The latest report from the FNAIM shows house prices rising for the 5th consecutive quarter. The report covers the second quarter of 2011 (April – June) and is available on www.fnaim.fr. Prices of properties sold by FNAIM members saw an average rise of 3.3% over the previous quarter with a strong rise (4.3%) in properties [...]

At Leggett, our buyers come to us for all sorts of reasons and often their aspirations are a mix of the personal and professional. People often say that one should never mix business with pleasure, but when it comes to buying a second home in France, it is possible to pull it off. Here we [...]

One way to measure the value of a property is its ability to stand the test of time – after all a French property is a long term investment.  This falls into four broad categories. Value of Shelter – Basically, what does it offer in the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and levels of comfort.  Levels [...]

Non-professional private individuals who are not registered for TVA will no longer be subject to TVA  @ 19.6%  (French equivalent of VAT in UK taxed @ 17.5%) when they sell a property which they have extensively renovated themselves (i.e. more than 70% of the construction is new), or transformed a barn into a home changing its designation [...]

To minimise the risk of any sort of property scam, we would suggest that you use a reputable estate agent.  In France, membership of the FNAIM is a good indicator as it has a strict code of professional ethics.  Below are five of the more common property scams. One of the more common real estate [...]