Rent  A  Traditional  Country
Farmhouse  in  South-West  France











How We Came to Live in France.

The Spook Effect ;or perhaps,

It Was Meant To Be

You can count the coincidences that led us to move to France. It was not part of some long held desire or great strategic plan.

  • It all began eighteen months ago. We start to learn business French, through work

We went once a week and can at least say hello, goodbye and order the beer and the coffee, ask for an invoice, check how long it takes to get (beer) delivered, and ensure we understand the directions (when asking the way to the bar). That's something we got right.

  • We both get laid off and two days later we get offered the temporary use of a house in France

Thanks to Mick and Tracy who were going on holiday and needed someone to feed the ducks and chickens, for the cost of a cheap flight, we got use of their car and house for a week. I can't publish the pictures of Yvonne and the ducks, for fear of attracting the wrong clientele.

  • We find a solution to unemployment first time

The possibility of renovating property as a living was being discussed before we went to France. While in France we go and look at only one house which is just right to renovate, let out part of it as supplemental income and still live in a rural setting. So we go home thinking about the possibilities of renovating where the weather is warmer.

  • We sell our house without it going on the market

We get our house valued to see if moving and doing our own renovation is financially possible. One estate agent calls to say they have a possible buyer who has "sold" their house. We agree to them looking round and get an offer at the asking price; so we accept.

  • By this time the house in France is sold

Having accepted the offer to purchase our house, we make an offer on the place in France, but too late. So we spend several days looking at houses for sale on the Internet. Decide we will have to visit France again to look, so make a short list and start contacting the agents.

  • We get offered use of another house in France for nothing

To keep the story short, I'll spare you the details, but we get a second offer of another house for nothing. So, the next coincidence is ...

  • A free Euro-tunnel trip adds to the coincidences

Another long story, anyway, this time we drive.

  • We arrive in France to another opportunity

We arrive on a Wednesday afternoon. A friend knows an estate agent who has "just the thing we are looking for". And that's it. We see it on Thursday afternoon and are in the notaire's office on Monday afternoon signing the contract. And you might think that's it, but ...

  • Our house sale falls through on the day of exchange

Despite the temporary panic this causes, we sell our house for more than the original sale price, to people who have sold theirs and are renting, need no mortgage and can therefore complete within weeks.

  • We need additional funds to complete all the renovations

We have a commercial building to sell, which is essential to enable us to complete the renovation. We anticipate this taking six months at least. However after a call from a friend, we sell it two days before signing an agents contract, saving fees and time, and the buyers rent it in the interim, so they can occupy it before completion of the sale.

Now if that's not spooky, what is?

Just to finish the story, a week before we depart from England, we get a call from the agents selling the first house we looked at in France. The sale has fallen through. Are we still interested? So if you're looking for a challenge, I know just the place!

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