Looking at houses for sale in Brittany ... ?
Book a gite with us and get we are happy to offer completlety free housebuying information- no catch.
With all holidays at our Brittany gites Les Maisons Creme, Blanche, Bleue, Rose, Violet or Orange the normal weeks rental includes free of charge....
1 House buying information
If you are coming here to look at houses for sale in Brittany we offer a totally free one to one service to help answer your questions and queeries about the difficulties of buying a house here in France. We may be able to assist, as we've bought twelve and sold three houses here in Brittany. We don't guarantee that we know it all though, but we can tell you what we have done ourselves for better or worse..........
2 Emmigration information
If you plan on coming here to live we'll be happy to share what we know on health, schools, taxes, permits and even applying for French citizenship - which we have
Why do we offer this service for free when others charge large sums ?
- It enables us to occupy our gites in the off-peak months when lettings are quietest
- It will save others making some of the mistakes we made
It may be the time to buy..... 2021 saw a levelling out in the recent fall of house prices and local agents reckon that the market is at its lowest and that in the future prices will start to rise again
Below is an initial taster of just some of the questions that we are most often asked by people buying houses in France
Common Questions.....
How much will I pay for land and would it be ccheaper to 'self build' ?
Is there mains water on site ?
Is the house legally classed as habitable (if not you can't live in it) ?
Is it in an area of outstanding beauty ?
What do I do with regard to termites, lead & asbestos ?
What about 'right of ways' (servitudes)
Do we need to have planning permission to renovate ?
Which works need planning permission and which ones don't ?
What is a 'Bon Visite' and why must I sign one before I view a house ?
What does and Bon Visite commit me to ?
What do I do if I want to actually buy a house ?
Is my offer binding and can I be gazumped ?
Do I have to sign immediately ?
What documentation must I supply ?
Is the price fair or not ?
Do I need a survey and if so how do I get one ?
How does the cess-pit (La fosse septique) work ?
How have the fosse septique laws recently changed & how much could this cost me ?
Have I sufficient land/ drainage to install a fosse septique ?
What 'type' of electricity is available to the house (there is 3-36 Kw, mono and tri-phase) ?
What does this mean and how can I get this changed ?
Do any farmers have grazing rights on any of the land the house occupies ?
Who are 'S.A.F.A.R' and why do they have the right to veto my purchase ?
Why could the Marie be allowed to buy the house instead of me ?
What is the 'Comprimis de Vente' ?
What are 'conditions suspensives' and why can these be crucial to your purchase ?
What's an energy survey for ?
Why must I pay 10% deposit straightaway and what happens if I change my mind ?
Do I need my own notaire ?
Can I use the sellers notaire or the estate agents notaire ?
Is there an English speaking one available ?
How much are the fees ?
Do I need a UK based solicitor to act on my behalf ?
How long will it be before before the house is mine ?
What is the Acte de Vente ?
Do I need to be there in person to sign it ?
How do I physically pay for the house ?
After Purchase
Who must I notify ?
Do I need house insurance ?
What taxes must I pay on the property e.g. Fonciers, Habitation,TV, rubbish collection ?
Who will 'keep an eye' on the house ?
Who will cut the lawn in my absence ? (it is illegal to allow thistles to bloom or let the grass grow long)
Do I need a French will and what are the inheritance laws ?
What is the importance of the Marie ?
If I am ill what is the procedure for seeing a specialist, a doctor or dentist ?
How does A&E work at the hospital ?
How do I get planning permission ?
Do I need a TV licence and can I get British TV ?
Is it worth importing DIY stuff ?
The Agent
Where is a good agent and how do they work ?
Is there an English speaking agent nearby ?
How much are the fees, who pays them and when ?
We Recommend.......
Bertrand Guillemot who is the owner of Bretagne Proprieties in Ploermel Tel 00 33 2 97 22 00 19. He speaks fluent English and Bretagne Proprieties Services provides a great service with four local branches in Guer, Ploermel, Malestroit and Josselin. We have bought and sold with Bertrands help and recommend him 100%. You can look at his website before you come to get an idea of prices. If it helps we will happily make you an appointment with Bertrand so you can start looking for your new house straight away
We suggest Bretagne Proprieties as we think they are very approachable- honest and friendly with great service.. We don't get commission or anything else from them. However, there are numerous other very good agents as well such as Eurolook in Malestroit (Catherine) and La Foret in Guer (Sidonie)- both speak English. Notaires also sell houses and there are excellent notaires in Malestroit (M. Laroze), Guer (M Sabot) and Ploermel (M. Bechennec)
Please note. We offer this service free of charge. We do not get any commission/ payments or fees from any agents, artisans, builders or any other persons or businesses. It is based solely on our own personal experiences. We cannot, and do not guarantee any part of what we say and accept no liability for any information we supply. Please take your own independent financial and legal advice before buying a house in France
