House valuation

[L Austin France]

We've lived in our present house for 17 years & often wondered what it is now worth.
A lady we know who works for a local agency of a national estate agent agreed to give us a professional valuation & arrived this morning to give us the news.
Having been out of the house buying market for ages &, having no inclination to sell, we had no idea as to the value other than vague figures we both thought so sat quietly whilst she explained all the criteria as to how the vauation had been arrived at.
Well, what a surprise! The valuation the agents arrived at was just under double what we both thought it might be.
Don't know whether this is a reflection of our ignorance of current market prices or we were just being pessimistic in our own valuation but either way it's good to know that the efforts we put into turning the original wreck into a house we love living in were not wasted.

[Lori]

Congrats. It is a seller's market. Prices have become silly. We've been looking for a house to purchase for more than a year now. Values have skyrocketed over the last 2.5 years. Some parts of France seem to still be 'somewhat' affordable, but all areas have seen large increases in value.

[Sparkle]

@L Austin France that's good news for you - are you thinking of moving?

[L Austin France]

@L Austin France that's good news for you - are you thinking of moving?

Not thinking of moving until we decide that horses & 3Ha of land etc get to much for us in our dotage.
Nice surprise non the less.

[hughnique]

I often think about downsizing preferably to a bungalow, perhaps new build, with all mod cons, this place with an acre and a half is a constant circle of weeding etc. Only fly is I know if we sold, that old chestnut about going back to UK would rear it's ugly head.

[Blaze]

I know if we sold, that old chestnut about going back to UK would rear it's ugly head.

It can be a problem if a couple are not in agreement whether to remain in France or move back - not everyone comes to live in France with the intention of staying.
The difficulty with returning to the UK can be deciding where to live, and finding somewhere affordable .....

[MAD87]

Congrats. It is a seller's market. Prices have become silly. We've been looking for a house to purchase for more than a year now. Values have skyrocketed over the last 2.5 years. Some parts of France seem to still be 'somewhat' affordable, but all areas have seen large increases in value.

This is true, even here in "cheap" Limousin. There are plenty of prospective buyers around, trying to beat the inevitable loan interest rises - current and to come.
We inadvertently upsized 4 years ago, but we knew where we wanted to be and seized one of the few opportunities that came along.

[Blaze]

We inadvertently upsized 4 years ago, but we knew where we wanted to be and seized one of the few opportunities that came along.

Excellent investment if eventually you want to downsize ! Whilst we didn't upsize, we bought somewhere bigger than we had intended but it ticked all the boxes and was where we wanted to be.
Prices in our area have rocketed and small properties have been snapped up by people wanting secondaires. This was particularly prevalent during the first 2 Covid years : people wanting somewhere to escape to from places like Paris.

[Lori]

This is true, even here in "cheap" Limousin. There are plenty of prospective buyers around, trying to beat the inevitable loan interest rises - current and to come.
We inadvertently upsized 4 years ago, but we knew where we wanted to be and seized one of the few opportunities that came along.

Thank goodness we don't have to deal with the mortgage aspect. We are cash buyers, which does help to some degree on negotiating, but not much in this market. Most of what we see has been badly maintained. I'd say 50% of what we see needs nearly a total interior renovation and often exterior to boot.

Never have understood home owners who do not take care of their property.

[Quiksilver]

Have a heart, Lori! Given the eye-watering price of bricolage materials in France, and the ever-increasing cost of employing a good artisan, is it any wonder that so many French houses aren't very well maintained? Add in the French attitude that DIY is work, not pleasure, and all is explained