YOUR SEARCH STARTS HERE
...but who knows where it will lead you!
Walking into your future in France.
Park views on the rue de Rivoli.
Neogothic elegance near Vitré
Walking into your future in France.
As an experienced consultant and licensed broker specializing in France for foreigners, from real estate to real life, my clients vouch that I have what it takes to find that special property you're looking for in Paris or elsewhere in France. In short, it takes three things:
1/ The ability to listen and help you refine your own needs and expectation,
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2/ A network of real estate brokers who provide me their off-market properties, given that there is no MLS.
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3/ Navigating the complex legal and cultural issues related to acquiring and owning property, doing business, and getting the most out of your experience in France. I'll also connect you with all the right experts for your needs: specialized lawyers (notaires), fiscalists, accountants, mortgage brokers, architects, property managers, and miscellaneous contractors.
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As a bonus, I can teach you the magic French words that will open your doors to a new dimension of living.
HOUSE-HUNTING
SOUL - SEARCHING
For many, France feeds fantasies about a certain life we never allowed ourselves to live, or about some past life that subconsciously nags us, or about some future life we’ve always dreamed of.
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Soul-searching--so to speak--is important prior to a property search so that you act deliberately to create the life you want to live. There is much to love about France--more than can be easily condensed--but I believe these words capture some essentials:
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France confronts us with a palpable past and a living edifice of civilization
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We love her grandeur and nobility, but also her earthiness and charm
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We admire the art de vivre and savoir-faire of the French in that they embody a way of life that does not champion money.
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La terre de France is something of a paradise on Earth, abundantly endowed by nature, but also masterfully crafted by culture.
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My personal love affair with France inspired my book EXQUISITE: Facets of my France. Each of you may have your own, and I can help you find it.
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THE CALL TO FRANCE
Drawn to its differences,
Enticed by its beauty,
Expecting a blessing of bonheur,
France will ever nurture our dreams.
THREE-STEP SEARCH PLAN
1
UNDERSTAND YOUR ASPIRATIONS
Preliminary questinnaire
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Walk & talk in Paris (in person or on Zoom)
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Summary and suggestions
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2
CONDUCT THE SEARCH
3
CLOSE THE SALE
Define and refine suearch criteria based on real options
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Plan the process and the timing
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Activate the necessary resources
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Secure a property
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Negotiate the price
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Perfum due dligence; identify risks
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Manage the process and and the players
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WHAT'S SO EXQUISITE?
Exquisite, from the Latin, means "carefully sought-out, but what does that mean for your property search?
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I search where others have not thought to look.
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Do you know what treasures are hidden on the rue des Cinq Diamant in Paris?
Do you know which town in France inspired Henri IV to exclaim:
had I not been the king of France, I should have been a merchant here!
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I know, and can take you there!
I search for beauty in things others may overlook.
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When you take a photo, what do you focus on and how to your frame the subject?
In the adjacent photo, you will see with a keen eye that there is a crack in the paint, but that is not the focal point!
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I search before others start.
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I head out early and boast 200 photos of Paris at dawn as proof.
In practical terms:
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I connect with my network of agents to detect properties for sale before they go on the market.
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I scour various sources (there's no MLS in France) and set alerts.
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And I hustle to get there first!