Lay My Hat

After 21 years owning 3 different holiday homes in France, we have decided to sell our latest 17c old farmhouse with adjacent gite.
I have approached the local agent who will advertise just in the local area.

We live in the UK and use the French house and gite for holidays approx. 8 weeks of the year for family and friends. Not as a business.

Question: Has anyone any ideas or suggestions of how or where we can advertise in the UK? We don't intend to sell until September 2018. Any advise would be appreciated. Thank you.

In the wake of the Brexit vote, my friend who works for Leggett Immobillier says they've never been busier. She deals with France wide sales (enquiries come to her and she sends them on to the relevant area agents) and it seems that many Brits are thinking it's now or never.

So, you could contact Leggett and see if you can get your property on their books. I know you're not in the Alps, but round here, they have a very good reputation for shifting property quickly. I might be tempted to put it on earlier than September though, as that will only be 6 months before the dreaded leaving date, by which point it's possible that the majority of people looking to move from the UK will have already found somewhere else to buy.

Other possibilities are Gumtree, Rightmove and Greenacres, (the latter two are very popular with Brits looking for property around here) though for both of those you arrange the viewings yourself as they're only advertising sites.

Good luck with the sale!

Thank you Ecosse for a very helpful reply. I have taken note of your suggestions.
I was cosidering advertising around Easter time when we are next on holiday. I'm also at the property for 6 weeks during July / August (school hols!) when we are able to show any interested parties round.

The agent suggested that I leave the keys with him at Easter just in case of needing to show someone round in our absence.

Lets hope the agent can sort out the honest visitors from the 'crooks' that just want to survey the propery! .......Now how would our insurance company view that!! (another can of worms!)

We are in a similar situation as you are, namely after nearly 30 years of having a holiday home in the Gers, the time has come to sell it. I can't bear the thought of it but it has to be. Our plan is to advertise early next year through local agencies and also Le Bon Coin. I hadn't really considered advertising in the UK but on reading your post, I could only think of Anglo Info. Their website was updated a while ago and it was much more difficult to navigate, but I noticed that quite a few house hunters in the UK were checking out the property pages.
I hope you have a hassle free experience selling your house and would be most interested in how it works out for you. I was told recently that house sales in the Pays Bearn area have rocketed - the buyers being young French professionals so perhaps this bodes well for 2018.
We live on the edge of the North Yorks Moors and I am thankful that even though the weather is no match for the glorious summers we have been so fortunate to enjoy in Gascony over the years, there are many fabulous places to cherish and make the most of!

Thank you Ecosse. It seems we are no more than an hour away from you in the UK!

I think we will leave the advertising of the sale until after our visit at Easter. We still intend to visit in July / August. We have family and friends visiting then.

I'll let you know the outcome. Good luck to your endeavours.

my advice would be to contact agents ASAP - it is a very busy time for estate agents currently with visitors from UK looking to buy B&Bs & gite businesses. We had 3 guests buy in 1 week in September. Properties above 250,000 traditionally take longer to sell - I have gite/B&B colleague whose business has been for sale for 9yrs now & another colleague who has had her business on the market off & on for over 15yrs - we almost bought it before we found this business. Our B&B/gite business has been on the market for nearly 6yrs - 2 buyers have come & gone due to financial problems, but since the BREXIT referendum we have had many visits & are currently offering a sterling fixed price which has certainly attracted viewings & we are hoping for an offer soon. Once March 2019 has passed I doubt there will be as many looking to buy from UK, though you will still have French, belgians & Dutch looking. We are with numerous French agents, but the bulk of viewings (from UK, Holland & France)have been via Beaux Villages, Charente Immobilier & Leggett - all 3 do the French property shows around Europe as well as strong advertising

Nothing like being positive petitbois

Thank you Petitbois for your very useful and interesting comments.
We will look into the various options as you suggest and 'take steps' sooner rather than later. Once again, thank you.