French Property dreams

One of the main advantages about buying a home in France is that your money buys you a whole lot more property than it would in the UK. This enables people to "live the dream" and a great example of this ideal, is a new property this week :-

A large 6 bed Logis style house, set in secluded walled gardens of just over an acre with a tennis court, swimming pool and some useful outbuildings. The property is entered via an impressive Charentaise portal. Full details can be found at

http://www.allez-francais.com/details.php?pty_id=955

Competitively priced at 394,500 Euros, the house is in good condition and has 3 en-suite bathrooms. It would make a great large family home, or indeed perhaps a B & B business.

Another great value for money buy is a detached 4 bed country house, available for just 180,200 Euros. Fully renovated, this little gem sits in around 1/2 acre of gardens, in the heart of a friendly hamlet in the French countryside. For further details visit http://www.allez-francais.com/details.php?pty_id=929

The past week has shown signs of increasing activity, perhaps brought on by the £ holding on to the recent gains against the Euro. In fact 2 of our clients have been pipped at the post during this week by other buyers who were more decisive after viewings had taken place. Not quite the busy days of a couple of years ago, but certainly noticeably more activity in the market now. I suspect that prices have now bottomed and this is the best time for buyers to be enetering the market.

Visit our website http://www.allez-francais.com/ to see our selection of around 300 properties.Peter Elias (Agent Commercial), La Moinerie, 79500 Paizay le Tort, Deux-Sèvres
Tel: 00 33 (0)5 49 27 01 22 or Tel: 00 33 (0)8 77 07 58 99 Mob: 00 33 (0)6 62 28 02 25

Encouragement for UK buyers in France

The recent recovery seen in the £ is gradually teasing UK buyers back into the French property market. Sales of property in the UK are slowly getting back on track, enabling many people to revisit their plans for an overseas property. Mortgage lenders are also slowly easing finance back into the system, so that the cogs of finance are progressively being oiled. This is good news for potential UK buyers in France, where property prices are probably back to where they were in 2004. In other words, there are some great bargains to be had. Many vendors have reduced their asking price quite significantly and are still open to negotiation. You can use football as a good example of how one needs to be aware of the impact of currency exchange movements.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s much publicised proposed transfer to Real Madrid was announced on the day the £ hit its highest level against the €uro for six months - and until the paperwork is signed and sealed every rise will costing the Spanish club more money. The pound hit 1.18 euros on Thursday, up from virtual parity at the end of December, and currency experts have calculated that each cent the Euro falls will cost the Spaniards an extra one million Euros. The £80million price the two clubs have agreed would have cost Real Madrid €83 million in January when the pound was much weaker, but at today’s exchange rate the same sterling amount will cost Real Madrid €93 million. The same scenario is happening to ex-pats selling property in France, and this gives buyers with cash in their pockets a great bargaining tool.

As an added incentive to get buyers into the French market, we at Allez-Francais are offering a FREE six month offer of property insurance, for buyers signing a compromis de vente between now and 31/12/2009. (This insurance would have to be arranged via our recommended insurance provider). We believe that we already offer the best option as an agency due to our

v Very competitive agency fees
v Very competitive currency exchange rates
v 1st class service levels
v Highly regarded website http://www.allez-francais.com/
v Accompanied viewings & after sales service

Visit our website http://www.allez-francais.com/ to see our selection of around 300 properties.Peter Elias (Agent Commercial), La Moinerie, 79500 Paizay le Tort, Deux-Sèvres

Tel: 00 33 (0)5 49 27 01 22 or Tel: 00 33 (0)8 77 07 58 99 Mob: 00 33 (0)6 62 28 02 25

£ hits new high for the year against the €uro

The CBI (Confederation of British Industry) commented that the recession will be shorter and less severe than previously expected.

The CBI believes that the pace of contraction will moderate by the end of this year and moderate growth will materialise early next year. They also scaled back their forecast for unemployment from 3.2m to 3.03m by the second quarter of 2010.

However it warned that the recovery would be "slow and gradual" and it would take time to judge whether recent good news will turn into sustainable growth in the economy. This echoes the caution noted by Alistair Darling and comments from Bank Of England officials. Sterling continues to hold respectable levels across the markets, and has this morning hit a new 2009 high of 1.18 against the €uro.

The Euro is under pressure this morning against the USD and sterling following an article in the Daily Telegraph reporting of warnings to be released on the credit conditions in Germany. The DIHK survey to be released this week is expected to confirm that credit conditions for large German companies are not easing despite the interest rates being cut to 1%. This will be a definitive blow for the Eurozone as it essentially affirms that the ECB have not done enough in easing credit conditions…this could lead to the ECB embracing further Quantitative Easing measures. The problem for the Eurozone and the euro is that these measures will not commence until July and could see the Eurozone sticking out like a sore thumb as other major economies drive towards receovery- this will naturally be euro negative.

Good news for UK buyers in France, and 1.20 Euros to the £ is perhaps within sight.

Our currency dealers offer a simple straightforward solution for all commercial Foreign Exchange requirements. Visit our website http://www.allez-francais.com
Peter Elias (Agent Commercial), La Moinerie, 79500 Paizay le Tort, Deux-Sèvres, FRANCE
Tel: 00 33 (0)5 49 27 01 22 or Tel: 00 33 (0)8 77 07 58 99 Mob: 00 33 (0)6 62 28 02 25

Currency Importance

When buying property abroad, check the exchange rate - it is equally as important as negotiating the sale price. Purchasers of property abroad are always keen to negotiate a good price, but most fail to realise that they can achieve significant savings by receiving the best currency exchange rates.

Through our business partnership with a specialist brokers, we are able to offer a choice of immediate or forward contracts to secure your Euros against Sterling.

Allez França¡s has a dedicated dealer able to offer an exceptional service. A forward contract is especially worthy of consideration if a purchase is not immediate. It can be bought at a pre-determined rate from 3 days to 2 years ahead. The rates achieved will aggressively undercut High Street banks and other sources. Currency is transmitted by priority telegraphic transfer to anywhere in the world.

Our dealers offer a simple straightforward solution for all commercial Foreign Exchange requirements. Visit our Finance page to download an application form. http://www.allez-francais.com/finance.htm

Peter Elias (Agent Commercial), La Moinerie, 79500 Paizay le Tort, Deux-Sèvres, FRANCE

Tel: 00 33 (0)5 49 27 01 22 or Tel: 00 33 (0)8 77 07 58 99 Mob: 00 33 (0)6 62 28 02 25