Gite complex or Village houses

[Ju]

I forgot to mention that the figure for investment does not include the property that you will live in!

I too would sruggle to live on that, but then I guess that's what a bare minimum means, If you are not stuggling it is not a miniumum.

Ju

[Ciaram]

God, now I'm worried. We're a family of five. What gross turnover do you think we would need? 48% is even worse than the Irish system.

[Ju]

Ciaram

I think if you doubled the figures you would be about right.

Ju

[la vache!]

I just want to back Ju up 100% on her figures. It's important not to underestimate the cost of living and the costs involved in running a gite business. One good thing is that the more children you have the less income tax you pay. But it is the social contributions that are the real killer for small businesses.

[Ciaram]

So we should be aiming for a turnover of about €70K per year. Is that correct?

[Ju]

Yes. And don't forget that when you do your figures you can't allow for 52 weeks booked per year. If you budget on 12 weeks per year (or 14 if you are in an area with a longer season) then you will be about right for your budget. Extra weeks can then pay for luxuries.

Ju

[Ciaram]

Right, thanks Ju. We'd better be prepared to be on the bread line for a while then. A sobering thought but at least we haven't found the perfect property just yet so there is still hope.

[Loopy Lou]

Well, I refuse to give up! I will just have to be inventive. I'd rather live on my own vegetables and nothing else in France than continue getting up at 06.00 in the morning and getting home at 18.30 every week-day rushing up and down the ratty motorway to bloody boring work. Enough is enough. I want time - time to live, not exist; time to smell the roses .

[Ciaram]

Hooray for you. Go for it. I would if I were in your situation.

However, this has all really opened my eyes. I can't see how we will be able to get a 70K turnover but I'm desperate to leave the rat race and be able to spend more time with my kids. Will have to do some serious thinking.

[ck]

Just a thought, Paolo pointed out

There is a good tip above - look up the sort of properties you are thinking of on listing sites and check rates and availability.

Having read a number of other topics on LMH I noted alot of renters do not show their availability for one reason or another. I feel it would be difficult to evaluate an areas popularity using this method.

[la vache!]

If you are buying existing gite businesses, then you will get some idea of what the income is by their accounts or tax returns. I don't think anybody wants to put anyone off living their dream and escaping the rat race, but the fact that there are so many gite complexes for sale, especially in certain areas of France, speaks volumes about how difficult it is to earn a living. You may be able to live off vegetables, but they won't pay the never ending bills!
Some advice I can think of - a pool is really a necessity now to get a reasonable occupancy and income, either that or gites on the coast. Choose the location carefully - the business may be beautiful and affordable, but if it's in a region that doesn't attract many tourists, so you won't make any money. Transport links - it isn't so important for me in Brittany because I am not far from the ferry ports, but I think that if you are further south, proximity to low cost airports is also an advantage.
Bon courage!

[Fraise]

Susan's comments are good.We are near the coast and we have a pool and I believe the two are necessary for a chunk of our market.Many people start off thinking they want to go to the beach but often one or two trips is enough to feed the habit and they spend the next 10 days glued to the pool (well,with a few hours off for wine tasting forays!!!!!!!).

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