Property in France: It pays to be prepared
Before putting your French country property on the market, there are a number of preparatory things to do, which will help it to sell. Unless you are selling the property yourself, first and foremost, you will need to find a reliable estate agent (agent immobilier).
In selecting your agent, you should ensure that the agent is qualified (agrée) and also speaks adequate English, which not only may help you, but also the buyer, whose French, in either or both cases,may be limited or non-existent.
In this connection, a bilingual French agent will usually be used to dealing with foreigners, particularly Brits, and understanding their particular needs and the culture. This will prove, in practice, to be a distinct advantage for both sellers and buyers.
As with contracting any professional services in France, before committing yourself, you should get quotes from two or three agents and compare their fees, valuations and methods of selling, especially through websites or tie-ups with foreign agencies. In my area, for example, one French agency has networking arrangements with British and Dutch estate agents.
This can be particularly helpful if you are aiming to sell your property to such potential buyers, who, generally speaking, are prepared to pay good prices. It is also a good idea to ask the agents how many similar properties they have sold in the past 12 months and the evolution and present state of the property market in your part of France.
Give it time
Another important consideration is to give yourself plenty of time to sell – forced sales are never beneficial to sellers. Also, in this respect, choose the right time of the year for selling your kind of property. For alpine properties, winter is probably the best time to sell, when the property can be shown off to good effect in the snow. Elsewhere, spring or summer is a preferable time, especially when gardens have recovered from their winter gloom and there is a positive feel in the air.
Spring clean
Before putting the property on the market, take a good look at it both externally and internally and see what needs to be done to present it in the best saleable light. A coat of paint inside and out can transform the appearance, and, therefore, the attractiveness of your property. This is particularly true of your front door, which can give a bad first impression before a potential buyer has even entered your property!
Cut the grass and tidy the garden too. Likewise, declutter inside – get rid of unwanted furniture and other items that you have accumulated through the French equivalent of car boot sales (vides greniers). Aim to present a minimalist appearance in your rooms – this will look particularly good in internal photographs of the property.
Also, in sitting rooms, add flowers and, if appropriate, have a fire burning in the fireplace. Put the central heating on low to give a warm effect. And, as in supermarkets, bread baking in the oven, can have a seductive effect on buyers. All these things help to heighten the experience of the viewing and endear the property to buyers.
Font of knowledge
Be ready with basic information to answer the usual questions from buyers about the running costs of the property, including electricity, water, oil-fired central heating, especially the capacity of the tank, as well as property taxes (taxe foncière and d’habitation)). But, generally speaking, let the agent conduct the viewing.
In old country properties, be upfront about any problems, such as damp, and the treatment such problems have received. Such problems are likely to be discovered during any survey of the property by a potential buyer.
The cost of any structural repairs that may need to be done should be factored into the asking price of the property, which should always include an adequate margin for negotiation. A good French agent will be able to advise you on such matters, particularly if the redemption of a mortgage is involved and needs to be taken into account. The asking price should include the agent’s commission; that is, the price is ‘FAI’ (frais d’agent inclus).
If you have started on works such as a loft conversion, but not finished it, it is probably advisable to do so, as most buyers prefer to have the finished article rather than to have to finish the work themselves. This is particularly true of French buyers – a growing market for renovated country properties that is not to be overlooked!
If, however, the property offers the possibility of a loft conversion (amenagement des combles), it may be helpful to have an estimate (devis) prepared to show to a potential buyer and make this a selling point.
One final point: gather together all your invoices and receipts for any improvements you have made to the property, as these costs may be set off against any capital gains (plus valu) payable on the sale. Investing time and money in preparing the property for the market in some of the ways mentioned above, and having a clear idea of the market to be aimed at is likely not only to facilitate the selling process but also to pay big dividends!