). They are a household name to all and have been active in France for many years
now.
They currently have a special offer on a variable rate
mortgage with an interest rate of 3.70%. We believe that this represents excellent value
and is well worth considering. What would you gain by coming via us rather than going
direct to the lender?
Firstly, you would gain the benefit of our lending
experience. Peter Elias has been involved in mortgages since 1974, not always French
admittedly, but has excellent contacts with Abbey National France. Our clients are likely
to get that extra special treatment that the isolated individual may not. It sounds
unfair, but that is the way the world works. At the end of the day, it won't cost you a
penny or a Euro and you will get a very good deal.
En Tontine
The French system of purchase is quite different from the
British system, and even more complex are the rules of Inheritance in the event of death
of an owner.
It is vital that the property is bought in the correct
manner, as changes are expensive to correct afterwards. When a property is owned en
tontine it is normally arranged to overcome French Inheritance laws, but beware there may
be disadvantages. It is always best to ensure that you understand how the various options
will impact upon your estate and plan accordingly.
Many British buyers (and very few French) use a clause
Tontine to establish what in English law is the equivalent of joint tenancy. Under a
tontine, a surviving spouse takes all of the property and you may even come up against
resistance from the Notaire to prepare the clause as part of the deed, as some see the
inclusion as fraud against your children!
Useful Address
Department of Social Security
Overseas Branch
Medical Benefits Section (Room TC001)
Longbenton
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1YX
Translation services
Translation and language services, or a French language
newsletter. www.french4u.com
Property Services
Property management and maintenance in the Deux Sevres.
E-mail aniward@aol.com |
Don't forget, we have a special arrangement with the
BBC who are interested in following through on any of our clients who are giving up the
boring lifestyle of the UK for something more exciting on this side of the Channel.