| The French property market has risen in recent years | | | | properties in France that have not yet upgraded to |
| but still offers many bargains. Whether purely for | | | | comply with the new rules. It's not really a problem as |
| investment, for a holiday home or as a permanent | | | | there are five years or more before they all have to |
| move, many people are looking to buy a house in | | | | be changed. However, if you buy a house in France |
| France. | | | | and it has an old-style septic tank you will eventually |
| As an Englishman living in France I would recommend it | | | | have to replace it and that's going to cost you |
| to anyone. There's plenty of space, beautiful | | | | upwards of six thousand Euros. |
| countryside, good food and wine, one of the best | | | | It's just that sort of titbit of information that might get |
| health services in the world, good education... I could go | | | | overlooked. Someone might tell you the house has a |
| on and on. | | | | working "fosse septique" and that might be true, but |
| However, the French property market is a minefield. | | | | does it comply or are you going to be left to foot the |
| With many foreign born nationals moving into France | | | | bill? |
| each year (100,000 in 2006) there are a huge number | | | | There are many other things to consider. When you |
| of non-French estate agents and property consultants. | | | | consider how to buy a house in France you need to |
| Some of them are very good. Unfortunately there are | | | | find out about the actual steps you need to take. Are |
| many who are not, and some who are operating | | | | you going to use an agent from your country of origin? |
| illegally. | | | | How do you know that they're acting legally? What |
| On top of that you have the actual French property | | | | certification do they need? What happens when you |
| buying process that can confuse even if you speak | | | | actually say "yes" to the house you want? What |
| good French. If your grasp of the language isn't all it | | | | about a survey? Are there any other things you |
| could be you can easily find yourself out of your depth. | | | | should know? |
| I'm not suggesting people will mislead you but when | | | | I know from my own experience that the process is |
| you're talking about the sums of money necessary to | | | | quite different from buying a house in the UK. I know |
| buy even a cheap French house you have to accept | | | | from what friends have said that it's also quite |
| that some people might want to gloss over little faults | | | | different from that of the USA and of the Netherlands. |
| here and there. If you don't know exactly what's going | | | | It stands to reason the same will be true wherever |
| on, you could find yourself seriously out of pocket. | | | | you're from. |
| For example, many rural properties are not on mains | | | | So when you're considering how to buy a house in |
| drainage and never will be. They should have a septic | | | | France make sure it's not just finding the property that |
| tank ("fosse septique" in French). In the old days these | | | | you find out about. Do some research on the legal |
| were often little more than big pits dug in the ground | | | | necessities and make sure you understand who needs |
| but nowadays they have to conform to strict | | | | to do what and when. It's a bit of a minefield for the |
| regulations. | | | | unwary but, fortunately, quite a straight-forward set of |
| The thing is there are hundreds of thousands of | | | | steps when you know what to expect. |