That is, of course, the idea behind our passion with our passion. And somewhere there must be a link between retirement age (or pre-pension) age, time and money for a classic car from our favorite holiday country or - apparently to an increasing extent - a house, estate or castle in France. So buy a house in France.
Buying a house in France
All the more reason to buy French real estate is that you live among French classics in all states and states. Because really: the story that all French classics are already in the Netherlands? That is not true. However, in order to function in France, you must speak reasonably French. But to buy a house there? You need to be French for that. Real estate has little to do with classics, but we recently had contact with two couples of classic enthusiasts who wanted to buy a house in France and for whom the French adventure had ended very badly.
Just as with the purchase of a classic, do not get carried away by your passion
For example, a couple visited their dream home during lunch time and made the purchase. During lunch time - between 1200-1400 hours - the French inner roads are only populated by some tourists. After that the whole world of trucks and agricultural vehicles is unloaded again. But they only noticed that later in their innocence.
If you buy your (dream) house in France, then the fun is over if after a year and a half against the famous French bureaucracy you still miss a couple of residential and renovation permits, if there is a fight with the neighbors over a hectare of land and if the local baker no longer wants to sell you bread. It can quickly go wrong if you, with enthusiasm, start renovating ZSM before the sales contract has actually been passed.
Buying a house in Frnakrijk has a good chance of surprises
Because in France you can be strangely surprised by the purchase of such a deadly village house that has been on sale for five years, someone thought he had found happiness: Suddenly unknown heirs appeared to the seller, while the buyers were already had begun the major cleaning and renovation. Also talk to the possible neighbors before you buy a house. Imagine this because of citizenship, because you are interested in the house. While talking, you can hear something about the former owner, about other neighbors, about the village and the region. Some background knowledge can prevent what happened to someone: the homeowner had a nice plot, but the edge of it was on one side only XNUMX meters from the house. The neighbor was angry because he himself wanted to buy this house years ago. So he left nothing to bully his new neighbors. He put two huge 'wine cuvettes' on his own ground, close to the boundary. As a local agriculteur he received a permit for this. The householders therefore have no view and no more sun. The house can no longer be sold properly, the only interested person is ... That neighbor.
Romance can cause problems
A prime location as a trap for houses close to a river: check the PPRI (Plan de prévention des risques d'inondation) to see if the house or the land is not partly in a rouge / bleue zone. Even if the house is many meters above the river. In a zone rouge / bleue you are also not allowed to build or expand. In fact, you may not be allowed to rebuild your home if it burns down or washes away. (Also complicated in terms of insurance). 'Fosses septique' (septic tanks) and effluent fields are now prohibited. Not to mention that cellars and the like can become underwater every year, something that, for example, does not make a freshly installed central heating system happy. Another thing to take into account in this regard, in FR there is no such thing as “planning damage” if your house is worth less because, for example, a highway comes through the garden. If you have a house in France and there is a pig farm next to it, a disco across the street, a road widening with a noise barrier or a noisy windmill, you're just out of luck.
Be careful, seek help
In the meantime, entire rows of Dutch or good English-speaking French have found a way to mediate between Dutch people who buy a house in France and French or Dutch or British (!) Regrets. That costs money. But is definitely advisable. But in that case, first investigate the reputation of the broker. Because where there is only the smell of money, entrepreneurs too often let themselves be dragged by their neo-liberal possibilities.
And certainly in the areas that are popular with 'foreigners', the local government has discovered these foreigners as a fantastic revenue model. It is not for nothing that many Dutch people give up on their French adventure after a few years. In an emergency, however, a Mediateur d'Etat can be called in free of charge. But in the meantime, tears have been shed and possibly blows have fallen. Monique and Branko prove that it can all go well. They now run their mini camping / gȊte 'Bonne Chance de France' in the French Ardennes in good harmony with everyone. By staying calm, they have overcome the bumps and oddities in the start-up process. And they are completely happy among all those French in France. Just like their (usually Dutch) visitors.
Nice lesson in real estate Dolf! That is something different from vehicles 😃