A house in France \u2013 for many it sounds like a dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An old farmhouse in the countryside, a sunny villa in Provence or in a charming village in the Dordogne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But before you pack your bags, it is good to know what is involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would like to take you through the entire process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. How much does a house in France cost?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Where are you going to look?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Structural condition: how do you know if the house is in order?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Tax consequences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. How much does a house in France cost?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Prices depend greatly on the region. In popular areas such as the C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur or around Paris, prices can rise considerably, but in less touristy regions (think of the Auvergne, Limousin or parts of Burgundy) you can find houses from \u20ac70,000 to \u20ac150,000. For that amount, you can sometimes get a detached house with some land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A clear picture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Southern France<\/strong> (e.g. Provence, C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur): from \u20ac300,000 for a ready-to-move-in house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Dordogne, Charente, Lot<\/strong>: from \u20ac150,000 \u2013 \u20ac250,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Eastern and Central France<\/strong>: much cheaper, from \u20ac80,000 for a habitable house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Renovation projects<\/strong>: sometimes for less than \u20ac50,000 but expect considerable additional costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Where in France do you want to buy a house?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is wise to use a wish list to map out your preferences, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 New construction versus existing construction;<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 By the sea, or in the mountains;<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Living area size and plot size;<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Number of (bed)rooms;<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Amenities in the vicinity;<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Condition of the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Structural condition: how do you know if the house is in good condition?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: the charm of old French houses often goes hand in hand with hidden defects. Think of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Bad roofs<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Cracks in the walls<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Outdated boiler<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Poor insulation or heating<\/p>\n\n\n\n If in doubt, always have a structural inspection carried out before you buy. There are specialist structural engineers who have experience with French houses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The inspection can save you thousands of euros in surprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Tax consequences of a house in France<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you live in the UK but have a second home in France, you must take into account:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 French property tax<\/strong>: taxe fonci\u00e8re and taxe d\u2019habitation (the latter has been abolished for main residences, but still applies to second homes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Wealth tax (IFI):<\/strong> only if your total assets exceed \u20ac1.3 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Income tax on rental<\/strong>: if you rent out your house (also via Airbnb), you must file a tax return and pay tax in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buying a house in France is easy, but you have to be realistic about the costs, legal aspects and maintenance. Preparing well, searching calmly and getting advice from experts is not an unnecessary luxury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you also thinking about a house in France? Or do you already have one? Let me know – I would love to hear your experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buying a house in France is not only a financial investment, but also a choice for a certain lifestyle.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Interested in a checklist? Send me a message!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A house in France \u2013 for many it sounds like a dream. An old farmhouse in the countryside, a sunny villa in Provence or in a charming village in the Dordogne. But before you pack your bags, it is good to know what is involved. I would like to take you through the entire process. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n