End of a record year…

As 2015 draws to a close we are all still busy closing deals in what has been the kind of year that comes along once in a decade. We have experienced a particularly weak euro that has been giving us nearly 20 per cent more bang for our buck than last year – and record low interest rates. Combine these with low prices (particularly in rural areas) and it’s no wonder that buyers from outside the eurozone have been snapping up bargains. In fact we will have sold over 1,000 properties across France – with no signs of a festive slowdown. “Our sales support team are still receiving around 500 fresh enquiries each week,” says our Chairman, Trevor Leggett.

“We still have clients booked in with notaires to sign their final “Acte de Vente” all the way up to New Year’s Eve. Whilst we have no influence over economic or political factors, we do know for sure that the underlying demand for French property is still strong.

I have been asked which areas of France have seen the highest rise in the number of international buyers but the honest answer is that they have been across the board. The two regions that led the way in sales this year were Limousin and Poitou-Charentes, but I’m delighted to say that we have sold property in 84 different departments across France. It’s that kind of comprehensive coverage and detailed local knowledge from agents on the ground that sets us apart from our competitors.

So what next? It would be lovely to have a crystal ball so that we could see what 2016 has in store for us but we are approaching the New Year with optimism and are busy recruiting agents across the country to help service the buyers that are knocking on our door.

We finish the year with around 300 agents across France and are hoping to add another 150 or more next year – if you think you have what it takes then why not get in touch.