Dear Tony
I have much enjoyed your newsletter since subscribing. I particularly enjoyed the article about French estate agents.
Isn’t it amazing how they don’t even try to make the properties look nice in the photos - they are so worried that you will recognise it and make a private deal with the owner.
The beautiful flat I bought recently in Pezenas (well, so far I’ve only paid the 10% and signed the compromis de vente) was advertised with an enticing close up of the rubbish bins on the terrace at the back.
When I was looking for the house where I now live I thought that one young estate agent had got lost on the way, perhaps due to his fashionable swept back sun glasses, but later I realised that he was, of course, trying to put me off the scent.
I have some questions that I would like to ask you, but this space seems a bit small!
Yours,
Kirsty
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Hello Kirsty,
They are all so worried about looking at other people backs to stab and over their shoulder at their own back to remove the daggers, that they never know where they are. Sunglasses are usually to hide the demonic red eyes.
Delighted you are to be a neighbour - do write to me with any questions - the box on the site will take as many words as you wish, it is infinitely expansive (like me)
Best wishes
Tony
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Dear Tony
Thank you for replying so promptly. Much as I enjoy living here (like you, otherwise we wouldn’t be here) there are times when the voice of a compatriot is welcome. Like you I chose this area becauseI think the Languedoc is absolutely amazing - beats the Uzes/Saint Remy de Provence area, which is so fashionable just now, into a cocked hat.
I live in a truly beautiful place - Our hamlet is in a cirque, surrounded by mountains, and a rushing stream drops into a pool at the bottom of our garden. There are wild flowers everywhere, and I am in the process of making a garden, which gives me great pleasure.
Since my arrival I have struggled with rude representatives of France Telecom, le Sydndicat des Eaux, EDF. le Credit Agricole. Our telly, which we bought at great expense from Darty - they of the ‘contrat de confiance’ - doesn’t work when it’s raining, I changed from France Telecom becuse their service was so terrible (at one point, as we waited in their shop in Beziers for over 2 hours to be served, my son said ‘It’s just like Egypt here.’), but tele2 aren’t any better, and now it’s entirely my fault that the phone doesn’t work - my son, who works for the World Bank in Washington, complains that it’s like phoning Africa - it works one time in 5.
I have always thought that Pezenas was an entrancing place, architecturally so rich, not too big, but with a certain sophistication. The idea behind buying a flat there was partly that I could have a bit of an urban fix from time to time - go to the cinema or out for dinner without having to drive home in the dark afterwards etc, and also to let it out in the summer months to have a bit of an income. Since I signed the compromis de vente, of course, the euro has soared, and I will have to pay for it very soon with my saving which are, of course, in sterling - not clever. I seem to recall that in one of your articles you talked about currency dealers, but I have no idea how all that works. My money is at present in the Nationwide, from which I would like to remove it, but I’m not sure how to go about it. I also need to talk to someone who understands my tax situation - it’s not very complicated, but I seem to be being crushed between the 2 systems.
My partner owns some land not far from here, and the idea is to build a simple, modern, ecological house in timber, with solar panels, geothermic heating etc - he loves all the stuff, and to sell here. I foolishly asked the estate agent from whom I bought my Pezenas flat to come and have a look at this house re valuation, and also because we are in a bit of a quandary as to how much of the work that we intended doing - including building a swimming pool in the ruined bergerie - it would be worth doing. I don’t suppose you will be surprised to hear that he thought I would be very lucky to get back the money I paid for it, never mind the money we have spent, and that we shouldn’t do another thing, just put it on the market at once. Although we were both pretty depressed at first, I know in fact that he’s wrong. Apart from anything else my potential buyer is very unlikely to be French, and this is certainly not a good time to attract British buyers. We will enjoy being here for a while yet,and see what next year brings. I still can’t decide about the major works, but we are continuing with the multitude of small thing that need doing.
I hope you don’t mind me unburdening myself on you at such length. I would be very grateful for any advice you can give me.
Best wishes,
Kirsty
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Dear Kirsty,
Don’t believe a word that any estate agent ever tells you - they are all liars and are only interested in twisting the truth to their advantage - I know - I am one.
Here is a link to the best people I know for currency exchanges.
French services have no concept of customer service or customer relations - do not worry - they are as ignorant and rude to everyone - it helps to thump tables and shout at them, if you can cry at the same time it often gets results - I refuse to even go inside a French bank now and do not even have a French bank account, I use the post office which is just as bad but at least is dirt cheap.
I know nothing about finance, but I bet the pound rallies and by the end of the year will be back to where it was a year ago.
Generally, in my opinion, doing major construction just before selling is not a viable option, although it may get a client quicker - the other side of the coin is that it may put people off as they often want to do things their way and the work may have been better not done and the price reflect this.
Thank you for the invite for lunch, we are pretty boring people and rarely move far from home - but if you happen to be in Pezenas do phone me and we could meet for coffee perhaps.
Always happy to exchange emails and comment on things which may help others on a forum or blog.
Let me know if I have missed any points or you want comments on other stuff.
Best wishes
Tony
