French Property Exhibition – Olympia

Property show is must-see event for those planning on buying and living in France

The French Property Exhibition is coming to London. From 5 to 7 October, the show will be taking place at Olympia 2. It is essential viewing for those planning to move to France, and also those who already own property there. There will be a packed programme of seminars on a range of subjects plus property, mortgage, finance, currency, removal and legal experts with whom you can enjoy face-to-face chats. The conditions for buying in France right now are good for Britons. The pound has enjoyed a surge against the euro in recent months, and at the time of writing is worth €1.24. Couple this with the lower property prices following the downturn, and now is certainly the time to buy an exchange-rate-boosted bargain.

Charles Miller, of Charente Immobilier, who will be exhibiting at the show says: “Property in Poitou-Charentes continues to provide excellent value for money – like elsewhere in France, there is a huge choice and variety of property for sale, which has had the effect of maintaining a buyer’s market. With extremely reasonable prices, and many bargains to be had, it is a great time to buy in provincial France. British sellers are often willing to accept a sale price fixed in sterling, which removes much of the exchange rate uncertainty for both sides and French sellers have accepted that prices have fallen and are willing to negotiate accordingly. Over the past few months we have seen distinct signs of heightened market activity in the Charente. Where the British miss a bargain, the Belgians and French are quick to snap it up.”

Fellow exhibitor Judy Mansfield, of FirstRate FX, says: “Our estate agent partners are reporting that properties are still selling in France, as long as they are correctly priced. There has been a big market correction, wiping out some of the price hikes of recent years. This means that there are bargains to be had across the country. The pound/euro exchange rate is the best it has been for some time, increasing buying power by several thousand, and making a home in France the most affordable it has been in years. Prices are not likely to fall too much further.

“Some of our clients have bought little bijou homes in France from as little as €40,000. And when you count up the cost of a family holiday abroad that price tag starts to look like a bargain, especially if you can rent it out to family and friends when you aren’t using it! At property shows we have attended this year, we noticed a real increase in people intending to buy in France this year or by early next year.”

Robert Kent, of tax and investment consultants Kentingtons, is similarly upbeat: “We have always managed to amaze people by demonstrating to a majority of our clients that they will be exceptionally better off as French taxpayers compared with the UK. France is now an even more attractive destination as the euro has weakened against sterling, increasing spending power of the pound, while property prices remain subdued due to the difficult market, meaning there are bargains to be had. We have welcomed more new clients in the last three months than in the last two years as the British are returning to France in force.”

www.charente-immobilier.com

www.firstratefx.com

www.kentingtons.com