Our must haves when we bought in UK were nearby (walking distance):
- Shop
- Pub
We stuck to our guns despite seeing a couple of lovely cottages without these amenities. It was definitely a good decision and is a great selling point. I don't know whether gite complexes have such things, or French, Spanish equivalent.
John
Gite complex or Village houses
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cromercrabholiday
- Posts: 797
- Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:24 am
- Location: North Norfolk
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Thanks everyone for your comments.
Loopy Lou, best of luck with your house hunting trip. I'd love to know how you get on.
Does anyone know how much we should budget for social contributions annually (myself, husband and three children)?
Thanks guys. Promise to be a worthwhile contributor once I have the show on the road!
Loopy Lou, best of luck with your house hunting trip. I'd love to know how you get on.
Does anyone know how much we should budget for social contributions annually (myself, husband and three children)?
Thanks guys. Promise to be a worthwhile contributor once I have the show on the road!
Hi Ciaram & Enid.
I'm afraid to say that our decision-making process was taking a lengthy vacation at the time we 'decided' to move to France. But, we don't regret it one little bit, and so far it is working out just as we hoped it would. There are so many Brits moving to France (and other countries) expecting to sit around, drinking cheap beer, waiting for the next gite booking to come along. It simply doesn't happen like that. There's alot of hard work gone into our place before we even landed on French soil. It's bloody hard graft mowing the lawns, tending the flower beds, mopping the shower block, changeovers!!! BUT, the end of the day brings a gorgeous sunset, a glass of something cold, a chat with a few guests who are totally envious of the place, location, way of life etc. THAT is the reward!
We're currently embarking on a makeover of the gites. They've not been updated for some years, so we're looking with fresh eyes. It's going to take a fair amount of money, as well as sweat & tears, but you simply have to offer a level of accommodation to guests that will drag them away from their homes to sit in one of your lounges! The sun doesn't always shine, so there has to be alternatives offered. Like it or not, we've got to include UKTV, DVD's, PS2's etc. On current estimates, we'll probably run at a loss this year, probably next year too. Luckily, I have building skills that I'm making use of whilst here, so I can earn some cash in other ways. You need to think about that too.
I really do hope you make a go of it. Keep us informed?
I'm afraid to say that our decision-making process was taking a lengthy vacation at the time we 'decided' to move to France. But, we don't regret it one little bit, and so far it is working out just as we hoped it would. There are so many Brits moving to France (and other countries) expecting to sit around, drinking cheap beer, waiting for the next gite booking to come along. It simply doesn't happen like that. There's alot of hard work gone into our place before we even landed on French soil. It's bloody hard graft mowing the lawns, tending the flower beds, mopping the shower block, changeovers!!! BUT, the end of the day brings a gorgeous sunset, a glass of something cold, a chat with a few guests who are totally envious of the place, location, way of life etc. THAT is the reward!
We're currently embarking on a makeover of the gites. They've not been updated for some years, so we're looking with fresh eyes. It's going to take a fair amount of money, as well as sweat & tears, but you simply have to offer a level of accommodation to guests that will drag them away from their homes to sit in one of your lounges! The sun doesn't always shine, so there has to be alternatives offered. Like it or not, we've got to include UKTV, DVD's, PS2's etc. On current estimates, we'll probably run at a loss this year, probably next year too. Luckily, I have building skills that I'm making use of whilst here, so I can earn some cash in other ways. You need to think about that too.
I really do hope you make a go of it. Keep us informed?
Stu & Syb, appreciate your honestly on the money front. We are budgeting to have enough money to live on for the first 2 years and after that I'm hoping we'll be able to live off the gites plus some specialist holidays targeting the Irish market specifically.
I've run away with all my plans on how we are going to market the property, what the website will look like etc. Of course the practical member of our little family (hubby) keeps pointing out that we haven't actually found the right property yet! But dreaming and planning is so much fun - and it gets me through quite a few meetings!
I've run away with all my plans on how we are going to market the property, what the website will look like etc. Of course the practical member of our little family (hubby) keeps pointing out that we haven't actually found the right property yet! But dreaming and planning is so much fun - and it gets me through quite a few meetings!
and what are we without a dream - and how do we realise our dream without a planBut dreaming and planning is so much fun - and it gets me through quite a few meetings
If I had known how hard it would be before we started I would never have started - but if I had never started I wouldn't have known what joy it could have been.
You are right to seek advice and think things through - but then - follow your dream!!!
Your social contributions depend on what business you operate your gites as. If it is a micro bic, you pay about 8% of income, which covers you for 70% healthcare, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't cover you for other social benefits such as state pension, unemployment etc. If you opt for a régime réel, you then pay about 48% of your income in social contributions. I'm sure others on the forum can be more helpful - I have chose to work out here as well as run a gite complex in order to ensure I have have adequate social/health cover from my employer's contributions.
My children are my pension - I've already told them that!!!!
Luckily there are four of them and they all have good earning power/potential.
Luckily there are four of them and they all have good earning power/potential.
Louise
www.lacharronniere.com delightful gites in the Vienne countryside.
www.lacharronniere.com delightful gites in the Vienne countryside.
Watch the 8% quoted earlier, that may cover you health care but not the other social contributions, which are obligitory. I think we pay about 21% OF GROSS revenue in contributions. Given that the REAL figure (ie 48%) is from the NET it is easier to work on that. In general you will pay the same (roughly) which ever regime you are in.
You also need to alow some money for the top-up health cover as the obligatory only covers you for 70% of your health care.
Remember also that this does not include for tax d'habitation and tax fonciere, nor for income tax.
Ju
You also need to alow some money for the top-up health cover as the obligatory only covers you for 70% of your health care.
Remember also that this does not include for tax d'habitation and tax fonciere, nor for income tax.
Ju
So what do you think is the minimum income required (ball park figure) to eat, run a car, pay all taxes and top up insurance, heating (say wood as fuel for example), water, electricity for a single person with no mortgage?
I know - how long is a piece of string!?!
Lou
I know - how long is a piece of string!?!
Lou
Louise
www.lacharronniere.com delightful gites in the Vienne countryside.
www.lacharronniere.com delightful gites in the Vienne countryside.
How long is a piece of string??
BALL PARK: for a single person you should be looking at a Gross business income of around the 35K Euros level (turnover). This will not give you a luxurious lifestyle mind!
Given that you can work off a figure of about 8% return on capital employed, then you need to be looking at investing something like 450k Euros in order to get this return.
These are all ball park figures, and are based on buying something ready to rent out tomorrow. Capital employed should be looked at as the value of the business once all works are complete.
I stand ready to be contradicted!
Ju
BALL PARK: for a single person you should be looking at a Gross business income of around the 35K Euros level (turnover). This will not give you a luxurious lifestyle mind!
Given that you can work off a figure of about 8% return on capital employed, then you need to be looking at investing something like 450k Euros in order to get this return.
These are all ball park figures, and are based on buying something ready to rent out tomorrow. Capital employed should be looked at as the value of the business once all works are complete.
I stand ready to be contradicted!
Ju
I think that Ju's figures are realistic and perhaps even a little on the optomistic side! As a one and a half person household (a five year old and me), I would struggle to live on that. Don't forget that if you have a gite complex, there are all sorts of unplanned expenses that can arise - for example this year I had to replace our 3 yr old pool liner because it had a leak, that was 3000€.