Clé France

Client's Question: "Why is it that French estate agents refuse to give me the address of a property I am interested in, surely it saves everyone time if I can look up a property on Google Earth, and either include it or exclude it from my selection?"

          I am often asked this question, and it is a constant source of frustration for British house hunters who are accustomed to seeing the address of a property as well as directions to it on estate agent details in the U.K. But the two markets are quite different, and when you buy a property in France, you aren’t in the U.K! There are, however, good reasons for their reluctance to divulge this information.

          Firstly, the majority of property transactions that take place in France are between private individuals, with no agency involvement whatsoever. It is very common for a French purchaser to see a property advertised by an agent, to approach the agent for further details, and then to bypass the agent and go directly to the vendor, thus cutting the agent out of the deal. Agents therefore needed to protect themselves against this kind of activity, and that is why when you visit a property with an agent you will be asked to sign a ‘Bon de Visite’, which acknowledges the agent’s involvement in the deal.

          However, it isn’t all about the agency commission. Given that the majority of houses pass through private hands, those French vendors who choose to sell through an agent, often do so because they do not want to deal directly with potential buyers, they prefer an intermediary to do that for them. The agent therefore has a duty of confidentiality to the vendor, who would understandably be furious if an agent breached that trust and gave their details out directly to casual enquirers.

          There are two solutions to this:

• Firstly be prepared to sign a ‘bon de visite’ with either the agent or their English partners, which acknowledges that you are a client of said agent, and that should a sale arise the agent will be able to claim their commission.
• Secondly, (and this is where we as a professional English based intermediary can help), tell the agent exactly what your location requirements are (proximity to towns/schools etc), and what your concerns might be for the immediate environment of the property itself (proximity of neighbours, farms, power lines etc).

          We at Clé France have a very close relationship with our French partner agents, and the last thing anybody wants to do is waste time taking clients to see properties that will not suit them! We will often know the properties personally, but in cases where we don’t, we can talk to the agents who will entrust us with the information you need to make an informed decision as to whether to view or not.

Blog submitted by: Sharon at Cle France.

 

Our top ten tips for vendors on getting your property ready for a viewing:

 1. Make sure your house is clean and tidy2. Tidy up outside areas such as gardens, balconies and terraces3. Remove any objects causing obstruction4. Tidy and arrange shelves and remove clutter5. Ensure all lights work and there are no dripping taps6. Make sure the bathroom is spotless (especially the loo)7. Ensure the house is well lit either by natural or artificial light8. If you have any pets put them to stay with friends for the day9. Air the house the day before the viewing so it smells fresh.10. Turn off the TV Blog submitted by: David at Cle France.

Let us take a look at the historic city of Dol in the region of Brittany (dept. 35, Ille et Vilaine).

The proud and historic city of Dol-de-Bretagne, with its fascinating cathedral, was built above the marshes extending to the Bay of Mont St-Michel. Out of this dramatically flat landscape emerges an extraordinary sight, Mont Dol, where Saint Michael supposedly fought off Satan. A relatively easy climb for the novice and well worth the views at the top on a clear day.

In 549, the Welsh Saint Teilo was documented as coming to Dol where he joined Samson of Dol and to this day the fruit groves which they planted remain and are known as the groves of Teilo and Samson. Legend has it that while there he was assigned by King Budic II to subdue a winged dragon, which he was said to have tamed and then tied to a rock in the sea off Brittany. He is reported to have stayed in Dol for seven years and seven months so must have left in 556 or 557.

Dol boasts some old medieval houses along its high street,which is stunning, but the outstanding building in the town is the 13th-century cathedral. The roots of the cathedral go back to the same dynamic 6th-century Welshman named Samson (Samson of Dol) legend has it, he rid the local lord’s wife of leprosy and his daughter of demons, for which kind services he was rewarded with land. When King John of England’s troops burned down the Romanesque cathedral, a mighty new Gothic one was built – one particularly ugly gargoyle on it is said to resemble the evil monarch. there is a very interesting museum to visit if you are interested in cathedrals and medieval times called "Médiavylis".

Mont Dol is an outcrop of rock resembling another island like that of Mont St-Michel, but this one stands alone on the flat coastal plain in front of Dol. Stunning views across northeast Brittany are enjoyed from the summit 65 metres above sea level and without too much risk or equipment you can reach the small plateau by practising your rock climbing. Once on the plateau here is a less strenuously climb in the shape of the Tour Notre-Dame, highlighted by a large statue of the Virgin Mary, for the most stunning views of the patchwork of fields below and the Bay of Mont St-Michel beyond. One of the two windmills on Mont Dol is usually open for visits.

                 So what about property prices and availability in and around Dol de Bretagne?

As a lot of property is situated either close to the town, the sea or the bay of Mont st Michel you can expect to pay a higher price than that inland. However the area around Dol de Bretagne is steeped in history and you would find it hard not to fall in love with the landscape and relaxed way of life here.

We always have some excellent bargains available in and around Dol de Bretagne, from town and village properties to magnificent countryside farmhouses and sea front villas, as well as some exciting renovation projects on the market for a very low price.

If you are not already on our mailing list then do subscribe and let us know if this is an area you are interested in, you will then be kept upto date with any new properties on the market as well and news and updates.

 le-champ-dolent, Dol de Bretagne.

 High street, Dol de Bretagne.

 Cathedral, Dol de Bretagne.

 Chateau near, Dol de Bretagne.

 Combourg Chateau.

 Mont St Michel.

 The harbour, Dol de Bretagne. 

Blog submitted by: David at Cle France.

I must thank you for the help and encouragement that Cle France has given me.

Mike.

Mike bought a house near Hesdin, Nord Pas de Calais after using the Free services of Cle France  - The French Property Network.

Client's Question: “I’d like to start a small gardening business when I move to France, just to top up my income, but I’ve heard that it’s really costly and complicated. What advice can you give me?"

It is true that setting up a small business in any country can be a bit daunting, but even more so if you don’t speak the language or understand the system. Fortunately the process has been made more accessible and simpler, with the introduction in January 2009 of the Auto-entrepreneur regime.

You could make it even easier by talking to Premier Property Care about starting up a new franchised region in their network, working with clients and looking after their holiday homes and gardens.

Prior to this a small business was charged a maximum fixed percentage of their turnover in social charges. This meant that a small business would have faced high social charges, with a yearly increase for the first three years, regardless of whether any income had actually been made, making it much more difficult to get a new business off the ground, and virtually excluding people like yourself who just wanted a little extra money. Instead under the auto-entrepreneur system you will pay a percentage of actual turnover in social charges and French income tax; in other words if you earn nothing there will be nothing to pay (apart from some small essential charges). In addition you will be exempt from income tax for the first 3 years.

Further details on the auto-entrepreneur system can be found on the following site: www.auto-entrepreneur.fr.

The regime is available to a large variety of activities including providers of services, including those that are commercial in nature, such as sales, bar/restaurant and accommodation owners. It also applies to liberal professionals, including health professionals, legal professionals, surveyors, journalists, accountants, the retired, students and entrepreneurs.

If your business activity is service-based should expect to pay 23% of their annual turnover, whilst those selling goods 13%. There is no VAT registration to worry about, but there is a limit on turnover under this regime of €80,000 for commercial businesses and €32,000 for service professionals.

This regime will be ideal for the self-employed, including British expats or retirees like yourself looking to make a little extra income from home.

Blog submitted by: Sharon at Cle France.

Legal Disclaimer: The Clé France website publishes articles and client questions & responses for free, they are for general information purposes only. They do not constitute legal or other professional advice. You should not act or rely solely upon the information contained therein. Copyright © 2013 Clé France. All Rights Reserved.