Advice on selling

For everything specific to B&Bs as opposed to holiday rentals.
Andouillette
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Location: Ille et Vilaine
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Advice on selling

Post by Andouillette »

Hi, We are thinking of selling our house and attached 3 room chambres d'hote near Mont St Michel, but are worried about firstly, putting it on the market now when all the Brexit fallout makes everything so uncertain for UK buyers, but also how to effectively market it. We talked to a local agent and were very underwhelmed. She is selling property around the €100,000 mark, and uninterested. We feel that another couple or family from the UK would be more likely to pay a reasonable price for our business than French and also about 50% of the guests are anglophones. Any experience or advice anyone?
Love France, would like to enjoy the lifestyle...
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

There's not only the uncertainty to take into account. The plunging pound does not make France attractive to UK buyers either. Local agents might be pricing based on the property alone. there is no guarantee anyone would want to take it on as a business and pay a premium.
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CSE
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Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

Why aim at the Brits?
Like your business, selling should be run on an international basis.

Oh, and a warm welcome to LMH. Hope you are not around too long, :)

In other words hope you sell quickly.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
petitbois
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Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:54 am

Post by petitbois »

French agents are useless, especially once you have been on the books for a while - we sold ours within a week of being listed in April 2012, sadly buyer(UK citizen relocating from Singapore) dropped out as wife was diagnosed with terminal illness, since then have had 2 possible buyers(French) who have been unable to secure mortgage.....will be 5 yrs in April. Some UK based agents are pro-active when you initially list with them (Leggetts, Beaux Village etc), but most can't be bothered, as for the French agents - a complete waste of time - took months to get local agents to come look, half of them never bothered to list on their websites, rest we have not heard a peep from (Century 21, Mercure etc) Be prepared for a long wait. A French colleague of mine bought her current B&B 10yrs ago with a bridging loan when she thought her previous B&B was sold - she lost her buyer & 5 others since - she now has 2 properties on market..... with current financial situation & elections in France in May, we are just going to have to continue & wait & see.... Good Luck
Ecosse
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Post by Ecosse »

Have you tried/going to try Le Bon Coin? When we were looking (and it's also where we eventually found our place) we were told, 'If it's not on Le Bon Coin, it's not for sale. The estate agents put their listings on there, but there are private sales, too. Good luck!
Andouillette
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Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2016 11:37 am
Location: Ille et Vilaine
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Advice on selling

Post by Andouillette »

Thanks all. Le bon coin might be worth a go. Depressingly, prices are very, very depressed. More so than ever.
Love France, would like to enjoy the lifestyle...
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La Chouette
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Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:36 am
Location: Formerly in the Limousin, Central France

Post by La Chouette »

We sold in September and as Penny says, French estate agents were useless for us. We sold privately in the end; I made a 'for sale' website and we advertised in various places but found our buyer from our ad on the Acceuillir Magazine website. We sold to a French couple but had other European interest in our place too. There are people out there looking for a lifestyle change.

Bon courage,
Jan
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