An Update from the South Midi-Pyrénées

The Best Job in the World

I have the best job in the world. I just met a lovely couple in their 70’s who wanted some advice about moving out to France and buying a property here. They have always dreamed of living in France for as long as they could remember and they had talked about it many times. But each time they seriously considered making the move, something seemed to happen that persuaded them to put if off for another year or two.

So here they are now 75 years old, determined to finally fulfil that dream. Their children are adults and have lives of their own and there really is nothing to stop them – except fear. They admitted that it was this fear of the unknown that prevented them taking the plunge in the past and they refuse to let this fear control their lives any longer. They have decided to embrace the adventure with everything it may involve.

Bad things and good things happen wherever we live but allowing fear to dictate the course of our lives means that we will never experience the highs and thrills that come with embracing new and unexpected opportunities, “if you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same.” This couple have filled me with optimism for whatever the future may hold because, as they have proved, it is clearly never too late to just leap, follow your dreams and take charge of your life so that you never end up wondering what could have been.

It has been a busy autumn here in the Midi-Pyrénées despite –or perhaps because of– the current economic climate. Just in the past few weeks I have managed to negotiate deals for two sets of clients on the houses of their dreams and at prices that ensure they are making really good investments as well as following their hearts. One couple were in no rush and asked me to do a search for them with very specific criteria which I duly did. I also, as I often do, added in a ‘wild-card’ property to the viewing schedule and it turned out to be “the one” for them. It’s a stunning house, a classic Maison de Maître with beautiful proportions in excellent structural condition that just needs bringing back to life and we have secured it at a price which means they can afford to do exactly that. It’s that holy grail of a property — a house within walking distance of a restaurant, cafe, village shop and bar but in a very peaceful spot with views of the mountains. If only there were more of these houses around.

My other clients currently going through the buying process have got themselves an exceptional deal on a really unusual property which is not only going to be a joy to live in but which will also increase in value. It is an ecological-house and one of the most difficult searches I have done.

There are not many wood frame eco-houses in this region and the few available usually come at a price. These clients knew exactly what they wanted and compromise was not an option. It had to be of the very best quality construction, superbly insulated and hugely energy economical with every eco feature from geo-thermal heating to rainwater re-capture. Oh, and they wanted it to be south facing with covered terraces and have stunning mountain views. This one has all of this and more. Despite being well over their budget with a bit of negotiation the offer was accepted at 20% under the asking price because the sellers were pleased to find a buyer who appreciated this sort of house and appreciated the thought and detail that had gone into building it.

Now is the final stage of these searches. Having found the optimal property out there for my clients and negotiated the best possible deal, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the whole process runs smoothly until completion and I see them happily installed in their wonderful new homes and enjoying their life in one of the most beautiful parts of France. There can’t be many jobs with this kind of job satisfaction. I have the best job in the world.

•Nadia Jordan, Property Finder, South Midi-Pyrénées
The French Property Finders are property professionals in France who exclusively represent buyers and work under a Carte Professionelle (Transactions) with the mandatory indemnity insurance.

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