Author: The ESREA France Team

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High Rise Wooden Apartment Buildings in France?

Will the French skyline be greeted by new high rise apartment buildings made from wood?

In different parts of the world there appears to be a growing trend in the creation of wooden buildings due to the lower carbon footprint compared to concrete buildings.

Critiques ask questions that include concerns about the potential reduced longevity of wooden buildings and the potential problem of fires taking hold of a wooden building much easier than a concrete building.

What do you think?

See below a short video of a proposed high rise wooden building in Sweden

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What is it like to work as a French real estate agent?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n1tuHH_20o&feature=youtu.be

This site is all about French real estate and connecting people with French real estate professionals, however, to our surprise one of the most popular articles on this site is an article we wrote on how do you qualify to become a French real estate agent.

From experience (I worked for 7 years in Canadian real estate) and from contact with other agents, I can tell you that the French real estate industry is unlike the industries in England, U.S.A, Canada, Australia to name just a few countries. It is a complicated industry and you need to know all the details before you invest time to fully qualify.

If you would like to find out more about  what it is actually like to work in French real estate visit this link. No one would want to enter an industry without learning about it first, would you?

Here is the link again to learn more about the French real estate experience.

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2015: The Return of Super Investments in French Prestige Real Estate

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The high end French real estate market has seen significant price drops over the last few years.

The amount of properties on the market has increased and according to the director of Sotheby’s International of France the prices of properties sold can be 10 to 20 percent less than originally advertised.

Luxury Properties in Paris and Provence are now beginning to sell again with properties in the 5 million euro and up price range moving into the hands of both international and local buyers.

The current market according to Mr Kraft is seeing a return of American buyers due to the attractive exchange rate. The market is seeing the disappearance of Russian and Chinese buyers due to financial crises in their respective countries.

Exclusive and rare prestige properties still exist for sale. If you need a local English speaking French real estate expert who knows the prestige market we can help you make that contact easily at no charge. Contact us here.

Listen to Interview in French here

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Does your French property have a Water Leak?

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As a French property owner you deal with many home ownership costs and one significant everyday expense can be the cost of water usage.

If your French property appears to be using more water than you expect you may wish to check to see if there is a problem.

Perhaps you have a leak somewhere in the system.

Here are some guidelines we obtained from a French plumber: If you are not sure at all about doing this test call a plumber right away.

One
Find your French property’s water meter that is typically located outside on the front of your French property (see sample image above)

Two
Stop everyone on the property using any water and make a note of the reading of water usage on the meter. Then make sure no water is used in the home for an hour.

Three
Check to see if there is any water usage indicated on the meter reading.

If you see the evidence of water usage on the meter then repeat the test again.

If again without anyone on the French property using water there is evidence of water usage on the meter go to step Four.

Four
Make sure all the valves that control water accessing the toilets, pool, water filtration system or any other system in your home that uses water is turned off.

Five
Take a new meter reading and wait an hour.

If there is no difference between the number on the meter before and after this test this may indicate that one of the items you turned off is leaking water or letting water move through when it is turned off.

Use a process of elimination to figure out which and / or get professional help.

If when everything is turned off you see an increase in water usage via the meter you may have a leak somewhere in your piping system and this will mean you need to call a plumbing specialist.

Remember to check for leaks under sinks, beneath toilets, by the hot water tank and around other potential areas where water may leak on a regular basis. Set a schedule on your French property maintenance calendar.

If you would like to speak to an English speaking plumber let us know we may know someone in your area so that will save you the time searching for one. We do our search for you for free.
Contact us here

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Buying French Property 3 Ways to Avoid Surprises

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Sign says “cheese store open Sunday from 4.30 to 5.30 only.” Very casual

If you are considering buying a French property you will need to consider the following three items to avoid some future challenges.

One
Look into the future
Buying a French property whether it is your principle residence or a secondary home is a long term investment. Make sure you consider the long term commitment you are making and how your income will continue over time when you are buying with the aid of finance.

If you feel you will want to change careers in a few years time and start your own business, perhaps buying may not be the ideal plan for you.

Two
Survey Agents
Sometimes French property buyers just call the agent with a property for sale and never really know if the agent is knowledgeable on the market the property is located in. This may mean they do not know about future roads being build, possible industry close by etc.

When you know the area in France you like we recommend you visit a small selection of properties with a selection of agents to find out as much as you can about the area and the experience of the agent.

Ask questions, compare the agents answers and hopefully afterwards you will know more about the area plus you will have found one agent who you feel you can work with.

Then you can start your fully focused search with the aid of a professional.

Three
Plan for Expenses
Even if you are not planning on doing renovations as a French property owner you need to plan ahead for expenses due to home maintenance. You have no guarantee that the home you bought will not have a leak in a pipe, an appliance break down or a problem with the balcony if you live in an apartment.

As a new or potential French property owner it is a good idea to create a digital spreadsheet and create a budget. Include in the budget an allowance for your various property taxes, home insurance, mortgage insurance, mortgage payment and of course, set aside some savings each month so that when you have repairs to do you have the money to do the work.

More helpful articles for Buyers:

Buyers Do Not Know This

How you can Get Help

If you need to find an English speaking French real estate agent we can help you connect contact us here

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