AMERICAN BUYERS HUNTING FOR FRENCH PROPERTY - CASE STUDY - BRAD AND JENNY
Learn from the mishaps, common mistakes, and failures of other American buyers and international investors looking for and purchasing property in France!
Let’s learn from other American buyers in France - today’s REAL LIFE CASE STUDY? BRAD AND JENNY!
“Brad and Jenny” (we changed their names with their permission) are American buyers looking for a French property, initially as a holiday home, but with the potential for it to be somewhere to retire to in a few year’s time.
They had a budget of €500k of savings and they weren’t in a rush because they wanted to make sure they made the right decision! Jenny did have some French language skills from high-school and college, but Brad less so.
They both have demanding jobs in the US and taking vacation days and travelling to France is not only an investment of money but precious time!
While they really wanted to pursue the dream of owning French property, they have children (and grandchildren) spread throughout the USA and vacation days are precious!
They said would plan a viewing trip to France only when they had enough potential options short-listed. They were very organized, knew some French and knew some of the big aggregator sites to look on to search for their perfect French property!
We’re highlighting the experience of previous clients before they found us - “BRAD AND JENNY” as it may help your French property search and knowing you’re not alone with common frustrations!
How was Brad and Jenny’s experience hunting online for their dream French property?
Brad and Jenny spent A LOT of time looking for properties online, and just couldn’t find the sort of property that they knew they were looking for. They did Google searches, looked on Facebook groups, and even looked at Youtube to see what websites they could use to find their dream property!
They started contacting some real estate agencies in France and made sure to tell them what they were looking for. They had quite a focused set of search criteria - they were very clear on their wishlist and dealbreakers and made sure to communicate this to every agent they contacted!
The reality though, is that Jenny and Brad really found this whole process extremely frustrating and time consuming! They struggled to get responses back from the agents they contacted. When they did, they certainly didn’t get all their questions answered, the agents proposed other properties that were not at all suitable and sometimes, there was just never any response back!
And the worst part? What was meant to be an exciting phase of planning their next adventure in France was really losing its shine! The initial excitement of their French property search was becoming a daily grind... with little results!
This is one of the most unfortunate results we’ve seen with American buyers property hunting in France - that they lose the excitement and fun of looking for their perfect French property!
The initial excitement about buying property in France started to fade…
The thing is that nobody was pushing Jenny and Brad to buy French property! They didn’t “need” to buy a property in France for work or a job or family reasons or anything like that.
They quite simply wanted the excitement and adventure of owning property in France for themselves and their whole family!
But their quite legitimate attempts at contacting agents in France were so often met with silence or unhelpful suggestions of properties that were not right for them at all! And days turned into weeks and it seemed that their dream of finding the right French property to visit and hopefully fall in love with and buy was fading into the background.
Worse still, their family and extended family started thinking that they just weren’t ever going to pursue this dream and that they were wasting their time!
Brad and Jenny clearly needed something to change! They absolutely wanted this life-affirming adventure for themselves! But even they admitted to each other (and us) that their excitement and joy was giving way to anxiety and frustration.
What they really needed was a different strategy to contact real estate agents in France and to implement a more focused expert methodology for using the property search websites to find genuine potential French home options that could actually work for them!
We know firsthand - buying property in France can be an amazing adventure! Whether it’s a holiday home or a full time property, having a home base in France is an incredibly rewarding experience - as so it should be!
How did things change for Jenny and Brad?
Thankfully, Jenny and Brad didn’t let the frustrations and wasted time completely derail their dreams of owning their very own property in France ! But they knew that what they were doing so far just wasn’t working!
The American way of doing things and searching for property just didn’t seem to match the French realities of the real estate market in France - even when working with English speaking real estate agents!
Jenny and Brad completely changed how they were making first contact with real estate agents in France, giving some vital information about themselves and it resulted in getting more response back more quickly!
They also tweaked how they were using the search websites and property portals using some different filters and they started seeing more options of properties that were contenders. They even learned how to use the French language portals (which always seemed intimidating) and even got to grips with searching for FSBO properties and contacting sellers direct!
They started asking the real estate agents and a few sellers different questions about the properties that seemed interesting. This complete shift in their approach has meant that they have managed to put together a solid property shortlist for them to visit and they’ve now booked their viewing trip for later this summer.
And the best part? They’re now back to the initial excitement for pursing their dream of owning property in France, but this time backed by the knowledge that they have the right tools in place to actually make their dream happen!
This is one of the reasons we started French Property Focus. Brad and Jenny invested in our online course, and used the strategies and methodologies they learned to completely turn around their initially fruitless property search and actually move forward!
For us at French Property Focus, Brad and Jenny’s transformation is absolutely RESULT!! Not only have they gained valuable tools to move forward successfully with their property search in France, but they have newfound excitement and confidence in their ability to make the right French property purchase decision!
Jenny and Brad’s frustrations in searching for French properties the American way and getting nowhere are certainly not unique!
Frustrations like those that Jenny and Brad faced are exactly why FRENCH PROPERTY FOCUS exists! Yes, we give you the expert insight, proven tools and insider methodologies to move forward with your French property search knowing that you are saving money and not wasting time! Absolutely!
But what’s also critical for us is that through implementing our solutions for your French property search, Brad and Jenny regained the initial joy and excitement of finding their dream French property!
But this time it was different! It wasn’t just joy because they didn’t actually know the common pitfalls or issues that they could face searching for property in France! It wasn’t rose tinted glasses! It was real excitement because they had now gained the insight to move forward with confidence knowing that they had all the tools to make the right choice for them!
And for us at French Property Focus, that is certainly a positive result! They brought back the fun part of finding their dream life and perfect property in France. And you can do so to! Whether it’s a holiday home or permanent move!
Brad and Jenny’s experience property hunting in France is VERY common! WONDER WHY?
It’s because the American way of searching for properties just doesn’t work in France!
It’s not just about understanding property values or getting to grips with which areas are the best for you!
It’s about how the French real estate market works and how YOU as an American buyer who is relying more heavily on online searches and English-language information can truly inform yourself!
And before you conclude that you don’t actually need to educate yourself on how the French real estate market works because you’ll just listen to your real estate agent’s advice in France, then read our expert guide on why that’s just not a good idea!
For your French property search, it is absolutely within your power to make sure you save money (and avoid overpaying for French properties like many American and international buyers do)! It’s also absolutely within your control to learn the strategies to avoid wasting your own time!
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY FRENCH PROPERTY FOCUS EXISTS!
What lessons can we learn from Brad and Jenny’s French property search experience?
They key lesson to know is that the American way of searching for and buying property in France just doesn’t work!
It’s not just about the fact that there is no MLS in France! It’s not just the fact that in France, private direct sales (French equivalent of FSBOs) account for about 40% of all real estate transactions in France!
The differences in approaches, cultural nuances and standards and incentives go beyond that!
This all means that to truly save time, money and frustration when searching for your dream property in France, you need to get the right expert advice! Not just “information” but real solutions that you can implement to actually move forward and find your dream French property!
Get the expert tools, insider advice and proven methodology to actually educate yourself on French real estate and move forward with confidence and joy!
If you’re ready to get serious about finding your dream French property and purchasing a home in France confidently, then we can help!
Tired of looking at pretty pictures of lovely French properties online wondering if one of them could be right for you? Then get serious, invest in yourself and finally find your dream French property!
Check out our selection of resources below! Let us help you get knowledgeable, confident and empowered to successfully find and purchase property in France while saving serious money and avoiding the common pitfalls and costly mistakes!!
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THE ULTIMATE PROGAM FOR AMERICAN BUYERS PURCHASING FRENCH PROPERTY
Make sure you sign up for our brand new program launching soon! It’s our comprehensive roadmap for buying property in France specifically created for the unique requirements and needs of American buyers!
Stop struggling, wasting time and money trying to find a needle in a haystack! With our comprehensive roadmap, you will finally gain the knowledge and confidence to find, research, visit and purchase your dream French property!
Our program will help you avoid costly mistakes and frustrations so that you can finally make a decision that’s right for YOU and move forward with your French property purchase confidently and with joy!
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1-HOUR PERSONALIZED LIVE EXPERT CALL
We have a limited number of time slots available for a 1 hour live calls with buyers focusing on any topic of your choice related to French property!
During these calls, you can ask us anything related to the French property search - no question is too big or small!
Whether it’s the big questions about where to start looking, the best websites and property portals to use, how to contact real estate agents and sellers, or a specific question about negotiating an offer, how to understand the diagnostic reports, what to expect from your interaction with the French notaires, or even or what pitfalls to avoid with your French property purchase, we can help!
If you want a truly independent unbiased professional opinion on a specific situation you’re facing related to looking for and purchasing French properties, then we can help!
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EXPERT ONLINE COURSE - OPTIMIZING YOUR FRENCH PROPERTY SEARCH
Ready to leverage our years of French real estate expertise combined with our unique cultural insight to FINALLY find your Dream French property while saving serious money and maximizing your budget?
Want our expert advice on what are the best websites, property portals and aggregators to search for your French property with our step-by-step instructions on how to actually use them?
By implementing our proven methodology, you will be able to successfully find properties that are right for you, ask the right questions, make contact with real estate agents and even sellers sellers direct (FSBO opportunities) with a downloadable template on how to contact French real estate agents and sellers to get the best response?
Get the right tools, learn industry insider strategies, and be able to implement proven methodologies to finally find your dream property in France!
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Apply for Free Personalized Advice!
Every American buyer in France is different with their own unique search criteria, challenges and questions! No two French property searches are ever the same!
Want to get some FREE personalized expert advice? You’re in the right place! No obligation, no catch, just genuinely useful actionable expert advice for your French property search! Apply here!
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Free 30 Minute Masterclass!
BRAND NEW! Check out our 30 minute free masterclass revealing the 7 key mistakes we see American buyers in France making and sharing our top tips and expert advice on how you can avoid them!
You will gain the insight and knowledge to avoid these mistakes that could cost you money, lost time, missed opportunities and endless frustration!
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Free Expert advice - Our Blog!
Check out our blog where we share our expert strategies and industry secrets!
We share our insider tips helping you find your perfect French property! Whether you’re looking for a countryside property in Provence, a modern seaside villa on the French riviera, an apartment in Paris, or your very own chateau or castle in France, learn how to make your budget go further!
One of the best sources of our expert advice is our blog! We share our expert insight, market analysis and top tips and more!
All for free! Check out our blog here!