With much of the Western world experiencing great economic difficulties, we all live in turbulent times and the property market in France is unlikely not to be affected in some way.  Having said that, France consistently comes out at or near the top of the most popular countries in which to live or buy a second home and prices have been fairly stable over the last year. 

Some French banks are forecasting a fall in property prices for 2012 of up to 5% meaning that this may well be an excellent time to buy. The FNAIM, which is the largest body representing estate agents in France, reports a mixed bag of prices over the last year with some areas such as Brittany having a distinct fall in prices and some others such as the Languedoc Roussillon and Champagne, having an increase.

There is a widely held view that asking prices in France have been over inflated for several years and many agents are now aware of this and are urging sellers to be more realistic in terms of property valuation. This means that there are likely to be some first-class bargains in many parts of the country, sometimes with prices little changed from 6 or 7 years ago. This, coupled with the fact that President Sarkozy dropped his one-time proposed property tax on second home-owners, means buying in France continues to be an attractive proposition.

Although the European property market in general has opened up for foreign buyers with countries such as Bulgaria and Romania offering some excellent bargains, the troubled times we live in tend to mean that people seek a safe haven and thus France will likely remain one of the most sought after countries in which to invest in property. One notable change over the last year is the increase in buyers from countries other than the UK. There has been interest from buyers in North and South America as well as Africa and Australia. If this trend continues, an investment in French property this year may well pay dividends in the medium to long term future.

Areas currently offering great value for money including Alsace Lorraine in the north-east, Burgundy (the third cheapest region in France), the Auvergne, a stunning but sadly often overlooked region in southern central France and the Limousin, which is fast becoming extremely popular with expats who are looking for a true bargain and is still the cheapest area of France. 

For those wanting to be sure of maximum sunshine, the Languedoc Roussillon offers a great deal in terms of lifestyle. This is an area surrounded by mountains, with a Mediterranean climate, close to the sea and Spain and with property prices much lower than its neighbouring Provence. A new development of stylish buildings created from an 18^th Century chateau at the Minervois village of La Redorte is attracting much interest from expats looking for a second home in France with good investment value. Here you are buying into the French lifestyle complete with vineyard, olive grove, pool, spa and restaurant all on site.  The building work is almost complete and apartments, ranging from €200,000, will be available from Spring 2012. 

Despite the uncertainly in the Eurozone, France stays consistent in its appeal to foreign buyers.  It looks as though our nearest neighbour will remain popular with us Brits wishing to own a small corner of this beautiful country for themselves.

Start your hunt for a home in France here…
If you’re searching for a French property, a good place to start is the France Buying Guide’s property search facility. To start your search now visit http://www.francebuyingguide.com/content/france-properties