AMERICAN BUYERS HUNTING FOR FRENCH PROPERTY - CASE STUDY - TED AND ANNIE
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? TED AND ANNIE!
“Ted and Annie” (we changed their names with their permission) are Americans looking to buy a holiday home in France with a €1m budget.
They’re experienced at buying and selling property in the US and have real estate investments, including owning two properties that they rent out. Certainly in the US, they are well experienced in the American property market with both buying and selling! And they thought that this experience would really inform their property purchase process in France..
Ted and Annie hired a broker in the US who they’d worked with before, who went on to sign a referral agreement with a French real estate agency to find Ted and Annie their perfect French property.
Neither the US broker, nor Ted and Annie understood how the French real estate market works. Ted and Annie were looking at quite a wide area of France, in several departments and regions. This means that working with just one French real estate agency (which is often very local) was a mistake! But Ted and Annie certainly didn’t know that and neither did their American broker!
The French real estate agency however was happy to take the referral. After all, they were happy to show the high-budget American buyers their own properties in their local area in the hopes that one of them might just be the one… But the reality was that the French real estate agency had little motivation or real incentive to educate Ted and Annie or the US broker on how things actually worked in France!
We’re highlighting the experience of previous clients before they found us - “TED AND ANNIE” as it may just resonate with you and your French property journey - the struggles and frustrations!
How was Ted and Annie’s experience working with the French real estate agency?
Annie kept sending through links to properties online that she had seen and liked. They were from various websites and portals that Annie and Ted had come across online. And even property listings with “introducers” property listings which Ted and Annie didn’t realize were just introducers and not real estate agents. What are introducers?
Introducers are often English-speaking websites and portals which are very limited in their property offering and work with multiple real estate agencies in France - they literally “introduce” the buyer to the real estate agency - they just act as a lead generation business essentially!
As the French real estate agency covered quite a limited geographic area, all of the property listings that Annie kept on sending to “her French real estate agent” were actually not listings with that specific real estate agency!
So, what did this mean? This meant that the French real estate agent couldn’t give Annie and Ted more information on those properties that were not theirs to sell (remember, there is no MLS in France) and importantly, the French real estate agent was not incentivized to sell those listings! So a lot of requests for additional information on those properties were greeted with very general information, a lack of real response, or a gentle steering towards other properties that were part of the French real estate agency’s property portfolio.
And the worst part?
Ted and Annie wasted a lot of their time, and got very frustrated. Their French property dream didn’t move forwards. It got STUCK!
Ted and Annie’s experience is quite common in France! Many American buyers hunting for property in France face these frustrations!
What happened next with Ted and Annie’s French property search?
Ted and Annie obviously needed to get a better understanding of how the system works in France.
What changed everything for them and their French property search was realizing that most of their previous substantial experience of buying and selling properties in the US was just not relevant for their property search in France!
But the real transformation happened when they took action and learned the rules of how French real estate works! What really changed everything for Annie and Ted was learning some new strategies and methodologies that they never needed in the US property market!
Here’s the thing, many experienced American buyers think the rules of French property is the same as American property - tips like price per foot squared (or meters squared), comps, property valuations, tips like location, location, location and others seem like they should transfer across international boundaries… right?!?
But what many American and international buyers in France just don’t until after having wasted time, money and faced countless frustrations is that it’s not just about the rules of properties in France, but the rules of the French real estate market as a whole being so very different!!
After all, you don’t know what you don’t know… right?
It’s true! Having some previous experience buying property in the US and knowledge of the US real estate market can be deceiving! Many American buyers just don’t realize how little of that experience helps them in any real way with their French property search!
How did Ted and Annie’s French property search change?
Through truly educating themselves on how the French real estate market actually works (including how to actually work with real estate agencies in France!), Ted and Annie got:
Proven strategies to define and narrow down what they were looking for
Expert insights on where and how to look using their new specific search criteria - online and offline!
A real methodology to use when they weren’t finding enough options for their French property search to find more hidden gems
Ted and Annie stopped focusing on just getting “information” but instead, on actually finding real solutions to help them move forward with their French property search!
And the good news?!? Annie and Ted are excited again about their French dream and finally feel confident about actually finding and purchasing their dream French property on their own terms!
They feel reinvigorated with their newfound understanding and confidence of French real estate and have now booked a viewing trip for this summer! And they’ve been able to contact a mix of real estate agents in France and even sellers direct and ask the right questions to actually narrow down a short list of properties that could truly be right for them!
Ted and Annie were actually one of the first people to buy our online course on how to optimize your French property search!
As we’ve developed our online courses and downloadable guides aimed at helping American buyers truly learn and get empowered about purchasing property in France, we think about Annie and Ted’s first frustrating experiences property hunting in France!
Annie and Ted’s early French property hunting frustrations are the reason why FRENCH PROPERTY FOCUS exists!
As we look back at what experiences inspired us to start French Property Focus and really focus on educating and empowering American buyers in France, Annie and Ted’s early experiences are at the forefront of our mind!
They are just one real-life example, but their story is certainly not unique! It’s a scenario that is played over again and again in France!
For us, Annie and Ted were some of our original inspirations for undertaking our mission to educate and truly empower buyers in France!
Annie and Ted were ready to give up and conclude that buying property in France was just too risky or a dream too far! But, then they found us and through our online course, they were able to not only learn but implement our expert strategies to actually move forward with their French property search!
For us at French Property Focus, that is RESULT!
Is Ted and Annie’s experience unique? Certainly not!
The fundamental challenge that Ted and Annie faced is one that many American buyers face in France!
There is a lack of knowledge from other market players and a lack of incentives to truly educate American buyers!
The US referring broker didn’t understand French real estate and importantly how French real estate agencies work! They might have done a quick online search and seen that no MLS exists in France but not quite appreciated what that meant for Ted and Annie’s property search! And how working with just one French real estate agency was actually very limiting!
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY FRENCH PROPERTY FOCUS EXISTS!
The lesson from Annie and Ted’s experience property hunting in France!
We know that there are plenty more American and international buyers who have started searching for property in France and had the same frustrating early experiences as Annie and Ted.
These are not just casual frustrations, but they cause real stress! Often, buyers even waste thousands of dollars and precious vacation days planning viewing trips to France only to come back empty handed and more confused than ever!
The worst part of these bad experiences is often feeling a lack of power and ability to actually achieve the dream of purchasing property in France! Often, after the initial frustrations, wasted time and even money, American buyers feel that it’s an unachievable dream without putting their hard earned investment at risk!
But it doesn’t have to be that way! There is a solution! Get the expert tools, insider advice and proven methodology to actually educate yourself on French real estate and move forward with confidence and joy!
We can help you gain the knowledge and confidence and bring back the joy into your French property search!
Ted and Annie were one of the first clients to invest in our online course on how to optimize your French property search. And by implementing our expert strategies, they’ve finally discovered the true joy, excitement and confidence in their French property search!
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!