Leggett Immobilier, the leading international estate agency in France, has seen a steady increase of buyers in the first quarter of 2013 attracted by the lowest mortgage rates for 65 years and sensible pricing on behalf of vendors.

Chief Executive, Trevor Leggett, comments:

“We understand that the overall number of property sales in France fell by 20% to 655,000 last year and that this year is likely to see a similar number of transactions. However, it’s clear that many people are also convinced that the market will improve over the coming years and with the cheap money available that now is the time to buy.

It’s well documented that French mortgage rates are the lowest they have been since the second world war and I am receiving anecdotal evidence every week from our agents in the field that vendors are now beginning to understand the need for sensible pricing.

As an example Lisa Greene, who runs our team in Brittany, tells me that she has had two sales recently to Parisienne buyers where they have arrived with financing in place, driven a hard bargain and picked up what Lisa calls “straightforward good value for money”. As she says, every good agent has a list in their head of properties within their portfolio that they would buy themselves if they had the money and these are the ones that the “smart money” is currently looking for.

It’s not just canny Parisiennes that are looking to buy at the moment though. France has historically been the favourite destination of UK property buyers who love the sunshine, countryside and relaxed way of life. I was at A Place in the Sun Live last month and our stand was packed throughout all three days while the seminars we gave were standing room only. Most visitors seemed fed up with the wet weather and gloomy headlines in the UK and were surprised by the value for money that they found among the property listings we had on display.

I’m not sure that it’s right for me to call the bottom of the market just yet but certainly we have clear evidence that many astute buyers think we must be close”.

Leggett Immobilier announced today that they are undertaking a major recruitment drive to help service their growing business in France.

Chief executive, Trevor Leggett, comments:

“Last year saw our sales figures grow by over 30% and we need further agents to service the demand from international buyers who see now as an excellent time to buy French property.

To see the Leggett Immobilier recruitment pages please visit www.frenchestateagents.com/pages/recruitment and anyone interested in joining the Leggett team should contact Sarah Edwards at sarah@leggett.fr

Our expansion continues and we are delighted to announce the opening of our new office in Riberac, Dordogne.

We would like to invite all of our clients and friends to celebrate the opening with us between 10am – 2pm on Friday 26th April at 39 Place Nationale, 24600 Riberac.

You will be able to enjoy a glass of bucks fizz and nibbles while chatting with our local agents and other experts. Whether you are looking to buy or sell property, ask about financing and currency exchange, building your own home or simply want to get our take on the local market we will be delighted to help. Even if you can’t attend the opening ceremony do please come and see us if you are in the area and we will be delighted to talk with you about your property needs.

Leggett Immobilier is one of the fastest growing estate agencies in France and we now have over 8,000 properties for sale throughout the country. We never lose sight of the fact that we are a family owned business with family values though – local knowledge you can trust.

This week has seen both the first day of Spring and a budget which was great news for UK homeowners. Trevor Leggett, Chief Executive of leading French estate agency Leggett Immobilier, has the following market comment:

“The onset of Spring in France has traditionally been the time that international buyers reappear looking to snap up a bargain. 2013 is no exception and our agents are reporting increased activity right across France. The penny (or centime) seems to have finally dropped that homeowners and agents should price sensibly and we are seeing some terrific bargains being snapped up by clients. We have seen a 31% growth in sales over this time last year and our call centre team are reporting an increase in viewings booked in the run up to Easter.

Perhaps the fact that the weather in the UK has been so poor this winter has also added to the increase in demand from British buyers who have brought forward their plans to find a dream home in the sun.

The budget that George Osborne announced yesterday is likely to indirectly help stimulate demand too. The UK media has dubbed it a “budget for homeowners” with a range of measures announced under the “help to buy” scheme aimed at stimulating the housing market. The government is supporting £130bn of mortgages over three years and if confidence returns to the UK market then this spills over into overseas holiday homes too – with so many purchasers looking for a mixture of lifestyle & investment returns we think that France is ideally placed to profit.

It’s clear that bargains are to be had across all price ranges at the moment but my personal view is that it’s the top end that has most to offer, anything over €600,000 will have to be priced keenly to sell. We have many examples at www.leggett-prestige.com including a superb wine estate with farmhouse and two gites bordering the Canal du Midi. On the market for €2,300,000 the estate totals 72 hectares with 32 hectares being dedicate to a vineyard. The houses have been beautifully restored and this is a fabulous opportunity for someone who is looking to generate an income”.