[quote=FlyerInHi]Wow, congrats jazzman. Between Bordeaux and Toulouse, so not bad at all. I heard that prices are down in France because of the current recession so good time to buy.

You bring up a good point about value. But even the French don’t see the values you see. They are living in expensive 25 m2 studios in Paris. Go to the Loire valley, not that far from Paris and the prices drop dramatically.

If you’re retired, then yes, you can live in the country in France. Better than the country in USA such as Maine or North Carolina. France is small so you’re never too far away from civilization.

Are you English? So many Brits like to buy country property in France.

I personally don’t like the country or isolation. Plenty of quiet areas in Oahu. The other islands seem so isolated.[/quote]
Yes, I’m more or less retired. Foreign buyers make up a large chunk for these types of homes, and 50% of those were Brits so we saw a spike in prices a few years ago, and as they left with their tails between their legs, the market collapsed. Realistically, these homes would never have reached the levels they did, and of course the French were only too happy then, if not a little dumfounded now. So the bubble was a Anglo Saxon import. Paris is a different ball game, as is Cote D’Azur and even Provence. But then these are exceptional places …which is why they are so popular with wealthy foreign buyers/investors. Nevertheless, few homes in these places represent good value. You have no space for new builds and an increasing population of wealthier buyers competing with a diminishing pool of decent, traditional homes.

Oahu is very expensive. I’ll resist using the term over-priced (although that term definitely applies), because once again space is at a huge premium. However, the quality of homes is poor compared to say California, and we found ourselves tut-tutting as seller expectations way exceeded our expectations as buyers. Maui is less rural and more developed but lacks a center. It’s natural beauty makes up for that. The islands’ isolation makes them what they are.

[quote=givdrvr]Congrats on your aquisitions Jazzman! What vehicles did you use to find your dream home in France?[/quote]
Greenacres.com is about the best for some areas, followed by Leggett and Rightmove.co.uk, but the best method is to pound the sidewalks and visit individual agents offices close to the locations you are looking in. With the market so down in France, agents are more responsive and you will find you get the red carpet treatment. You are a rare beast if you are looking in this market …that’s usually the best time in my books. It’s past the delusional seller stage and asking prices are a bit more realistic, but low ball offers perfectly acceptable. Houses are sitting anything up to 5 years. One thorn is exchange rates which make the Eurozone expensive. If you believe the dollar will strengthen, then that might be a temporary blip. Loans are hard to come by, so the market favors cash buyers.