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Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
I've looked into it before. If you're going for somewhere in a lovely little French village then I was told you need to get permission from the local "council" (or the village elders or whatnot) so would need to learn the language in advance. Even at the place I looked at which was in a fairly run-down Burgundian town (Nolay) where you would have thought some foreign money would be really useful the lady we stayed with was a bit reticent - and I believe she was on said council.
Still, it is cheap. Even with the exchange rate it's cheap. Especially if you go for somewhere central like Bourgogne or Limousin.
This.
And beware that if the UK has a hard Brexit the rights of British nationals in France may be up in the air. For example, access to the French health service. And in rural areas of France Brits may not be popular if French farmers lose access to the lucrative British market.
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
I nearly bought a 5 bed medieval townhouse on the central square for £80k. Would have cost another £50k for "modernisation" though and I wasn't interested in getting a mortgage.
This clearly isn't best time to take pounds out of Britain- but there are scenarios where it might be advantageous.
You'll get bugger all keeping it in the bank and depending on the sum involved you might not have enough to put it into a lovely incoming generating London property.
So I could see a case for it- but it would have to be the right property in the right place generating the right income.
I'd suggest using a broker for such a deal- they usually charge 2% but the theory is they negotiate a cheaper price for you, get cheap finance deals (they get a kick back from the finance company and the agents as well).
We've used them successfully in London- I imagine having the language assistance would be an advantage as well.
French property law is notoriously opaque.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Property is still cheap round where he lives (near Limoges) and you get a lot for your money out in the sticks but the cost of living is surprisingly high..food prices are much more than here for instance.
https://www.frenchentree.com/living-in-france/real-life-stories/we-bought-a-vineyard/
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
Be aware that everything, apart from wine and diesel, has been more expensive than the UK for a long time and the crumbling pound is making that worse.
If you have the means to support yourself and can cope with the often frustratingly different ways of trying to get things done it is a better lifestyle than being in the UK for sure.
An an awful lot of people we know have set up businesses here and have ended up closing them down or returning to the UK as the beaurocracy has been impossible to deal with.
I've been visiting the in-laws there for the last 15 years or so, and have really started to see the cost of living rise in the last five or so years.
I always used to check out the property prices in the local paper, and remember looking at genuine chateaux for not much more than the cost of a decent house in the UK - certainly less than we paid for our current house ten years ago - and town houses could be had in Angouleme for less than I got for my maisonette in Wallsend when I sold it!
Since the 'financial crisis' i think France has reached a parity with the UK (although diesel and wine are indeed much better value!). The difference I find is that the food you can buy may well be the same price, but it's usually better quality. However, there's no way I'd ever consider buying a guitar there. Way pricey!