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French Riviera Property and the France Real Estate Buying ProcessOwning a French Riviera property is a dream of many people. For hundreds of years the cote d'azur has attracted foreign investors. Indeed, sipping a glass of chilled champagne on the sun-drenched terrace of your luxury villa as you look out over the clear blue Mediterranean Sea may be your ultimate dream. Perhaps you do not wish to live on the Riviera fulltime and you are seeking a second (or third?) home? Maybe a second home you could rent out? Or perhaps this is purely an investment - you recognize the booming investment in Nice and wish to invest in bricks and mortar in one of the World's most desirable tracts of real estate? French Riviera Property Basics Whether you seek an Old Town Nice apartment or a beachfront mansion on Cap Ferrat the French property buying process is fairly similar. France has a secure and robust property transaction system and foreign buyers have nothing to fear. Your only potential confusion is likely to be the French vocabulary used. A French property glossary could be useful. Choosing the Location of your French Riviera Property This will be a personal choice - and what a choice! You will have great fun researching. Nice is the capital of the French Riviera and as France's 5th largest city, packed with culture and entertainment it has much to offer. The Nice real estate too is diverse and attractive: An incredibly charming Old Town, elegant bourgeois city centre apartments, hyper-luxurious secure mansions and up-and-coming neighbourhoods receiving big investments. Which is right for you? If you are a film buff then Cannes, home of the World famous Cannes Film Festival may be your chosen destination: perhaps a glamorous pad on the sea front overlooking Cannes's sandy beach, or something tucked away up on the hill of the old town, or maybe right in the heart of the busy city centre with some of the finest shopping and dining on the Riviera? There could be a Cannes property for you. Between Cannes and Nice is popular Antibes (for jazz lovers and sailors) and inland from Cannes Mougins (with some wonderful luxury private villas). East of Nice is, in our opinion, the most attractive stretch of real estate in the World: The French Riviera properties around the millionaire's playgrounds of Villefrance, Eze, Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu can be spectacular. Further East still and Roquebrune (handy for Monaco), Cap d'Ail (some wonderful large residences, favoured by Winston Churchill and Coco Chanel) and Menton (Italian and Provençal mix popular with retirees) each have a distinct character and masses to attract you. Will these smaller towns offer the right French Riviera property for you? Property investors (as opposed to first/second home owners) will of course be most interested in the financials. You will be following property investment principles with an eye on making a profit when it comes to your French Riviera property. How to Find your Dream French Riviera Property Getting a good deal is important to you. Once you have pinpointed your chosen location much initial research can be carried out online. This website collates adverts from over 900 real estate agents in the area and usually carries over 25,000 properties. You will begin to get a good feel for prices and what you can afford and expect within each price bracket. It is now time to come and have a look at some property. Book your flight, rent a car, rent some accommodation and let's go...Because French real estate agents charge a hefty 6-9% commission (not that different to US agents but many times more expensive than their UK cousins) whether you are a private investor or second home owner it definitely pays to try and find your Riviera property without an agent.Your first stop should be the local newspaper e.g. Nice Matin. Here you will find a regular stream of property listings with most of the small classified ads being from individuals (particulier) rather than professional agents (immobilier). This website carries adverts by private individuals. Potentially saving you thousands on your French Riviera property. By visiting local butchers, bakers and tobacconists you can often see small private property ads pinned up on notice boards or stuck in the window. The sellers are trying to cut out the agents too: for example an apartment may be advertised via an agent at 540,000 euros (500k for the owner plus agent fee of 40k) but privately at 520,000 (buyer pays 20k less and the owner gets 20k more!). These are significant savings. Outside real estate agents shops you will also find free property magazines. Many of these only print ads by agents but some also print small ads from private individuals. While savings can be made cutting out the agent - many agents do a great job and can save you valuable time and they should play some part in every property hunters strategy. For high-end luxury, international real estate agents John Taylor have been guiding buyers since 1864 in the Riviera. Fast growing TotallyRiviera have a reputation for offering a convenient and friendly one-stop-shop for Anglophones. Renting Out your French Riviera Property. For many property investors, the purchase of their Riviera property only makes sense if they can earn significant rental from their new asset. The Riviera market is crowded - follow our advice to maximise your chances of success. To return to Nice City Vacation Home Page
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