Buying south of France - 1 to 2 hours from Nice Airport

Buying south of France - 1 to 2 hours from Nice Airport

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jinkster

Original Poster:

2,243 posts

156 months

Wednesday 6th May 2015
quotequote all
Just wondering about property on the south of France. Obviously around the Cap Antibes the price is high but how about 1 to 2 hours drive from Nice Airport. Are there any pitfalls into buying property around the Cote D'Azur? If I see a property on Rightmove? what extras need to be paid? I know italy charge something like 10% extra for foreigners.

Any info is much appreciated.

slf2012

308 posts

146 months

Thursday 7th May 2015
quotequote all
There are no surcharges for buying as a foreigner. You need to pay notary fees which are around 7.5% of the purchase price unless it is a new build in which case I believe it is 3%.

The agency fees, which can amount to 5% of the purchase price, can be included in the purchase price which reduces your notary fees as the purchase price is reduced.

Other than that, there are no surprises that I'm aware you need to be careful of.

AlexIT

1,490 posts

138 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
quotequote all
As slf2012 already said, there is no cost difference when you buy if you are a foreigner.
Unfortunately registration fees have increase since Hollande has been elected, so for a property of over 5 years you must now look more to 9%, compared to 7.5% that were the norm until 2 or 3 years ago.
Nothing seems to have changed for new properties.

Depending if you are going to have your fiscal residence in France or keep it in the UK, you will have a different taxation on the property tough.
While the Taxe Foncière remains unchanged, the Taxe d'Habitation is calculated on your revenue for the main property, while is considered to be due fully if it's a secondary home.

I've lived in that area for 10 years, so if you have any further question or need some tips just let me know I'll be more than happy to help.




Robbie1400

30 posts

146 months

Tuesday 12th May 2015
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I don't know your budget and what you will be using the property for but having lived in the area for a few years now, I would add the following:
- if you live/buy on the coast, getting around in July and August can be a nightmare;
- if you can afford it, buy somewhere with a decent view either of the sea or the mountains - it will be easier to sell when you choose to move on and get better rental income if you go down the seasonal rental route;
- the villages and towns in the hills away from the coast are much cheaper but it can get cold in the winter;
- remember that places like Antibes and Cannes can be pretty dead in the winter months. Nice is more of a year round city;
- visit any potential purchase at different times of the day to assess traffic noise - the French still like a long lunch break so there can be four rush hours a day;
- if the property is over 10 years old, get a survey done before signing the compromis de vente or make it a condition of the sale;
- think very carefully before buying a property with a septic tank instead of mains drainage.
Good luck