LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON
10 Leggett International Real Estate
Carcassonne is a very popular spot
for second-home owners and the
property market has been red hot
over the last 12 months. It has seen
property price rises of 11.7% for
apartments, and 7.9% for houses
over this period. Leggett agent
Andrew Guck has had a record
year.
"Most properties have been selling at
the full asking price and are snapped
up after just one or two visits. This
makes it an interesting dynamic for
international buyers who need to
have their financing lined up, and be
able to move quickly. Having a good
local agent who knows the area well,
is essential and communication is
the key.
My sales have been to buyers
from across the world. Americans
have been taking advantage of the
strong dollar and have therefore
been paying 20% less. I have sold
to Canadians too - I just sold a
wonderful house to a lovely couple
in their 70's from British Columbia.
They were cash buyers and delighted
with the value for money they found
in the area.
The diversity of nationalities around
Carcassonne adds strength to the
market and makes living here fun.
You can fly direct from Carcassonne
to the UK, Italy, Belgium, and the
Republic of Ireland. I have been
working with North Americans,
Australians, Scandinavians, Brits
and of course, French. The domestic
market is lively, and I expect to
see the same steady stream of
purchases despite the tightening of
the mortgage market."
Caroline Stemp lives and works
closer to the Mediterranean
beaches and is based 17km from
Narbonne, a historic Roman city
and popular tourist destination.
"The property market here offers
an excellent value for money,
particularly when compared to the
Côte d'Azur - it has the same climate
and glorious countryside, but with
fewer crowds. It is hugely popular
with tourists and for this reason,
property also offers a solid rental
investment potential.
Many of my clients are French
retirees from the north, looking
for a relaxed life in the sun. Their
requirements are different to those
from British buyers, so the most
requested properties are the «plain
pieds» newbuilds, with garden and
pool. The typical price range for
these is 250,000 up to 375,00 euros.
We see many French clients from
the larger cities such as Toulouse,
Paris, and Lyon (the latter two have
an excellent TGV link to Narbonne).
These buyers tend to differ slightly,
as they seek a holiday home with