Looking To spend £800k in Provence

[Cannes Flat]

I found them on the internet search. Their website is Azur Assistance - Property consultants - Home. I dealt with Jean Philippe who speaks excellent English. He even changed the locks for us when we moved in!

[FrenchLiving]

I saw some land that would seem to be perfect for you...

I know the area, it's very nice and the view is great.

It's about 20 minutes from Cannes and half an hour from the airport.

Go to Riviera Home Finders website (paste it in google) and it's ref 2001

Hope that helps?

Janie

[busgrw]

Originally Posted by FrenchLiving

I saw some land that would seem to be perfect for you...

I know the area, it's very nice and the view is great.

It's about 20 minutes from Cannes and half an hour from the airport.

Go to Riviera Home Finders website (paste it in google) and it's ref 2001

Hope that helps?

Janie

Thanks Janie. I've had a look and although it seems like an ideal plot, it is slightly out of our budget as we are only able to spend about 400K (euros) on the land.

Also, thanks to everyone else who replied. Apologies for the lates response but my notification wasn't turned on so never got the updates.

Cheers.

[villasophie]

Hello,

Have you ever considered to look in de Languedoc area? There is much more value for money there. Of course it's different from the Provence but worth a visit and find out for yourself.

If you need advise concerning building or buying land in southern France, you can contact me. I'm a Dutch architect who works troughout the south of France. I have quite a lot of experience with all sorts of projects in France.

Best Regards,
André van der Marel
(Villasophie)
andre@villasophie.nl
+31 649622719

Originally Posted by busgrw

Hi,

I am considering looking for a plot of land and building a villa in Provence and I would be very grateful for any advice that people could offer. Is this such a good idea as I would not like to lose any money.

Ideally, I would love to live near the coast and because the Cote d'Azur is probably too expensive I am open to living anywhere down the coast towards Toulon (and further if it is worth it).

I suppose the main questions i'm looking answered are:

1 - Is it worth the money building my own villa?
2 - Will I lose money in the process?
3 - What sort of villa could I expect to build in this region?

Thanks for all your help.

[ONSA]

Originally Posted by busgrw

Hi,

I am considering looking for a plot of land and building a villa in Provence and I would be very grateful for any advice that people could offer. Is this such a good idea as I would not like to lose any money.

Ideally, I would love to live near the coast and because the Cote d'Azur is probably too expensive I am open to living anywhere down the coast towards Toulon (and further if it is worth it).

I suppose the main questions i'm looking answered are:

1 - Is it worth the money building my own villa?
2 - Will I lose money in the process?
3 - What sort of villa could I expect to build in this region?

Thanks for all your help.

Hi Busgrw,

Do not get me wrong but within that budget (even less) of yours you can build a project consists of 10 villas including the land in an excellent place called BELEK in TURKEY ( it is a place called Golf Paradise, you can check via google search ). You can live in one of villas and sell/rent the others. In case you need, we are a good and reliable construction/investment company in Turkey (ONSA-PROPERTY). Do not hesitate to ask anything as we do not charge for advice.

[Creekybaby]

Hi Busgrw
I have lived in Provence for 21 years, near a village called Trans-en-Provence, which is 5 ks from Draguignan. There is always lots of land for sale (especially now) in Provence. I have a friend who bought some land near the town of Lorgues, he is building his own villa on half the land. When he finishes that villa he will live in it & build the other villa & sell it. That will allow him virtually to pay for his land & the house he has built by the sale of the other villa.
Obviously in todays financial climate he might have a problem selling the other villa, however he just stops building it until the sale of houses improves in France. You might like to know that the sale of houses has dropped by 20% in the last 8 months, I know because my house is on the market now.

Wish you lots of luck, what you want can be done if you have some building experience & perhaps speak enough French to get artisans to help you.

good luck

Originally Posted by busgrw

Hi,

I am considering looking for a plot of land and building a villa in Provence and I would be very grateful for any advice that people could offer. Is this such a good idea as I would not like to lose any money.

Ideally, I would love to live near the coast and because the Cote d'Azur is probably too expensive I am open to living anywhere down the coast towards Toulon (and further if it is worth it).

I suppose the main questions i'm looking answered are:

1 - Is it worth the money building my own villa?
2 - Will I lose money in the process?
3 - What sort of villa could I expect to build in this region?

Thanks for all your help.

[Pierre Guillery]

Bonjour!

I'd like to offer a couple of suggestions, and then introduce a project which might be of interest.

First, a suggestion: why don't you "push further west", to the outskirt of Provence, at the border with Languedoc (mentioned in an earlier reply)? I am an advocate of the Uzège, a small region around Uzès, onto the West of the Rhone river, 20 miles from Avignon. Basically, Uzège is Provence as it used to be - at much more attractive prices. If you're not too hung up on the Riviera and want a place in the South of France, not too far from the sea, Uzès might be worth exploring. I have put together a 3-page document about Uzès, you're welcomed to have it - please ask. If you google gardprovencal, you will find a site with an English version describing the area pretty well.

A few years back, I've managed the construction of a 180 sq.m (1,900 sq.ft) villa for my parents, on a 1/2 acre plot, 1 mile from Uzès. Basically, in my view with £800,000 you've got more money than you need. However, I wouldn't stress enough the importance of being onsite for most of the project, or paying somebody you trust to do this for you. Speaking French is very, very very useful. Bottom line is: it's risky to trust GCs in France...

But before going any further, a question: are you really, absolutely, keen on building your own house, or would you not rather buy an old renovated house? With your budget you can get your hands quickly on a very nice 200 or 300 sq.m house with an acre of land, a pool and a landscaped garden - and still have enough to buy a small boat... I mean: why go through the hassle of spending a year with builders - when you can move in quickly? And old properties have a soul newbuild don't... (In case you think that's a worthwhile idea, then I suggest you spend the next six months looking around - and when you're done, prices will have fallen another 10%...)

Now, I have a project around Uzès, and this is the opportunity to mention it. Here's the concept, described on a website I put together:

"You’ve considered buying a house in France for a long time. You love Provence, its olive oil, warm weather and culture. You’ve been there many times – or you really want to go back. Ideally, you would be happy to spend a month of two each year when you retire. And it’s not far (a superfast rain ride away) from Paris or Barcelona. But you haven’t transformed the dream into reality yet: of course, there’s the cost – but also the complication of buying/renovating a house in a country a day’s travel away from home – and where they all speak French… In truth, you’re the ideal prospective buyer of a fractional share in a renovated estate in Languedoc, South of France.

You can become one of three investors interested in funding exactly such a project (a centuries-old renovated farmstead near Uzès, in the “other” Provence, converted into spacious apartments with all amenities: pool, guest suites, landscaped garden, concierge services, etc.), and claiming their profits both in cash and in kind – i.e. a 1/8th fraction (6 weeks per year in perpetuity) of an apartment. In one swift move, you would make your dream come true and get a substantially above-average return on your money. In other words: your vacation home pays for itself – and more." [A single investor would be welcomed too!]

If you want to find out more, please google francefractionalinvest (in one word!) and you should find the site. Otherwise, if you want advice about Uzès, ideas about househunting there - or finding an architect, I can help too - as I love the region, and I'd be happy to help people discover it!

Pierre
+33 (0)6 84 34 89 92
[Send a text message if you want my email!]