About Lindesu

Currently Lives:

Citizen of:

Some Forum Posts:

France: Buying a small home in Bretagne:

My daughter and her French husband live permanently in Bretagne. Her father and I, US citizens, are nearing retirement age. We have found a small home near her for a very reasonable price and I have all the finances worked out to purchase it, with a minimum amount carried on an unsecured loan here in the US. My son-in-law is starting the negotiations right now, and hopefully, by the mid to late summer it will be ours! (The wheels turn slowly in France!) For now, we will just visit a month or two at a time, on a tourist visa, but may work on a retirement visa several years down the road. We may use as a holiday gite in the future, with my daughter handing off keys and bedding. But that is a few years down the road and will have French tax implication. So, my current question, for those of you in the know, is about the transferring of funds for the purchase. This will be a individual to individual purchase, no agence immobilier. My bank assures me there will be no problem doing a bank wire from my accounts to the sellers account with the swift codes. I have done this with rentals in the past, so I know that drill. What I am a little uneasy about is the several days lag that comes with the wire transfer. I worry that the money will go into the sellers bank, before we meet with the notaire and sign the final papers, getting the key. Am I worrying unnecessarily? I am anticipating that once we have an agreed upon price, I will hop a flight back over to France to take the down payment, notaries' fee, and meet with all to sign the contract to buy. (I was just there in February, when I toured the property and fell in love!) Will the notaire have options for me, such as wiring the remaining money to him or the equivalent of an escrow account until the closing on the property? Thanks for any guidance. Susan

France: Cost of Living:

I am not currently living in France, but have considered buying a small property for retirement because my daughter lives there and is married to a Frenchman. I have started learning the language and have looked at properties available online. From what I have found online and knowing what my kids have paid for rental properties prior to buying, I would say that you will likely have to step down in your standard of living to make it on $40,000 a year. Finding a 3 bedroom home that's "comfortable " and having the flexibility to eat out several times per week, would be difficult. The further south you get, the harder it will be. So, if your vision is living in Provence with a pretty little villa, it probably is not in the cards. Do some research online. There are lots of sites where you can browse properties for sale or rent in various areas. The pictures will give you some idea of what you can get for the money. But, keep in mind that gas is very expensive, meals out also. WiFi is rarely available in public places, though in most places, unless super rural, you can get fairly reliable phone and Internet service for your home. Kitchens are generally very small, bathrooms also, many places with only one. It's a different lifestyle, one i really like, but different. Since I have family in France, my visits there have allowed me to be included in family and friends get-togethers. I've been going over a couple times a year for the last 5 years. My daughter and her husband (who is my age) enjoy entertaining in their home and going to others' homes. They may eat out a few times a month but not a few times a week. They are currently living in a small community in Brittany. My daughter teaches English and French online and in the community. Individuals who cannot speak French feel pretty isolated, with friendship opportunities limited to other expats. I would do more homework, take some longer term trips, renting a car and traveling the country in more than one season to see what appeals to you. Stop into an immoblier office (realtor ) and see what is available for what price in an area that interests you.

France: Translator:

Hello John, I sent you a private message about my daughter who lives in Bretagne. She is interested in talking to you. PM includes her name and email.

France: Moving from California to Paris:

My understanding is that you will not be given a resident or work visa unless you have already been hired for a job. This is difficult to get because the French government requires that employers prove that they cannot find any french citizens to fill the job. The unemployment rates are quite high, making that an unlikely scenario.

France: Who lives in Nice ?:

My daughter lives in Bretagne, and teaches both English and French online through Cafe Talk. It is a Japanese company but students can enroll anywhere. Cafetalk.com. Her name is Allison, but there are many teachers available.

France: Brittany, france:

My daughter just moved to Brittany with her husband. He's a French citizen and she's American. Property is very affordable. Rural, cool and rainy much of the year.

France: Health insurance ?:

My daughter, American, married a French man. She is covered by the insurance but I am not sure what the procedure was for getting her health card. She had coverage previous to this as a student.

France: Moving to France:

I can't imagine Paris being on the affordable list. Very expensive market as is Provence. Languedoc-Roussillon is more affordable. So is Bretagne.

France: Moving to France - visa advice:

You might be able to get an au pair or student visa. As a student you would be allowed to work a limited number of hours. Depending upon your age and interests this might be a possibility. Many people teach English as a foreign language in France. You need the proper certification to do so. It is called TEFL and there are courses both in the United States and in France for obtaining this certificate. But you will have to apply for your visa from the United States at the closest French Embassy to where you live. You will not be able to just catch a flight and find a job.

France: Where to locate in France? Help!!!:

South is beautiful with lots of wonderful Roman architecture. But in the summer it is quite hot and flooded with tourists. Lyon in a nice place witha lively jazz scene and lovely little villages nearby. Only about 2 hours by train to Paris. The French alps are only about an hours drive away. But. ..since it is so close to the mountains there is quite a bit of snow in the winter months. My daughter has been living along the Mediterranean for several years. She and her husband want to go north to Brittany. Cold winters and some snow but cool pleasant summers. Lots of neat places but different climate challenges.

Date Joined:

6/22/2014

Total Posts:

17

Posts/Day:

0.02