Should I buy or rent a home in France?
If you have not spent a lot of time in France, you should rent before even thinking about buying. We asked expats there about the buy vs. rent decision...
"I bought a 400 year old village house after living a year in an apartment in Montpellier. The process is difficult due to the searching and then the closing takes months," remarked another expat who made the move to Pezenas, France.
"We had bought our home in 2004 and spent all our holidays (winter and Summer) at the house making a few changes and keeping the garden in check. Like any purchase in a foreign country there are different rules and regulations so it is as well to ensure you have a reliable agent and notaire to guide the process. If French is not your first language, or you are not fluent,or your notaire is not bi-lingual, then it is a requirement to have an authorised translator at the signings," explained one expat living in Aude and Herault Departments, France.
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Other Questions:
- What should I pack when moving to France?
- Where should I setup a bank account in France?
- Will I be able to find a job in France?
- What is life like in France?
- What do expats in France appreciate most about the local culture?
- What do expats find most challenging?
- Is there a lot of crime in France?
- Is there a lot of diversity? Are people in France accepting of differences?
- What are the schools in France like?
- What are healthcare services like in France?
- What are medical services in France like?
- Are healthcare and health insurance expensive in France?
- What are emergency services like in France?
- Will I need to travel to see a specialist?
- Are common prescription medications available in France?
- How are local medical facilities in France?
- As a foreigner living in France, will I have access to public healthcare? What is it like?
- What have your experiences during the pandemic with the local healthcare system been like?
Should I buy or rent a home in France?
If you live in France, newcomers to France would love to hear your answer to this question.
About the Author
Joshua Wood, LPC is one of the Founders of InternationalTravel.ai and serves as Co-President of Expat Exchange. Prior to Expat Exchange and InternationalTravel.ai, Joshua worked for NBC Cable (MSNBC and CNBC
Primetime). Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Wood is also a licensed counselor and psychotherapist. Connect with Joshua on LinkedIn.