What is the Leaseback concept?
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
Leaseback (noun): A property which is bought and then the lease of the property is given to a management company, which markets the property and pays a guaranteed rental.
The leaseback concept was introduced in France during the late 1960s, when the number of tourists visiting the country started to rise dramatically. At this time, there was not enough quality holiday accommodation in the most popular areas, and this led the French government to encourage investment in the construction of tourist residences. As an incentive to investors, the government allowed the VAT (19.6% for new build properties) on the purchase price of properties built for tourism or ‘leaseback’ purposes, to be recovered, representing a significant saving on the purchase price. This incentive, combined with massive investments in roads, trains and supporting infrastructures, and the obvious climatic, culinary and cultural benefits, led France to become the world’s most visited country with over 80 million visitors in 2007.
French property exhibition hits London
Thursday, September 10th, 2009
London is the place to be for those looking to buy French property this year, according to the organisers of a new exhibition.
French property of all shapes and sizes will be on display at the Olympia in London from September 11th to 13th as part of the French Property Exhibition, back by popular demand after a successful show in Harrogate earlier in 2009.
Editor of French Property News Karen Tait said: ‘Many French properties have come down in price significantly over recent months, more than outweighing any exchange rate difficulties.
‘There are some real bargains out there for anyone house hunting in France at the moment. And as the pound starts to rally against the euro, French property can only represent even better value.’
She adds that many savvy French property buyers are also using their investment as a prime opportunity to take advantage of the low rates offered for French mortgages.
Relocation advice website expatforum.com recently recommended French property as an excellent choice for families beginning a new life overseas.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
French property of all shapes and sizes will be on display at the Olympia in London from September 11th to 13th as part of the French Property Exhibition, back by popular demand after a successful show in Harrogate earlier in 2009.
Editor of French Property News Karen Tait said: ‘Many French properties have come down in price significantly over recent months, more than outweighing any exchange rate difficulties.
‘There are some real bargains out there for anyone house hunting in France at the moment. And as the pound starts to rally against the euro, French property can only represent even better value.’
She adds that many savvy French property buyers are also using their investment as a prime opportunity to take advantage of the low rates offered for French mortgages.
Relocation advice website expatforum.com recently recommended French property as an excellent choice for families beginning a new life overseas.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
Topless sunbathing best kept for French property?
Thursday, July 30th, 2009
France may historically have taken a liberal attitude towards baring all on the beach, but a new survey has suggested British tourists may want to keep topless sunbathing to the confines of their French property.
The French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) has uncovered a sea-change in attitudes towards topless sunbathing, with 33 per cent of French women questioned agreeing that baring all on the beach is now a social no-no.
A reported 23 per cent of those surveyed even went so far as to say they would be ‘perturbed’ if confronted by the sight of a topless tourist catching some rays.
However, French property and all-over tan lovers alike will be relieved to know that 57 per cent of the women interviewed agreed that stripping off in the privacy of your own French property garden is entirely acceptable.
A recent study by TravelAdvisor found that Brits on holiday in French property and other sunshine locations spend an average of two hours and 53 minutes per day topping up their tans.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
The French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) has uncovered a sea-change in attitudes towards topless sunbathing, with 33 per cent of French women questioned agreeing that baring all on the beach is now a social no-no.
A reported 23 per cent of those surveyed even went so far as to say they would be ‘perturbed’ if confronted by the sight of a topless tourist catching some rays.
However, French property and all-over tan lovers alike will be relieved to know that 57 per cent of the women interviewed agreed that stripping off in the privacy of your own French property garden is entirely acceptable.
A recent study by TravelAdvisor found that Brits on holiday in French property and other sunshine locations spend an average of two hours and 53 minutes per day topping up their tans.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
French property owners in the money?
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Owners of French property may be entitled to a tax rebate which could see them claim back thousands of pounds, it has been reported.
Holiday home owners who have invested in French property, or in other locations across Europe, have until July 31st to claim a tax rebate if they have rented out their property for less than the cost of the mortgage, meaning casual renters may be in the money.
Tax director of chartered accounts firm Langdowns DFK Graeme Lovell tells the Times: ‘The value of this relief can be very significant.
‘If you have a property worth £150,000 and a third of that qualifies for capital allowances, you could make a claim of more than £50,000.’
Furnished holiday lettings relief could apply to UK-based French property owners who may have preferred to rent out their property for only part of the year, rather than as a consistent letting investment, the newspaper reports.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs states that French property rented out as a holiday home is treated in the same way as a trade for loss purposes, resulting in the tax break.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
Holiday home owners who have invested in French property, or in other locations across Europe, have until July 31st to claim a tax rebate if they have rented out their property for less than the cost of the mortgage, meaning casual renters may be in the money.
Tax director of chartered accounts firm Langdowns DFK Graeme Lovell tells the Times: ‘The value of this relief can be very significant.
‘If you have a property worth £150,000 and a third of that qualifies for capital allowances, you could make a claim of more than £50,000.’
Furnished holiday lettings relief could apply to UK-based French property owners who may have preferred to rent out their property for only part of the year, rather than as a consistent letting investment, the newspaper reports.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs states that French property rented out as a holiday home is treated in the same way as a trade for loss purposes, resulting in the tax break.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
French property market lifted by euro-loving Brits?
Friday, July 24th, 2009
The French property market is still alive and kicking, thanks in large part to British buyers and sellers taking advantage of the exchange rate, it has been claimed.
According to UK-based French property specialists Latitudes, British residents investing in French property in the past few years have seen an increase in the value of their second home due to the euro’s current strong standing against sterling.
Latitudes’ Chris Bishop tells the Independent: "The euro has strengthened against the pound and this means that Britons who have bought in France have enjoyed an uplift.
"Quite a few are looking to cash in which ensures a steady supply of new instructions."
British investors are still entranced by French property, according to the newspaper, which cites the country’s long summers, history and culture, food, wine and stunning countryside as being among its many attributes.
Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics confirmed the popularity of French property and Spanish property, with the two countries shown to gain the lion’s share of UK tourism.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
According to UK-based French property specialists Latitudes, British residents investing in French property in the past few years have seen an increase in the value of their second home due to the euro’s current strong standing against sterling.
Latitudes’ Chris Bishop tells the Independent: "The euro has strengthened against the pound and this means that Britons who have bought in France have enjoyed an uplift.
"Quite a few are looking to cash in which ensures a steady supply of new instructions."
British investors are still entranced by French property, according to the newspaper, which cites the country’s long summers, history and culture, food, wine and stunning countryside as being among its many attributes.
Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics confirmed the popularity of French property and Spanish property, with the two countries shown to gain the lion’s share of UK tourism.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
Owners realising rental value of French property?
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
The number of people placing their holiday homes up for rental, including those with French property, is steadily increasing, it has been claimed.
More and more people are realising the potential letting value of second homes abroad, with French property among the growing amount of overseas homes finding their way onto the rental market, according to holidaylettings.co.uk.
Spokesperson for the website Kate Stinchcombe commented: "Our gross comes from people advertising their holiday homes for rental and we are growing at a rate of a thousand new properties a month.
"Lots of our growth has come from people who have owned their second home for quite a long time but have not previously realised that it had a value."
She added that a recent survey of people with holiday homes by the website revealed that 43 per cent were using the extra income generated by French property and others to help pay off their mortgages.
Recent figures from Holiday-Rentals show that French property in the Cote d’Azur region is one of the top ten destinations for holiday-let travellers.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
More and more people are realising the potential letting value of second homes abroad, with French property among the growing amount of overseas homes finding their way onto the rental market, according to holidaylettings.co.uk.
Spokesperson for the website Kate Stinchcombe commented: "Our gross comes from people advertising their holiday homes for rental and we are growing at a rate of a thousand new properties a month.
"Lots of our growth has come from people who have owned their second home for quite a long time but have not previously realised that it had a value."
She added that a recent survey of people with holiday homes by the website revealed that 43 per cent were using the extra income generated by French property and others to help pay off their mortgages.
Recent figures from Holiday-Rentals show that French property in the Cote d’Azur region is one of the top ten destinations for holiday-let travellers.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
French property offers ‘rich pickings’ for Brits
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
The current state of the French property market means that British people buying abroad can more than make up for the weak sterling, it has been claimed.
Previously maintained by high overseas investment, the French property bubble recently burst, allowing Maxwell Buller of Bournemouth to snap up a French property in the Dordogne countryside for almost £30,000 below its asking price.
Mr Buller told the Guardian: "That reduction has roughly compensated for the slide in the euro-sterling exchange rate and allows me enough to do some renovation work.
"I’ll go there roughly once every three weeks to get the work done, then I expect it will be about ten weeks a year in two or three visits. It’s a dream come true."
Mr Buller’s bought his two-bedroom French property for just £82,000, compared to the original asking price of £110,000, the newspaper reports.
Recent statistics from the Office of National Statistics showed that French property is still the most popular holiday choice for British travellers.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
Previously maintained by high overseas investment, the French property bubble recently burst, allowing Maxwell Buller of Bournemouth to snap up a French property in the Dordogne countryside for almost £30,000 below its asking price.
Mr Buller told the Guardian: "That reduction has roughly compensated for the slide in the euro-sterling exchange rate and allows me enough to do some renovation work.
"I’ll go there roughly once every three weeks to get the work done, then I expect it will be about ten weeks a year in two or three visits. It’s a dream come true."
Mr Buller’s bought his two-bedroom French property for just £82,000, compared to the original asking price of £110,000, the newspaper reports.
Recent statistics from the Office of National Statistics showed that French property is still the most popular holiday choice for British travellers.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
French property remains top holiday choice
Friday, July 17th, 2009
French property and Spanish property remain the top choice among UK tourists, new statistics have revealed.
Newly-published figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have shown that travel to the two countries is as popular as ever among Brits, with French property and Spanish property gaining the lion’s share of UK tourism.
Despite an overall drop of 0.6 per cent year on year for travel in 2008, 36 per cent of all tourists from the UK elected to holiday in French property and Spanish property, according to write-about-property.com.
Italy property and Portugal property also featured in the ONS top ten, coming in at numbers five and seven, respectively.
Other popular destinations for British tourists in 2008 included the US at number three, Ireland at four and Germany at seven.
Director of propertyabroad.com Les Calvert recently suggested that investors could snap up a bargain French property as the country is currently going through a property price slump.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
Newly-published figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) have shown that travel to the two countries is as popular as ever among Brits, with French property and Spanish property gaining the lion’s share of UK tourism.
Despite an overall drop of 0.6 per cent year on year for travel in 2008, 36 per cent of all tourists from the UK elected to holiday in French property and Spanish property, according to write-about-property.com.
Italy property and Portugal property also featured in the ONS top ten, coming in at numbers five and seven, respectively.
Other popular destinations for British tourists in 2008 included the US at number three, Ireland at four and Germany at seven.
Director of propertyabroad.com Les Calvert recently suggested that investors could snap up a bargain French property as the country is currently going through a property price slump.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
French property a religious haven?
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
Anyone seeking a heavenly French property with something a bit special to offer may want to think about investing in an old church in the country.
French property that comes with its own personal church may be something of a rarity, but that’s exactly what one family have put up for sale with their luxury six-bedroom property located half an hour from Toulouse.
The renovated French property has been completely renovated, with many of the original features retained, including the floor and exposed wooden beams throughout, according to countrylife.co.uk.
Meanwhile the church itself is made of stone and features a vaulted ceiling that would make it a perfect music room for those preferring an alternative to private worship, the website reports.
However, the French property comes with a not-so-heavenly price tag, being currently on the market for an asking price of 577,500 euros [£495,740].
Property hunters with a passion for music may also be interested to know that iconic singer Edith Piaf’s former French property was recently placed on the market, according to the Telegraph.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
French property that comes with its own personal church may be something of a rarity, but that’s exactly what one family have put up for sale with their luxury six-bedroom property located half an hour from Toulouse.
The renovated French property has been completely renovated, with many of the original features retained, including the floor and exposed wooden beams throughout, according to countrylife.co.uk.
Meanwhile the church itself is made of stone and features a vaulted ceiling that would make it a perfect music room for those preferring an alternative to private worship, the website reports.
However, the French property comes with a not-so-heavenly price tag, being currently on the market for an asking price of 577,500 euros [£495,740].
Property hunters with a passion for music may also be interested to know that iconic singer Edith Piaf’s former French property was recently placed on the market, according to the Telegraph.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
Bargains to be had in French property market
Thursday, July 16th, 2009
A recent slump in the French property market could present buyers seeking French property with the perfect opportunity to snap up a bargain, it has been claimed.
Blamed on a lower number of UK buyers investing in holiday properties due to the financial constraints of the recession, the French property market could reportedly offer those with disposable income a mouth-watering selection of bargain homes.
Director of propertyabroad.com Les Calvert comments: "Property sales have only really declined in the last few months.
"Analysts on the ground think prices will start to fall later this year, at which point the bargain hunters will start to find what they are looking for."
French property is the third most popular choice for UK residents looking to invest in a property overseas, according to the website.
Howard Bilton, chairman of the Sovereign Group, recently told the Guardian that an increasing popularity of properties in tax havens could lead to large drops in price on luxury French property in the south of the country.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
Blamed on a lower number of UK buyers investing in holiday properties due to the financial constraints of the recession, the French property market could reportedly offer those with disposable income a mouth-watering selection of bargain homes.
Director of propertyabroad.com Les Calvert comments: "Property sales have only really declined in the last few months.
"Analysts on the ground think prices will start to fall later this year, at which point the bargain hunters will start to find what they are looking for."
French property is the third most popular choice for UK residents looking to invest in a property overseas, according to the website.
Howard Bilton, chairman of the Sovereign Group, recently told the Guardian that an increasing popularity of properties in tax havens could lead to large drops in price on luxury French property in the south of the country.
Visit Rightmove Overseas for the best selection of French property. Stop dreaming, start searching!
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