Buying tips for france part 2

11. Buying land in France Any purchase of a French property covering more than a hectare (2.47 acres) has to be referred to the Sociйtй d’Amйnagement Foncier et d’Etablissement Rural (SAFER), a body which has the right to pre-empt the sale if it feels that the property should remain in agricultural use; the notaire handling the sale will notify SAFER of the impending sale. SAFER rarely exercises its right, but if it does object to the sale, any agreement is null and void, so prepare yourself for disappointment; you will however be entitled to the return of your deposit. 12. Buying French property near a listed building If your dream home is near a listed building or site, there may be restrictions on the extent to which it can be altered or renovated (in some cases you may be told what materials and colours you can use). Check with the local Mairie. An organisation called Bвtiments de France is responsible for issuing and enforcing restrictions; each dйpartement has its own Architecte des Bвtiments de France, or ABF. 13. French property and planning permission Planning permission (un permis de construire) is needed to make any external alterations to a French property. If you are planning to buy a French home and alter it in this way, ensure that a conditional clause (clause suspensive) is included in the preliminary sales contract (compromis de vente), stating that the purchase is subject to obtaining planning and building permission; this way, if your planning application is turned down, the sale becomes null and void and your deposit will be returned. 14. Buying a French home with a septic tank Most homes in rural France have individual sewerage systems (fosse septique). Have an approved specialist carry out an inspection before you agree to buy, and get a cost estimate for any necessary works. According to French legislation, most homes in French village centres were supposed to be connected to mains drainage (tout а l’йgout) by the end of 2005, with owners paying connection charges; check with the vendor whether this has happened, and if not, ask at the Mairie to find out if this applies to the property you are considering. 15. Owning a French property with a swimming pool Installing a pool increases a property’s rental potential and letting rates; however, pools need regular cleaning and maintenance, which will add to the running costs of your French home. Planning permission is needed to install a pool of more than 20 square metres, and all new pools and existing pools in rented properties must have an approved safety system; all other pools will have to be fitted with the same by January 2006. 16. Building your own home in France Buying a plot and having a home built to spec is popular with the French. If you want to follow their lead, you will need to obtain a certificat d’urbanisme (confirming that the land may be built on) and planning permission (un permis de construire). Be prepared to supervise the construction, or hire an architect to do it for you. Building costs vary from Ђ500 to Ђ1,500 per square metre, depending on design and build quality. 17. Buying a building plot in France Known as terrains а bвtir or terrains constructibles, French building plots are usually 1,000 to 3,000 square metres, and cost between Ђ10,000 and Ђ40,000; naturally, prices vary according to location, and whether mains services are connected. They can be bought from estate agents, direct from the owner, or from builders (insist on separate contracts if you opt for a package deal from a builder). 18. Buying a French property off-plan The advantages of buying a new home in a development that has yet to be built include price (off-plan properties are often cheaper than homes that are already built); brand-new fixtures, fittings, insulation, ventilation and heating systems; lower deposit and registration fees, and exemption from property tax (taxe fonciиre) for two years from January 1 following the completion date. New build homes are generally high on comfort, and low on maintenance ideal for DIY dunces, older folk, and those who value the lock-up and go aspect. 19. Buying a resale property in France Buying a new (i. e. modern, as opposed to brand-new, yet to be built) home means you see exactly what you get. The value will depend on the build quality and design, the age of the property and how well it has been maintained (ask to see copies of invoices and details of any work carried out). Resale homes within mature developments may offer the benefits of well-established services and amenities. 20. Buying a French home for retirement Older folk planning to retire to France should look carefully when purchasing a home, checking for proximity to services and amenities, public transport, shops, doctors and hospitals, and the availability of transport links back to the UK (you may be planning to retire permanently to France, but unforeseen circumstances can prompt a quick cross-Channel trip). A modern, low-maintenance home in an accessible town with good facilities might be a wise choice.

Preventing garden invasions

I never really thought of weeds as being evil, but occasionally a plant finds its way into your garden and refuses to leave. It turns into a stubborn house guest, spreading its roots through every available patch of dirt, and paying no heed to existing plants in their quest for dominance. You'll spend an entire season pulling and possibly even spraying, but eventually you'll see them rearing their ugly heads, almost in defiance. Ridding your garden of these invasive plants is not just a personal peeve; these pests can smother native plants that provide food and habitats for birds and insects. There are approximately 50,000 non-indigenous species in the United States that have created damage and losses totaling about $137 billion per year. This has become a genuine concern in the State of Oregon, so much so that The Oregon Zoo and the Three Rivers Land Conservancy are publicly campaigning to remove certain invasive plants. The Oregon Zoo has pledged to remove 20 percent of six of the invasive plants on their property, with a goal of removing 90 percent within 10 years. The culprits they are focusing on include English Ivy, Himalayan blackberry, butterfly bush, traveler's clematis, Japanese knotweed and drooping sedge. The Three Rivers Land Conservancy in conjunction with the West Willamette Restoration Partnership, local businesses, government organizations and 15 neighborhood associations is working to create a Backyard Habitat Certification Program. Their intention is to educate and provide incentives to homeowners to rid their yards of ivy, blackberry, knotweed and traveler's clematis, along with garlic mustard and periwinkle. Part of their program will involve home visits, handouts, workshops and a three-part certification program that provides signs, gift certificates and event tickets. Incentives are increased based on the percentage of invasive plants removed by homeowners, and the amount of re-planting of native plants. Their goal is to remove ivy from trees in 300 acres and 90 percent of the six plants in 50 acres. Although a labor intensive solution, the best fight against invasive plants is to pull them out, and keep on pulling until they stop coming up. They need sunlight to survive, the less they get, the harder it is to perpetuate.

A real estate formula

: It was a simple real estate formula. The ads ran in our small-town newspaper for years before I realized exactly what was going on. They were always the same: A house for sale with 5% down and payments of 1% of the purchase price. Maybe a three bedroom home for $90,000, for example, with $4,500 down and $900 per month payments. When a friend started doing the same thing he explained the process to me. It was a way to get a great return on capital, and it was the opposite of buying with no money down. There is no down payment at all when you buy, because you buy for cash. The Simple Real Estate Formula You probably know that when you buy for cash, you can often get a much better price. With no financing contingencies in the offer, and the promise of a faster closing, sellers are willing to sell for less. You can offer $95,000, for example, on a house that might be worth $108,000. If you can't get it for less than, say, $99,000, you walk away - there are always other opportunities. Once you buy the house, you put few thousand into high-return repairs and improvements. These might include paint, carpet, and maybe asphalt for a dirt driveway. For our example, we'll say you spend $5,000. Let's suppose the house is worth $116,000 now. You're ready for the next important step in this real estate formula. You put it up for sale, targeting buyers who can't get financing easily. You provide the financing. Because you are making it easy for the buyer, you can get more than the $116,000 value for the home - and do it without paying a realtor's commission. Let's say you sell it for 123,000. The buyer needs a down payment of just 5%, or $6,150, and makes monthly payments of $1230 per month. You charge higher interest than the going rates at the banks, of course. This is a win-win situation. Your buyer is able to buy a home instead of renting, and you get a capital gain of perhaps $16,000 after expenses, plus good interest. Your total rate of return will often be over 20%! In our town, the first to do this consistently were a father and son team of lawyers. They saved money by doing their own foreclosures when necessary. Once they foreclosed, they raised the price and sold the home all over again. They made millions. Did you know that if you can get an average return of 18% on your money, you'll turn $75,000 into more than one million dollars in about fifteen years? That's the power of a good real estate formula.

Pei a great holiday destination and a smart real estate investment

PEI, in terms of a holiday destination, could be compared with Martha's Vineyard. The island offers accomodations at quaint little inns and there are many unique craft boutiques across the island. PEI has all the attractions without the crowds and expense. As a result of PEI's desirability as a holiday destination, and PEI was voted one of the Top 10 island destinations, waterfront and other PEI real estate available makes for a great investment. Buy a lot and build your dream cottage or summer home or choose from a catalog of recreational PEI real estate on the market, either way you are assure of a great investment. Your property may sit directly on the ocean or in a more protected inlet or river. Look at any map of PEI and you will see that the reason PEI boasts so much waterfront real estate is due to its jagged coastline, dotted with bays and inlets. Your PEI real estate investment can work for you in two ways. Firstly your PEI waterfront recreational property will provide accomodation to you and your family when you come to the island for your very own PEI island vacation. Secondly, the rest of the season you can rent your holiday paradise to other vacationers. Typically rates charged per week are the equivalent of a months mortgage - so you can see that you can look forward to holidays without the cost of accommodation, while still building equity in your PEI real estate investment. Later, you can liquidate that investment to add to your retirement or pass along this very worthwhile real estate to your children. Access to the island is easye by car and cross the Straits using the Confederation Bridge or the Wood Islands ferry or if arriving from farther afield choose a direct flight from Boston or Toronto to Charlottetown Airport. International flight arrive at Halifax only 3 hours by car from PEI - rent a car at the airport or use one of the regular shuttle services. So plan to visit PEI soon, and see why its called "the Gentle Island". Be sure and check out real estate while you are here.

A secret to real estate profits follow the builder

As the real estate market cools, the profit potential of home ownership has cooled as well. Here’s a strategy called “follow the builder.” It is relatively easy to make a profit when you sell your home if the market is rising sharply like it has been in most of the country for the last three years. It becomes more difficult when a hot market slows down. It’s very difficult to make a profit on the sale of your home when prices are falling. Is there a way to be relatively sure you’ll make a profit when you sell your home? There is under all but the most negative market conditions. In fact, I’ve seen young, energetic couples use this maneuver multiple times when they don’t even need to move. Follow That Builder In many areas of the country, there are builders who build hundreds of houses each year within a fifty mile radius of each other. They build entire communities or are one of three to five builders who build entire communities around big employment centers. This present you with an important opportunity. New Community Builders will typically sell first phases of communities for significantly less than later phases. On one hand, they need to get the cash flow moving. On the other, it is harder to sell at high prices because the community typically consists of dirt lots and construction equipment. Put the hands together and you have a great profit opportunity. The idea is to get in on the first phase of the build out. You will purchase the home at a discount, which gives you built in equity. As the community is built up, you sell the home for a profit at a higher price. While you’re doing this, you keep tabs on the builders projects and find another location where you can do the same thing. You’ll end up living in each house for a year or more and picking up nice profits along the way. The only real downside is you have to move repeatedly. Tax Consequences I’ve seen this work well for a number of people who have done it more than once. However, you need to be aware that generating profit this way can have tax consequences. You need to discuss your plans (including projected timing and profit potential) with your tax professional so that you are prepared to deal with any tax consequences.

What you need to know about a rental agreement

A rental agreement is a legally binding contract between the landlord and the tenant that outlines the terms and conditions of the rental. This contract document is made up of many components. They are:- 1. The rental agreement should be very specific on the subject of abandonment. It must clearly define the landlord’s options if the tenant leaves the property without notice? 2. It should outline the alterations that a tenant can make to the property. The rental agreement should clearly state the kind and extend of the alteration that is allowed or not. 3. The rental agreement should touch on the subleasing. As subleasing is very popular today, the rental agreement should state your stand very clearly on this subject to avoid future misunderstanding. 4. The rental agreement should also state very clearly what will happen in the case of defaulting on a payment. The late fees should also be outlined in the rental agreement. The tenant should know up front how much they will be penalized. 5. As a landlord you should have access to your property for inspection. The rental agreement should detail when and how you will be able to enter the property in order to inspect it, etc. State laws vary on this subject and your rental agreement should conform to the law of the state. 6. The rental agreement should state who is responsible for the maintenance of the property. If it is a joint responsibility, it should clearly state who is responsible for what. 7. Payment methods should be outlined on the rental agreement so that the tenant knows how they can pay the landlord. 8. Like maintenance, utilities are a huge part of any rental agreement. It should be clear on who will pay what bill, as well as which utilities are included in the monthly rent. All of the above are important components to any rental agreement. In addition since state laws differ, a rental agreement can have additional clauses depending on where you are located. The first place, and usually the best place, that you may want to search for a rental agreement is on the Internet. There are several websites that will supply you with the rental agreement form that you are looking for. One of the more reputable services is located at rentalagreements. net. You have to pay a small price to purchase the rental agreement that is appropriate for your state but it is much better than drafting your own rental agreement and taking the chance of missing out on something that is crucial. The other way to get hold of a rental agreement is to get in touch with a real estate agency. If you are lucky, they may even be able to supply you with a sample rental agreement that you can customize and use as your own. A rental agreement is something that you must have if you are going to be renting out any property. State laws differ and your rental agreement needs to meet the laws and requirements of your state in addition to also outlining every aspect of the lease in detail.