NEW YEAR 2021

We have discovered the benefits (and distractions) of working from home; the ease of shopping online and having more facetime with family and friends thanks to Zoom, WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams and many other apps on our phones and tablets.

Businesses have transformed themselves to accommodate their employees working remotely; at France4U, we have also embraced the opportunities that digital brings. We now organise virtual property tours ahead of a client visiting a property, thereby minimising face-to-face contact and any health risk.

We have made it easy to complete much of the property purchase process remotely using accredited software tools that enable buyers to sign documentation without sitting in front of the Notaire.

This has all been done to ensure the safety of the buyer, the seller, the agent, and the legal staff necessary to complete the purchase. And it has worked well.

Despite all the bad news and restrictions of last year, property sales have remained strong over the last 12 months.
Digital has opened new possibilities for many people to work further away from the office or even from a second home in the countryside. The French government's continuing heavy investment in bringing fast broadband to all parts of the country has fuelled a genuine surge of interest in the exchange of urban life for rural calm.

Yes, the economy of Europe has taken several big hits, but the financial markets remain consistently strong. Inflation is low and interest rates are at their lowest in decades with French banks prepared to extend loans up to 20 years at a rate below 2%.

At the time of publishing this newsletter, some European countries remain under tight restrictions that have been in force since before Christmas. The good news is that it is now possible to move freely throughout France without special exemption documentation. This is a big boost not only for French buyers looking to relocate or buy a second home but also our clients living in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and other neighbouring countries, once some of their restrictions are also lifted.

A big learn for us all has been that things are likely to remain dynamic and that restrictions will vary from time to time, and from country to country…. But if you have a dream of a home in France then nothing should get in the way of making this happen.

Certainly, that is our experience from last year and we think it even more likely this year, and that is why we are busy contacting vendors and putting more property on our books.

Be safe, be well and most of all let’s make this a happy New Year!