Property - Getting Along with your Agent

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and buy the French property you have always dreamed of, but how on earth do you go about it? Buying privately from the vendor is one option, but the majority of people tend to purchase through an agent.

Experiences seem to vary widely, with some clients being absolutely delighted with the levels of service and assistance they received and others shuddering with horror when they recall the whole viewing and purchasing process! So how can you, the client, help to make sure that the process is as painless as possible?

The first thing to bear in mind is that property in France has traditionally been marketed in a very different manner from that of the UK. In fact, it is only in recent years that it has been actively marketed at all. Thirty years ago when my parents bought their first French house, the only way to find a property was by visiting a notaire and enquiring whether they had anything for sale. A long conversation would ensue when they would be told about properties for sale in the area, then an appointment might be made to go and look at a property or two. Any details that were available were sketchy to say the least. Still, it made for interesting holidays for us children and probably began my life-long love affair with France.

Nowadays buyers expect details and a good level of information before they decide to view a property. While some agents do provide a wealth of information, the majority still tend to provide descriptions that tell the buyer very little about the property. For example, a property may be described as having two rooms and a kitchen. Without a floor plan or more details, the potential buyer has no way of knowing that the ‘kitchen’ occupies the entire ground floor, is 80m², has several windows and could be easily divided into a separate lounge/diner as well.

Main bugbears

This can be a real frustration, especially when searching from abroad. This lack of detail and the lack of clear photographs seem to be the main bugbears of property hunters. A quick trawl on the internet reveals agents showing interior shots that included a sofa against a blank wall and exterior shots that showed a pair of barn doors and nothing else!

With only basic details in the advert, it is worth quizzing the agent closely so that any viewing trip doesn’t become a waste of time for both of you. It is a good idea to devise your own standard checklist. This can then be used for any property that you are interested in. Having something ready prepared is especially useful if you are telephoning an agent. Even without the possible hiccup of conversing in another language, it is all too easy to forget specific questions over the phone. Every buyer will have their own priorities but a standard list should include at least

the following:

- Aspect. Does the property face south/west?

- Garden. Size? Aspect? Is it attached to the property?

- Access?

- Parking?

- Are there any rights of way over the property?

- Room sizes?

- Neighbouring properties? Are they occupied full-time or just in the holidays?

- Pool – When was it installed? Make? Is there a guarantee?

- Overall condition of the interior/exterior. What state is it in?

- What is the condition of the roof like? The structure of the building?

- Does the property need re-wiring/plumbing/new central heating system?

The condition of the property – especially the interior décor – is one area where it is definitely worth questioning the agent closely. What one person might consider to be ‘renovated with taste’ might have another buyer running in horror. Equally, a property described as à rafraîchir might just need a lick of paint here and there, or it might need completely gutting. An agent should be able to answer all these questions and find out any additional information that is requested by the client. In fact, a good agent will take the time to question the client closely and discuss their requirements, finding out what exactly they want from the property, its location and indeed the lifestyle. The agent will then be able to select or deselect properties on the client’s behalf.

One of the problems that can arise is when people feel they have been shown unsuitable properties and that the agent has wasted their time. This is often

down to miscommunication. A way round this is to show the agents details of properties that you do like and explain why. It is just as important to give them feedback on properties that you have seen with them, even if this is negative.

Saying to an agent ‘property x would have been perfect if it had come with an acre of land and I would have considered property y if it had been €10,000 less’, will help to give the agent a much better idea of your criteria. It is a good idea to draw up a wish list. The list can contain all the elements of the property that are essential, the things that you would like and the things that you can be prepared to be flexible about. The clearer you can be about these categories, the more you can help your agent to find a suitable property.

Travelling time

When viewing properties, it is important not to cram too many viewings into the schedule. It is generally also not a good idea to arrange viewings with multiple agents in the same day. France is a big country and it is easy to underestimate the travelling time involved. Agents may well also have other properties to show and will only be able to do this if you are not rushing off to another viewing. Equally it is important that you explain your time constraints to the agent and that they organise a schedule that suits you. Again, a good agent will do this and allow enough time to travel between properties that may be quite some distance apart.

Distance is one of the biggest headaches for British house hunters in France. Travelling time can seem like wasted time. However, it can be a good way to get to know an area and familiarise yourself with routes. Knowing the area may even have an eventual impact on the choice of property. For example, knowing that a particular road is full of twists and turns, may mean that the original criteria of being ‘up to twenty minutes from a decent sized town’, becomes ‘no more than ten’ in that road’s case.

It can also be frustrating when agents seem to spend ages trying to find their way to a property, but do consider that rural agents often cover very large areas and may have only visited the property once or twice before. Language can be another sticking point. While many French agents do speak some English, it is a good idea to brush up on your ‘house buying’ French. Travelling with a phrase book can be reassuring.

There are many of these on the market now and some are even geared towards property and renovation. Visit the www.francebookshop.co.uk for suitable titles. Practising a few stock words and phrases will also add to your confidence.

It is a good idea to carry a pen and paper. Not only can you make notes about the properties as it is very easy to forget details when viewing several houses consecutively, but you can also make a note of any questions to ask the agent at a later point.

This really takes the pressure off, if you find yourself struggling to remember a particular phrase. Viewing properties can be tiring and anything that makes the process easier is a good idea!

Suitable properties

Cherry Honeywill has been an agent for more than 21 years and is well placed to offer advice to those coming to France to search for a home. ‘I think the most important thing is to use an established, registered and experienced agency’ she says. ‘A good agent will spend time chatting to the client to find out what is really important to them and exactly what type of property would suit them.

‘I like my clients to feel that they can express their opinions without reservation. That way, I am much more likely to be able to show them suitable properties. So, it is important for clients to choose an agent that they can discuss things comfortably with. This is also really important when we have been to see a property; it means they can give me enough feedback for me to refine the search if necessary. I like my clients to show me a wish list but I always explain that it is important to be flexible and to explain their requirements to me.

‘For example, if a client tells me that they want a property on a plot of 5,000m², I may know of one that is perfect in every other respect but has only 2,000m² of land around it. If they need a large plot because they are determined to grow their own vegetables and keep chickens, then a smaller plot probably won’t be suitable. However, if they want a large plot simply because they like the idea of not having any immediate neighbours, then my smaller plot in an isolated situation may well be just right for them. I always tell my clients that they need to decide what is important to them but to be prepared to be flexible and to take the agent’s input on board as well.’

Most agents will go out of their way to be helpful, not just because it is in their interest to clinch the deal, but because they have a genuine desire to help people to settle into and enjoy their new French home. Many will offer assistance in ways unrelated to the sale and are a mine of information about the local area. So, go on, make friends with your agent and happy house hunting!’