EXPERT
€131,000
GUÉRET, CREUSE This characterful home was once two adjacent cottages. Now united, it can be enjoyed as a large family home, or it could be subdivided again to provide rental accommodation. All local amenities are just a few steps away in this friendly, lively village.
€285,000
MARTEL, LOT Beautifully renovated, this village house with roof terrace blends contemporary design with medieval character, creating a timeless and comfortable home. Ideal for those seeking a low-maintenance property with easy access to the Dordogne Valley and rural France.
€300,000
AULNAY, CHARENTE-MARITIME Situated in a quiet hamlet, this characterful property has been tastefully renovated but retains elements dating from the 15th century. It has a heated pool and a two-bedroom guest house, so would be perfect as a main or second home with income potential.
is very tantalising. However, as someone who has the t-shirt, trust me when I say that all that space comes with all that cleaning, all that decorating, not to mention all that cost of furnishing somewhere that’s very spacious. And then there are ongoing
costs to consider, such as heating and property taxes (taxe d’habitation and taxe foncière). For the taxe foncière, your estate agent should be able to tell you the annual amount for a particular property, which is payable by the owner on 1 January each year. While we are talking about
size, let’s just consider gardens (or more importantly land).
Answer honestly: are you really going to spend your precious downtime cutting and stacking firewood from that stretch of woodland adjoining the garden? Do you really need enough lawn for a pitch-and-
€335,000
NAJAC, AVEYRON This beautiful property is situated in a privileged position overlooking medieval Najac, one of France’s Plus Beaux Villages. Surrounded by its own woodland, it is totally private, yet just a short drive to the centre of the village and its 13th-century château.
putt course? I would say it will possibly be fun in year one, it’ll be a bit of a drag in year two and by year three you’ll be totting up how much logs are from the local brico store and what it costs to get a gardener
TO RENOVATE OR NOT
No matter which property you plump for, there will surely be places where you will want to make your mark. That might be something as simple as getting the paintbrush out and updating the colour of the walls. There is still a lot of property coming on to the market in France that needs something a bit more involved. Would you take on fitting a new kitchen or bathroom? Knocking rooms through? A new roof or a complete overhaul of a dilapidated building? Your
skill set, time available, budget and confidence will all play their part. If you're able to do the work yourself, you might find you've made a good investment at the end of the day. If you need to pay artisans for the work, it can be easy to overspend and challenging to recover your investment when you sell. However, quality will always win out and a shoddy DIY job is likely to be a barrier to a quick and efficient sale when the time comes.
FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: March/April 202535
in to mow the lawn for you on a regular basis. Of course, if this is going to be
a full-time permanent move and all this garden activity is your own personal keep fit regime, go ahead! Buy the axe, fire up the
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