Amy's guide to buying your dream home in France

If you've ever dreamt of buying a home abroad, and are considering taking the plunge, it's worth first heeding these top ten tips from Amy Drillsma-Milgrom. An enterprising 24 year old, living in Paris, Amy recently bought and renovated this charming house in the village of St Orens Pouy-Petit in the Armagnac/Gers region in south west France, just 5 miles from the bustling medieval town of Condom. She might be young, but she knows her stuff when it comes to the potential pitfalls of buying abroad. Here are her key things to consider.

1 - Location
Some people prefer the sea, some dream of holidays in the mountains. France is a country which boasts a natural diversity. When buying in France, it is important to choose a location that you consider special to you and then reflect upon the reasons why. I had spent many summers and winters in the Gers, had made friends and loved the food and culture. Whether buying for your own main or holiday home or for rent you must LIKE it. Re-sale and letting possibilities should be secondary.

2 -Access
It is important to select an area that is accessible. If every time you want to visit your place, you have to get a ferry, train, taxi, coach before you arrive, you will soon be put off about travelling. You will also find that friends and family will be reluctant to travel if the house is ‘out in the sticks !' Examine the countries' national transport facilities and also any future transport plans. In France, for example, a high speed train line down to the south west of the country will be inaugurated in roughly 5 years. This appeals to me as it will make the journey time from Paris shorter and will also add value to the property. If you regularly fly to your property try and find a good car rental company - or private garage or service station which often offer car hire and make sure you and your visitors use it.

3 - Maximize Visits
My god mother always said to me, ‘Kiss a whole lot of frogs before you find your prince.' I believe this also applies when selecting a house to buy. It is important to contact as many agencies as possible, make a short-list from websites, then visit the area and "blitz" the lot. In rural areas, estate agents are often happy to drive you from one property to another and can often be persuaded to collect you from a station or airport if they think you are a serious buyer. You will soon learn that your property search ‘musts' will be whittled down and become more precise. Another tip is to take a little gift - English marmalade or tea if the agent is particularly helpful.

4 - The Contract
When serious about making an offer, it is best to discuss amongst friends, locals if possible to have their opinion. They will have invaluable local knowledge. Is your property affected by heavy rain, flies in the summer or en route for the annual motor cycle rally? When signing the Compromis de Vente be sure to look over the details with your bank manager or accountant before signing and remember you have a short period of one week before finally committing yourself to the sale. However, once money has been exchanged it can all be lost if you pull out after the one week reflexion period.

5 - Land
Once you have found a notaire, it is advisable to use a local ask him or her for a map of the partiels. Every region in France has a precise map of the local land divisions and it is essential to know what land you will be buying and what belongs to your neighbour. Ask at the Mairie about any new constructions planned and any restrictions on your property, e.g. extensions, pool, garage

6 - Finance
If you are working in France you can obtain a French mortgage. French bank managers like to get personal and hear the ‘ins and outs' of a project. Take the time to work on preparing a good ‘dossier' in order to prove to your bank manager how serious you about buying and obtaining an advantageous mortgage rate. Be friendly but when negotiating the mortgage rate, do not hesitate to go and see other banks to see what they have in offer. Tell you banker that you are ‘doing the rounds' as this often makes him or her more inclined to negotiate and keep you as a client. If you are planning to rent out your property get letters from local estate agents saying your property is rentable and for how much.

7 - Interior renovation
It is important to work with local builders and hopefully get recommendations from friends. Most of the important restoration work had already been carried out on La Petite Maison before I bought it from a friend but I shared with her the difficulties of managing a project from a distance. I had previously intended to buy a wreck and totally renovate, but after hearing horror stories of builders who didn't turn up for weeks or brought with them friends and used the house as a holiday retreat I realised that, being based in Paris, I couldn't take on such a project. This meant that after buying I could focus on what I enjoy - the interior decoration of the house. It is best to keep this neutral and to respect the qualities of the house and those surrounding it. If you intend to rent your property, try to create a style that isn't too personal.

8 - Moving
With my boyfriend, we looked into hiring vans to transport furniture ourselves down to the new house. We calculated vehicle hire, petrol and road toll costs and eventually realised that it was a similar cost to hiring ‘a man with a van'. He collected and dropped off our things. This saved us a day's travel and time off work and enabled us to take the train down to the house a week later to find our furniture had been delivered. All we had to do was re-arrange it. In the UK, the listings magazine Time Out carries advertisements for across Europe delivery people and often offer half or shared loads.

9 - Local life
It is important to meet the neighbours and to take part in local festivities. You should also make a huge effort to learn French and don't be shy of trying it out. A smile and a bonjour Madame can work wonders. Visit the regular weekly markets and smile at everyone who looks vaguely familiar. Neighbours can be so helpful from offering advice on where to buy swimming pool products to which boulangerie sells the best tarte au citron. But do reciprocate. Forget inviting them to a barbeque, invite them to a proper afternoon English tea complete with home-made cakes!

10 - Letting
If you plan to rent your home out, make sure you are in contact with an agent or friend that you trust who can oversee the letting service and changeover days if you are not there. Bedding has to be laundered, towels replaced, kitchen thoroughly cleaned and gardens tidied on a weekly basis. Arrange a welcome basket and leave comprehensive instructions on how to use appliances and guides to local tourist attractions and restaurants.

La Petite Maison du Gers is entirely renovated, has a private pool with stunning views and is available for rent to holiday makers keen to discover the ‘French Tuscany' in extreme comfort. Sleeps four. To find out more visit www.lapetitemaisondugers.com

22 April 2010