Buy Property

Buying Property in France Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living As seen in Transitions Abroad Magazine March/April 2000 Related Topics Living Abroad Related Articles Legal Living in France Moving to France Buying a Home in France Property in France How to Find It, Buy It, And Live in It By Phyllis Cohen Buying property in France is not just for movie stars and celebrities. Ordinary people with a passable knowledge of French (or a friend who speaks it) and a lot of patience can acquire a bit of magic too. But before you attempt it, arm yourself with knowledge of how to find your special place, how to buy it, and how to live in it. Finding the Place As you look for what you want, here are several things to bear in mind: Don’t expect American state-of-the-art appliances, floor layouts, or conveniences. Part of the charm of old buildings is that they are old, and that includes the kitchens and plumbing. Decide if you want a pied-à-terre (a small place where you can comfortably stay for several weeks or months at a time) or a year-round residence. Generally, an apartment is sold with an empty kitchen—four walls and a water outlet. There are stores that will help you design and install your own kitchen, ranging from pre-fabricated cabinets at IKEA to a kitchen created by cuisinistes . Get at least three estimates as well as references before selecting your vendor. If you will be in a city, decide whether or not you will have a car. Parking in Paris is difficult; having a parking place can greatly increase the resale value of your place. France offers a wide variety of locales. Before you go to the effort of buying something, you really need to explore. Paris itself is divided into 20 arrondissements , each with its own character. If you are willing to live in the banlieue , or suburbs, prices drop dramatically. Properties in the countryside are considerably cheaper. Finding the right house or flat is more complicated than in the U.S. There is no such thing as Multiple Listings in France. Only 30 percent of real estate transactions occur with the help of realtors; the rest are directly between buyer and seller. As a foreigner, you might be more comfortable working through an agent, or agent immobilier , who knows the laws of France. Getting Started Let’s say you’ve decided to buy an appartement in Paris. Walk the streets to find an area you like, then hunt down some agencies that look promising. You can also check out the listings and realtors in various magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet. There is relatively little new construction in Paris. Those apartment complexes that are being developed are usually sold when ground is first broken; in other words, you basically buy an apartment two years before it is completed. Occasionally, you will find almost-completed apartments listed in newspapers and real estate magazines.If you are truly brave, you can buy a place at auction. Notices appear in newspapers such as Le Figaro and the International Herald Tribune. Let the buyer beware. At least take an architect with you when you go to look at the offering. Reading Listings No matter where you find your listings, they will all be posted as À Louer (For Rent) and À Vendre (To Buy). They will also tell you what arrondissement (if in Paris) or département (if in the rest of the country) the property is located in. Perhaps most importantly, they will give you the size in square meters and the number of rooms. Most apartments in Paris are small. Studios are 100-200 square feet, some smaller. Three-bedroom apartments are frequently under 1,000 square feet. Listings will tell you how many rooms there are other than the kitchen. A studio is one room. A one-bedroom apartment will have two pièces, or two rooms, plus the kitchen. Bedrooms are almost uniformly small, while the living rooms are comparatively large. Bear in mind that the French follow the European convention of counting the first floor as the ground floor (Rez-de-Chauseé or RdC); the second floor in American terminology is the first floor in Europe. Generally, the higher the floor, the more expensive the property. Closing the Deal Once you have decided on a place you like at a mutually-agreed upon price, you and the seller sign a document known as a promesse de vente . This is a legally binding document that confirms that the seller must sell the property to the buyer. The buyer, however, has 11 days to change his mind. The seller must also provide to the buyer an accurate floor plan of the apartment or house. All sales in France are conducted with notaires. Both the buyer and seller has his own notaire and they confirm that all aspects of the sale are done according to law. If you are buying a condominium, there will be a set of rules that govern the building. As an owner, you are a co-proprietaire and are bound by the laws of the building. Owners collectively determine such things as whether you are allowed to install a satellite antenna on your balcony, whether the building as a whole will subscribe to cable TV, how often and how much money will be spent on repainting the walls, etc. Do not make the mistake (as we did) of not personally reading all regulations before you sign. As a foreigner, it is advisable to hire an avocat , or lawyer, who specializes in real estate. In case of a disagreement, you are far better off having someone who knows the law and knows how to speak French. Tax Considerations Before buying property in France, you should know that the Government of France has very specific inheritance laws. By law, on your death your property is divided equally between your spouse and your surviving children. There are some steps you can take to ensure that the surviving spouse can continue to live in the house or flat. Speak with a lawyer about this before you buy the property. You will pay between 8 and10 percent in taxes and fees. If you buy an apartment less than five years old, however, you will pay only 3 to 5 percent or less. Ask also about property taxes, which tend to be less in Paris than in the country. Generally, you will be responsible for both a land and a habitation tax. A larger question is your residency status. If you reside in France full time and earn a living here, you will become part of the French social system. The taxes are extraordinarily high (more than 50 percent). Again, you should seek the advice of a tax attorney who is familiar with both the American and French taxation systems. You can get a list of attorneys from the U.S. Consulate. Financing If you are able to pay cash for your new home, you will not need a mortgage, and many properties for sale in the country might well be within reach of your savings kitty. If you need a mortgage, things become a bit more complicated. A French bank will issue a mortgage to expats as long as you can show regular income. By French law the total of all of your mortgage payments worldwide cannot be more than 30 percent of your total income.Lastly, you must have mortgage insurance for a large mortgage and a physical examination at the bank’s expense. If you do not fall neatly into an income category (e.g., you are retired without a fixed income), Banque Woolwich is a good resource. The staff are used to dealing with expats and speak excellent English (Banque Woolwich, 9, rue Boudreau, 75009 Paris; 011-331-42-684-221, fax 011-331-474- 203-23; www.woolwich.co.uk ). Mary Fort is branch manager.The good news is that mortgages in France currently have excellent rates. Most mortgages (or “prets”) are for 15 years and currently run 4.5 percent annually. Once you are here in France, an excellent book to read is At Home in Paris , published by the Junior Service League of Paris. It gives all sorts of hints on differences of living in the States versus France (like how to make sure your laundry pipes don’t clog up with deposits). Living in France is a free publication, in English, that gives useful information on housing, employment, banking, insurance, etc. It can be found at various establishments around Paris that cater to foreigners. To absorb the flavor of a buying experience, read Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence or Francis Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun. Both give agonizingly accurate pictures of the adventure of buying property abroad. All in all, buying property in France might seem like a daunting experience, but it is not an unpleasant one. Contrary to France’s reputation of being inhospitable to foreigners, we have found the opposite to be true. With the notable exception of a few surly cab drivers, we have found the French to be polite and helpful. And as we take our evening walks across the Alexander III bridge we can’t help but be amazed that a small part of this City of Lights belongs to us! Real Estate Listings De Particulier A Particulier (From Buyer to Seller), published weekly on Thursdays, is the most popular nationwide resource. L’Hebdo Immobilier (Weekly Realtor), published weekly on Wednesdays, also has an Internet site at www.immobilierenfrance.com . Demeures de France, a bi-monthly publication that specializes in upscale offerings, is in English and in French and also has an Internet site at www.demeures.com . Demeures de Charme is similar to Demeures de France, and is also in English and in French. FUSAC , a bi-weekly free publication for English-speaking residents of Paris, has advertisements for rentals, purchases, and agencies which can help you do either. FUSAC is available at many locations around the city including W.H. Smith and Brentano’s, two English-language bookstores. PHYLLIS COHEN and her husband Bob have taken a year off from their software company, packed their bags, and moved to Paris (See " Moving to France " in the January February Issue of Transitions Abroad Magazine). Web TransitionsAbroad.com Home Work Study Travel Living Disclaimer ©Transitions Abroad

Real Estate Listing

For Sale By Owner, homes for sale, houses, real estate, for sale - ForSaleByOwner.com Sell a Home Buy a Home Services Mortgages City Profiles Appraisals Service Directory Foreclosures Mortgages Service Providers Appraise Your Home Moving & Relocation Home Improvement Title Company Search Insurance Lawyers Virtual Tours Home Builders Real Estate Agents Research What is FSBO? City Profiles City Comparisons School Reports Crime Comparisons Salary Calculator Cost of Living Comp. Home Sale Prices Tools Free eBook DIY Software Mortgage Calculators Home Selling Guide Home Buying Guide Ad Writing Tips Real Estate Forms Home Buying Checklist Utilities Connections Your Credit Report Glossary Real Estate News Edit Your Ad Modify Your Ad Cancel Your Ad Upload Photos Help/FAQ BUYING A HOME? Search the largest real estate database of For Sale By Owner homes for sale! City State AL AK AB AZ AR BC CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MB MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NB NH NJ NM NY NF NC ND NT NS OH OK ON OR PA PE PR QC RI SK SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY YT Int Zip Listing ID SELLING A HOME? "We sold two homes fsbo with your service (totaling nearly $500,000), which saved us $30,000 in commissions! We owe it to ForSaleByOwner.com - don't change a thing!" - The Chapmans, Virginia Home Selling Testimonials » For Sale By Website "When Chris Gaydos decided to sell his Baltimore home this summer, he didn't want a penny less than $263,000. After a real estate agent said $245,000 was the best he'd get, he bought a FSBO listing at ForSaleByOwner.com . A month later, he got the offer he wanted, and pocketed $7,000 by cutting out the middleman." Why use For Sale By Owner.com? For Sale By Owner makes selling a home on your own easy. We sell the most houses for sale by owner, proving our house selling strategies sell more homes than any site in home selling. Moreover, your home's selling price is determined by you, not a real estate broker who takes a 6% fee for selling your home. Proven Home Selling Record Since 1997, For Sale By Owner has helped sell thousands of houses, saving home owners billions of dollars in real estate commissions. ( click here for more details ) Unparalleled Exposure We are among the top-five most visited real estate sites in the world and the largest "For Sale By Owner" homes for sale site. ( For Sale By Owner.com statistics ) Easy to Use For Sale By Owner makes home selling a sellers dream. We provide the best customer service in the industry with 24/7 support and a comprehensive "Home Selling" guide for selling a home yourself. ( for a guide on selling your home click here ) Affordable Prices For Sale By Owner provides several packages to suit your individual needs. List your home for sale with markets starting at only $89.95. ( for prices in your area click here ) Sell Your Home Guaranteed Home Owner; if your home doesn't sell, we'll give you your money back. That's correct. Your house will sell or you'll receive a full refund! ( For Sale By Owner house selling guarantee ) Act now, and start selling your house on your own in the largest For Sale By Owner site (with up to 6 color home photos and a 1,000 word house description - try buying that in a newspaper ad). Sell your home for sale by owner and market your fsbo home to millions of home buyers that might be looking to buy a home just like yours. Want to see what your home could look like on For Sale By Owner.com ? Check out our featured Home click here What Will I Save? Calculate your savings when you use us! You save ! City Profiles Find Out more about your new location! Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DC Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Home Mortgages 30-year fixed: 5.25% 15-year fixed: 4.50% School Report Cards Get the facts on public schools before you make your move. Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DC Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Privacy & Disclaimer Partner With Us Career Opportunities Press Room Contact Us Buying A Home Your Credit Report Terms and Conditions Home Selling Tips Selling Your Home © 1997-2005 For Sale By Owner.com Your source for selling a home on your own. We make the home selling process a cinch. Sell real estate, sell a home, and sell your house, fsbo. Real estate selling, home selling, house selling. Site Map Home

Denver Real Estate Lawyers

Spotlight: Denver Real Estate Lawyers on Denver Citysearch 7 BOC Spa & Beauty: 7 days till voting begins -- New to Citysearch? Sign In · Help · Dec 29 2005 Home Restaurants Bars & Clubs Hotels Shopping Spa & Beauty Movies Events See More Categories » Search Business name, category, and/or keyword Search by name only Address, city & state, or zip | Neighborhood Address, city & state, or zip | Neighborhood Address, city & state, or zip | Airport Address, city & state, or zip | Attraction Select a Denver Neighborhood Adams County Arvada Aurora Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Central Denver Cherry Creek Colorado Springs Denver Intnl Airport Denver Tech Ctr Downtown Englewood Evergreen Golden Highlands Ranch Lakewood Littleton Longmont Louisville Park Meadows Parker South Denver Westminster Select an Denver Airport Select an Denver Attraction My Locations Add/edit locations Recent Locations Clear recent locations Spotlight: Denver Real Estate Lawyers Find top real estate lawyers in Denver. Citysearch has recommendations, ratings, tips and more for real estate lawyers in and around Denver. On This Page: Real Estate Lawyers Real Estate Lawyers Back to Top Drantch, Mitchel S - Mitchel S Drantch Law Offices 1780 S Bellaire St Ste 584, Denver, CO Lees, Robert A - Robert A Lees & Associates 5290 DTC Pkwy Ste 150, Greenwood Vlg, CO Meinhold, Don H. - Castle Meinhold & Stawiarski, LLC 102 N Cascade Ave Ste 350, Colorado Springs, CO Lewis, Robert - Ducker Montgomery & Lewis 1560 Broadway Ste 1400, Denver, CO Castle Meinhold & Stawiarski, LLC 999 18th Street, Suite 2201, Denver, CO Holt, Jennifer Ilene - Jennifer Ilene Holt Suite 2525, 1660 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO Ducker, Montgomery, Aronstein & Bess, P.C. Suite 1400, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO Kerr Brosseau Bartlett O'Brien, LLC 1600 Broadway, Suite 1600, Denver, CO Bennington Johnson Biermann & Craigmile, LLC 370 17th Street Suite 3500, Denver, CO Stutz, Miller & Urtz, LLC 1660 Lincoln Street Suite 2850, Denver, CO Fowler, Schimberg and Flanagan, Professional Corporation 1640 Grant Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO Holland & Hart LLP 555 Seventeenth Street Suite 3200, Denver, CO Pryor Johnson Carney Karr Nixon, P.C. 5619 DTC Parkway, Suite 1200, Denver, CO Jacobs, Paul - Jacobs Chase Frick Kleinkopf 1050 17TH St Ste 1500, Denver, CO Go to Website McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP 1700 Broadway, Suite 1900, Denver, CO Castle, Lawrence E - Castle Meinhold Stawiarski LLC 1099 18TH St Ste 1600, Denver, CO Myer, Swanson, Adams & Wolf, P.C. 1600 Broadway, Suite 1480, Denver, CO Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP 1550 Seventeenth Street, Denver, CO Thomas N. Scheffel & Associates, P.C. 3801 East Florida Avenue, Suite 600, Denver, CO Plotkin, John C. - Sterling & Gregory, LLC 1331 17TH St Ste 602, Denver, CO Related links: Search anything in Denver · Search Yellow Pages in Denver · Search other Cities · Browse Other Denver Editorial Lists About Us | Advertise with Us | Contact Us | Press Center | Site Guide | List Your Business on Citysearch | Become an Affiliate | Job Opportunities | Other Cities | Get a Business Website | Submit an Event | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Denver Yellow Pages Citysearch is a registered trademark of 720619 Ontario Inc. and is used under license (C) 2005 Citysearch.com All rights reserved. partner sites: Evite - Entertainment.com - Gifts.com - TripAdvisor - ServiceMagic - Ticketmaster - Expedia - Hotels.com - Hotwire - HSN - LendingTree - Match.com - RealEstate.com - ReserveAmerica - Zerodegrees - CondoSaver - ClassicVacations - Ballard Designs - Frontgate - Garnet Hill - Smith+Noble - The Territory Ahead - Travel Smith

HOME LOAN? The two

Veteran Home Loans from the VA Mortgage Center 800-405-6682 Contact Why a VA Loan? Pre-Qualify VA Loan SHOULD I GET A VETERAN HOME LOAN? The two main reasons for using your eligibility to obtain a VA home loan are because it can save you a great deal of money and it is much easier for you to qualify for one of these loans at a low rate. Pre-qualify now for a VA Loan A VA Home Loan can save you money by giving you an excellent rate, with no monthly mortgage insurance. And since it is easier to qualify for a VA military loan as compared to a conventional mortgage, individuals with poor credit are given a large advantage by using their eligibility for a VA Loan. BENEFITS OF VETERAN HOME LOANS There is zero down payment required when purchasing a home. If you have bad credit, you are likely to get a much lower rate with a VA loan compared to a conventional loan (and if you have been improving your credit history for the past year, you may be able to get the same low interest rates that are available to those with good credit. Even with a Loan-to-Value of 100%, there is no monthly Mortgage Insurance required for a VA home loan. The VA mortgage loan is guaranteed with no money down for any loan up to $359,650. VA mortgage loans are often assumable. VA has released a hybrid ARM product. Veterans now have a choice of a Fixed rate or an Adjustable rate VA mortgage. Individuals with poor credit are more likely to qualify for a loan and, most of the time, you will see significant savings as a result of a lower rate on your loan (the VA also offers extra benefits for disabled veterans). Find out how much you can save with a VA Loan. ARE THERE ANY FEES FOR A VA MORTGAGE LOAN? There is a Funding Fee required by the Department of Veteran Affairs that varies between 0-3.3% of the amount of the military loan depending on your current Veteran Status. The funding fee is added into the total loan amount, so the borrower is not required to pay this out of pocket. To determine the exact funding fee, see the funding fee chart . Benefits for disabled veterans dictate that if you are 10% or more disabled due to active military service, you will not be required to pay a funding fee. Those which are required to have a funding fee may lower their fee by putting money down on their VA home purchase. WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO GET A VA LOAN You will need a certificate of eligibility to qualify. Whether you are a first time user or you have used your eligibility in the past, you must have your certificate. A certificate can be mailed directly to you if you fill out this short form . If you have your Certificate of Eligibility, you can Pre-qualify for a VA home purchase VA LOAN SPECIALIST If you have questions or if you want to determine if a Veteran Home Loan is actually the best financial decision for you, you may get advice from a VA mortgage specialist online or call 800-405-6682 . Read more about the Veterans Benefit Act of 2004 . "This was our first home purchase, but Nathan and the other folks at VA Mortgage Center helped eliminate any concerns we had from day one. They answered all our questions, and qualified us for a home that fit perfectly within our budget. Thank you for helping us take a step towards achieving our financial goals!" Jesse Jacobs- E-2- Private First Class MCB Camp Lejeune- North Carolina Read More Testimonials about VA Mortgage Center VA Loan Information VA Loan FAQs VA Loan VA Loan Qualification Home Purchase VA Refinance Cash-Out Refinance Contact Us Privacy Policy The VA Mortgage Center is a private lender specializing in Veteran Home loans , we are NOT affiliated with any government agency. We originate loans in most states . But in order for us to best serve our customers, the VA Mortgage Center may share customer information with trusted affiliates. We aim to provide you with the best financial advice possible as well as help you determine how you can get the best rates on your loan.

Real Estate Broker

RE/MAX | residential and commercial real estate Residential Home Page Property Search Luxury Home Search Find an Agent Find an Office Real Estate 101 Mortgage Tools Moving Assistance Commercial Home Page Commercial Property Search Find a Commercial Agent Find a Commercial Office Commercial Wants Why RE/MAX Commercial Inside RE/MAX Home Franchise Opportunities Become an Agent News & Events Corporate Relocation Corporate Information Welcome to RE/MAX , home of real estate's most experienced and professional agents. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX. "Everybody Wins" A new book gives homebuyers and home sellers their first in-depth look at the world's most successful real estate network. "Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX" is an independent view of the history, culture and leadership of the organization that revolutionized the real estate industry. MORE Children's Miracle Network Susan G. Komen Foundation RE/MAX Worldwide Select your Country United States Canada Antigua / Barbuda Anguilla Argentina Aruba Australia Austria Bahamas Bahrain Belgium Belize Bonaire Botswana Bulgaria Caribbean Cayman Islands Central America Chile Croatia Costa Rica Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominican Republic Estonia Europe Germany Central Germany East Germany North/West Germany Southwest Germany Bayern Greece Guam Guatemala Honduras Iceland Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Kuwait Latvia Lebanon Lithuania Luxembourg Mauritius Malta Mexico Namibia Netherlands Nevis New Zealand Nicaragua Norway Oman Panama Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Saudi Arabia Scotland Singapore Slovakia Southern Africa Spain St. Barth St. Croix St. John St. Maarten/St. Martin St. Thomas Sweden Switzerland Turkey Turks & Caicos United Arab Emirates UK Midlands UK London UK North UK South U.S. Virgin Islands Venezuela Wales Zambia remax.com en español RE/MAX Mainstreet | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact RE/MAX © 2005 RE/MAX International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The RE/MAX franchise network is a global real estate system of franchisee owned and operated offices and their affiliated independent professionals. RE/MAX affiliates lead the industry in professional designations, experience and production. RE/MAX International is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports the Fair Housing Act. Please select from the menu above