Newsletter 28, Q2 2008

Welcome to our latest newsletter (No 28) with mid-summer here already. The markets in Great Britain & France are both very slow, and we are noticing an absence of strong enquiries in the middle market especially. The currency markets have been volatile, and for a while, it looked as though Sterling / Euro would tumble below €1.20, and in April, the Pound came within three and a half cents of that level but recovered.

Many clients buy their Euros "forward.” If you will need Euros in several months' time, you can fix an exchange rate now for just a small deposit. Our advice is if in doubt, hedge your bets. You may consider covering your entire future Euro requirement now, but this is almost as much of a gamble as covering none because it leaves you with no opportunity to take advantage of any possible Sterling recovery. As a rule of thumb, do half of it now and wait to see what happens, taking advantage of any good opportunities. Our dedicated currency dealer Adam will be happy to talk to you about the various options.

In an attempt to assist British buyers with their potential French purchase, we have a special offer for buyers who complete their purchase during the remainder of 2008, which includes 6 month’s free property insurance, plus specially enhanced Sterling to Euro exchange rates, and for those who prefer to use a solicitor, a 10% discount from normal fees. We feel this is a great incentive to view property with us in the weeks and months ahead. So don't hold back, book your viewing visit with us as soon as possible.

Are buyers still coming out to France? Yes, of course! And the Poitou Charentes remains high on the desired list, with the slower pace of life here, the second best weather in France after the Côte d'Azur, with summer temperatures averaging between 28 and 33 degrees. The region is also perhaps the best served in terms of regional airports, with a great choice of flights into La Rochelle, plus the other airports. This also has a significant impact upon encouraging holidaymakers to the area for rental property.

As always, we invite you to explore our website fully, but here are 6 special properties that come highly recommended to gain your interest.

7710PE	7756PE	PE499
PI13721P	PI13589P	PE500