Is the house on your website still for sale ? 

How do I make an appointment to view my chosen properties ? 

I normally need at least two weeks notice when booking appointments.  This is because I show the properties myself.  The time leading up to your visit is most important to me and we will spend a lot of time by email finding out exactly what it is you are looking for, to prevent you travelling a thousand miles for nothing!  Please also note that school holidays tend to get booked up well in advance. 

How do I make sure I only see houses that I am really interested in ? 

Because I will take the time to find out just what kind of property you are looking for.  When you first see one or two houses that are of interest, I will normally highlight more which I think are of potential interest.  Because I do this, if a new property comes on the books immediately prior to your visit which I feel it is worth your seeing, I will show it to you and hopefully save me having to write it up on the website! 

Do I have to bring cash to use as a deposit if I find the house of my dreams ? 

Absolutely not!  No money changes hands until after the signing of the first contract.  Any ‘agent’ who tells you to bring cash is almost certainly not registered and is breaking the law.  When the first contract is signed, your deposit is moved DIRECTLY from your English bank account to the government managed notaire’s bank account in France – you therefore do not require a French bank account to be set up until after completion.  If you already have a French bank account, a cheque is perfectly acceptable. 

Can you give information regarding the exact hamlet and position therein ? 

Because we are registered estate agents in France, we are not permitted to do so – this is to ensure that little old ladies who have their house on the market are not hassled by strangers – it’s also to ensure that the local farmer doesn’t shoot you for being a peeping tom or burglar! 

Is the property price shown negotiable ? 

In general, I have negotiated the price to a reasonable degree before taking on the property. That said, if the property has been on the books for 6 months or more then of course the owner will be more open to offers – however, because the prices stated are inclusive of agency fees, please realise that the owner’s element will be reduced by a greater percentage than is obvious, therefore be guided by discussions when shown the property as to how much an offer should be pitched at.  DO NOT expect a bartering session; the local French are more likely to remove their property from the market than accept too low an offer. 

Does France have the same amount of bank holidays as the UK ? 

No, they are far luckier than us Brits!  Take a look at the list of French public holidays below: 

· 1st January – New Year’s Day
· Easter Sunday
· Easter Monday
· Ascension Day (40 days after Easter Sunday)
· Pentacost/Whit Sunday (7th Sunday after Easter)
· Monday following Pentacost/Whit Monday
· 1st May – Labour Day
· 8th May – VE Day
· 14th July – Bastille Day
· 15th August – Assumption Day
· 1st November – All Saints Day
· 11th November – Armistice Day
· 25th December – Christmas Day 

Most offices, businesses and shops in France will close for a Public Holiday although the smaller supermarkets in many towns will open for a couple of hours in the morning (except for on Christmas day).  Bakers will operate a limited morning service as they do on Sundays.  Restaurants can be relied upon to respond to the market demand so opening will depend upon place and season.   

How do I go about getting the phone put on in my new French house ? 

France Telecom is the first port of call for you with regard to setting up your telephone and Internet services in France.  Most major offices have some English speaking staff, and there is even an English speaking hotline available (from France) on 0800 364 775.  If you are calling from the UK, the number you will need is: 0033 1 55 78 60 56.

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