A strong offer

It was 29th December 2011, we had a viewing from a French couple, living in Crepy-En-Valois, in the Department of Oise, it is about 35 Km north of Paris.  This couple contacted me through Le boncoin, which is a French property website.  I immediately passed the information to Century 21 the estate agent acting on our behalf, and they arranged a viewing date for 29th December. The couple were so keen on buying the house they asked if it was possible to arrange a date for the signing of 'The Compromis de Ventre'. (this translates to: (Promise to sell agreement).

The Compromis de Ventre must be drawn up by a Notaire, which is equivalent to a solicitor in the UK, although an estate agent can draw this up, but must satisfy the Notaire.   The Compromis de Ventre is essentially adapted for the seller, who wants the purchaser to be committed to buy. Once a Compromis de Ventre is signed by both parties, there is a cooling off period of 7 days, were the purchaser can rescind the transaction for any reason. But once the contract is signed the seller does not have the right to rescind.

After the couple came to view the house, along with 6 members of his family, they agreed on the asking price for the house. Now, as we are not fluent in French we were very dependent on our estate agent, who can speak fluent English. So the couple told our estate agent he had approval for a bank loan, (something like a bridging load), until he sold his house. So a date was arranged to sign the Compromis de Ventre around 12th January 2012, which the estate agent would arrange with a Notaire.  Meantime it is necessary to have Termite and natural & environmental hazard inspections done to the house before this signing. This was arranged and completed on 6th January and is valid for 6 months. So all was going along well, and then the bomb shell dropped............ Century 21 telephoned a week before the signing to say the couple had been refused a bank loan.  Although they were still very keen on buying the house, they would have to wait to sell their own house So the appointment to sign The Compromis de Ventre was cancelled and we went back to square one.

One good think about all this is, the couple let us know they hadn't the finance before The Compromis de Ventre was signed. But it is also a lesson for us, have the proof of finance before signing. If The Compromis de Ventre had been signed, and we didn't know the finance was not available, we would not have the right to rescind. Therefore our house would have been taken off the market, and we would have been waiting for the prospective couple to sell their house, before completion.

Todays quote"
'Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier'  

Celebraties living in France

David & Victoria Beckham

The Domaine Saint-Vincent a €2m chateau just outside the village of Bargemon in the Var region of Provence France is the holiday home of David & Victoria Beckham.  Its a 19th century Chateau with 15 bedrooms, a swimming pool, chapel, farm and 250 acres of woodland.  It's situated about 20 mile inland from the Cote d'Azur.

The holiday home of David & Victoria Beckham

The village of Bargemon

The village of Bargemon is about 75 mins drive from Nice and Toulon. The village's spectacular position nestling in the hills among olive groves and woodlands, means that the roads from either direction is relentlessly windings. Research has shown that any child, or adult sitting in the back seat of a car will throw up at least 50% of the time you either leave or arrive in the village by car. Poor kids, but then, they probably get a flight or helicopter.



Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie

Not far from the Beckham's mansion is the home of Brad and Angelina. A $60 million Chateaux with 35 rooms. It has a vineyard, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, and is surrounded by a 1,000 acre forest.  It also has a lake, moat and 20 fountains.  The driveway alone is 3 miles long, and has his and her gym. The building is considered an historical monument.

The Chateaux is located in a tiny village called Brignoles, which is surrounded by forests and Vineyards. It has a large market known for its peaches, olives and honey. Some of the castles still standing date back to the 13th century.

Chateaux Miraval 

A short distance from the village is a medieval town which was the residence of the Counts of Provence.

Medieval Town

Tina Turner

Tina Turner has a holiday home in Villafranche-sur-Mer which adjoins the city of Nice overlooking the Mediterranean, which she visits monthly. Villafranche is located on the south east coast of France and is part of the community of Nice, the second largest city on the mediterranean coast. She calls her house Villa Anna Fleur and is set high above Vilafranche.
The view from this high vantage point is very impressive, as you can imagine, and includes a view of Elton Johns villa overlooking Nice.

The villa is unapproachable and invisible from the public highway and the property boundary is screened by a thirty foot high wall.

Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster

A secluded luxury villa in the south of France worth £3.3 million, this is the holiday home of Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster. 



The villa is set in about an acre of land, in the hills, overlooking Nice. It has four bedrooms, a nursery, swimming pool, spa, indoor gym and theater.

It is in a small village called Saint Paul-de-Vence, just outside Nice. I just had a look to see what the holiday prices are to rent a villa there, £5,000. to £7,500. per week. Saint Paul-de-Vence is a medieval hilltop walled village, located 25 miles from Nice. Since the 1900's Saint Paul-de-Vence has attracted famous painters such as, Monet, Van Gogh, and Picasso. It was in 1950's that the rich and famous discovered this jewel.

So this is how the rich and famous live, but would you live in a fortress, cut off from the world and worried for your safety and that of your children?

Quote for today:
"Money, if it doesn't bring you happiness, will at least help you to be miserable in comfort"