Hi,

You may already have guessed that writing my monthly newsletter is one of the joys of my job, working here at the Overseas Guides Company. It is such a great excuse to talk about France, the joys of being there, the charm it offers in terms of great community spirit, pretty villages, rolling rivers, not to mention the wonderful food (and wine…!).

I must say it is heart warming to receive such wonderful feedback from my readers, but I cannot take all the credit since, let’s face it, France does speak for itself!

I am often asked what it is like to work in France and if I have any ideas as to how one might earn a few euros here and there. Many people plan their retirement there of course but working is something most of us have to contemplate for much of our lives and one of the questions you may well be asking yourself when you consider your move to France is: what can I do work wise?

In this issue I offer you my top tips for planning to work in France before you leave as well as some ideas you may not have thought of regarding services you might offer. Even if you do not have to work, getting out there and finding employment of some sort (even part-time) will offer you the added benefit of being assimilated into the community quicker.

It is not only you who may be working: I am sure you will be pleased to lean how you can make your hard earned assets work for YOU! To help you with this, there is an article on how best to go about that all important financial planning.

The wonderful Charles Purdy (from Smart Currency) offers you his thoughts on currency preparation: a must for all of us when we are buying abroad.

Finally, our regular property feature is here too for when your leisure time starts - think glass of wine on terrace in the sun…And if you are tempted by this one, be assured I can find you many more where this came from, you only have to ask me!

As always, I am very grateful to receive your articles/questions/comments. I read them all and will be delighted to help you personally with your France plans. Take a look at our website: http://www.francebuyingguide.com
or simply send me an email or pick up the phone. I look forward to hearing from you!

Kind regards as always,

Alexis
mailto:Alexis@overseasguidescompany.com
France Buying Guide
The Overseas Guides Company ltd

“The true way to render ourselves happy is to love our work and find in it our pleasure” – Francoise de Motteville, French courtesan and writer from the 17th century

Francoise de Motteville may have lived over 4 centuries ago but her work ethic surely still holds true to this day. I am sure you will agree that her words seem even more relevant if you are planning to start a new life living in France. After all, you are going there because you want a better lifestyle so you owe it to yourself to find something to do which is enjoyable as well as bringing in those euros.

So what advice would I give if you are planning to work in France? Let me start by giving you my top tips to look at before you leap across the Channel:

• Take a look at English newspapers advertising jobs in France. You can often find bilingual secretarial jobs in the Times for example (www.thetimesonline.co.uk) and the Guardian (www.guardian.co.uk). You might also want to arm yourself with a copy of the International Herald Tribune (www.iht.com) for management positions and don’t forget the oldest ladies’ magazine The Lady which has a host of domestic and catering jobs, both public and private. (www.lady.co.uk)

• Get your CV up to scratch and put it out on websites offering work. You might want to look at Stepstone (www.stepstone.com) or Overseas Digest (www.overseasdigest.com)

• Put an ad in a French newspaper such as Le Figaro or Le Monde

• Scan the jobs in the large job centre site in France ANPE (Agence Nationale pour l’Emploi) (www.anpe.fr).This is a large site but also has offices in most major French towns so worth remembering also once you actually get there.

• Your local job centre or library may well have literature on working abroad

• Last but by no means least: learn French! I get great feedback on both the Michel Thomas and Rosetta Stone, check both out on Amazon for some very good deals (www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/links.htm#books)

OK, so you are busy doing your preparation, making enquiries about work and putting out your CV. What about actual jobs? What could you reasonably and more importantly realistically do in France? I am sure you have some thoughts on this but to help you along the way, here are a few ideas you may not have considered:

• Teaching: an obvious one maybe, since English is the official European language. You could think about taking a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language www.tefl.co.uk) course which will give you the qualification you need to teach in the private sector.

• Medical: it is now possible to work in Europe as a doctor or nurse and you can get more information on this from the European Medical Association in Brussels.

• Temp-ing: can be a good stopgap whilst you are looking for something else – or just a way of earning now and again if this is your requirement. Have a look at Adecco (www.adecco.com) which also has offices in most major towns.

• The expat community: like it or loathe it, you are likely to encounter some of your fellow Brits in most parts of France. Have you thought of offering your services in some way? Language will not be a problem and you may well find yourself in demand for such jobs as gardening, computer help, cleaning, maintenance, babysitting etc.

• Running a gite: this is a definite maybe! I have several friends who have made a go of running a gite – or two – and although this will not make you into a multi-millionaire, it will certainly afford you an income and if you are a “people” person, this is a greet way to make new friends and become known in your community.

NB I have left this one till last even though I am aware it may be the most popular option! Read on further and you will find some more useful tips on how to make the most of running your gite….

If you would like my personal help in finding your ideal property or need help finding other professionals please take a look at our resources form by clicking on:

http://www.francebuyingguide.com/resources.htm

Alternatively you could do worse than buy our excellent France Buying Guide. Just click on this link and you will be able either to download it digitally or buy the hard copy which I will personally send to you first class:

http://www.francebuyingguide.com/guide.htm

Opportunities when you least expect them

by Smart Currency’s Charles Purdy.

The normal reaction when times get hard is to keep your head down and minimise any risks you may have - a sensible thought process. But why is Abranovich so wealthy? And when did the Rothschild dynasty make their money? The answer is they made their money when times were very tough and they had the courage to buy top class assets at reduced prices.

How does this logic apply to buying your overseas property? The key principle to understand here is that there will be some “keen” sellers who will accept much lower prices than a year ago. It is now a buyers market rather than a sellers market. This “keenness” can arise for a number of reasons which to be honest shouldn’t really interest you. The key is to identify quickly who are “keen” sellers: they will want cash right now and so then you start negotiating hard. Even though sterling has been weak you may find that, with the right opportunity, you pay less in sterling terms for your property purchase than a year ago.

Clearly you will need to have a good reason for buying the property, for example you are retiring in a year and will be emigrating. A lot could happen in that year and the opportunity may evaporate. The credit crunch could be resolved, confidence could return to the market and lo and behold: it is a sellers’ market again!

To read the latest on Currency go to: http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/Currency220508.htm

Why overseas property buyers lose money...
...and how you can avoid it!

This 10-page educational report outlines:

• Case Study: When Property Buyer, Mr Reed, Purchased an Overseas Property, he Made Three Mistakes that Cost Him £10,256...learn how you can avoid them...
  
  
• How the Banks make HUGE profits from their long-standing unsuspecting customers
  
  
• Ways to safeguard yourself against adverse fluctuations in exchange rates (or in other words, helping you to keep your money in your pocket)
  
  
• The entire process of moving money from the UK to any overseas location, so that you're armed with all the knowledge you need to make intelligent decisions about your money
  
  
• How you can ultimately save £100’s and £1000’s so that you have ample money to buy furniture and white goods…
  
  
• More case studies of people that lost money due to foreign currency strengthening against the pound, so that you learn from other peoples mistakes rather than your own!
  

And just a couple remarks about the report from our readers...

" We have found your free report to be extremely helpful... Wendy Watson"

"I have read and absorbed the information in the stories outlining the mistakes which the uninitiated can make when transferring currency. It is very illuminating and essential that any one,like myself, who is in the process of buying an overseas property should be aware of. I would go so far as to say that every agent selling overseas properties should be compelled to advise their prospective purchasers that it is paramount that they use a currency expert such as yourselves. Regards, Eric Thomas"

To get a copy of the report at no charge go to: http://www.smartcurrencyexchange.com/freereport.htm

To get a Better-than-Bank rate go to: http://www.smartCurrencyExchange.com/smartsquotation.htm
or call Carl on 08081 630 102 freephone.

This month’s stunning French residence!

Normandy is still so lovely. I found this beautiful 2 bedroom cottage located on the edge of a picturesque village with a private garden, off road parking and a stunning conservatory flooded with light. Upstairs the bedrooms retain the original beams and high vaulted ceilings.

Tempting? When I tell you the price is €130,000 (just a little over £100,000) you may well be sold on it! At that price, you may not have to work at all!

If you would like more information about this or any other property or you would like me to find you somewhere, simply fill out our property form with as much detail as you can and send it to me at:

http://www.francebuyingguide.com/property.htm

I will be happy to do your homework for you!

Working towards the dream……..

As the proverb says ‘work will win where wishy washy wishes won’t! Truth is, dreams have to be worked at… and worked out! We dream great dreams, recurring dreams, day dreams, dream of a new life or some particular hobby or interest; we dream of achieving great things, dream of the future and sometimes our dreams even turn to nightmares!

However, dreams and work are two sides of the same coin: the dream is the engine, but work is the fuel to drive that engine forward. The dream usually reveals the final destination and the perfect scenario; but without working to make it happen, the dream often remains just that – a dream!

The good news is that dreams can come true and nightmares can be avoided if we apply ourselves. We need to think about things like Investments, Pensions, Employment and Estate Planning – and the great news is that the financial planners that we work with have already done the HARD WORK FOR US!! They can simply and easily work with us to make the very best decisions for living our chosen dream in the UK and beyond by considering areas such as:

Income requirements:
How to assess, maintain and increase income levels to build a great long term future

Current investments:
How to gain and maximise income from current investments, including your current residence

Pension review and Advice:
How to maximise income and investment potential through Pensions

Estate Planning:
How to protect assets through Trust Formation, Will Preparation & Estate Planning

I really think this could be of tremendous help to you – yes, you may have worked out your sums as to the property but there is SO much more you could be doing, as I am learning. If you would like me to introduce you to my recommended IFA, please go to: http://www.FranceBuyingGuide.com/resources.htm

How to run a successful gite

Certainly many people pursue the idea of running a gite and you could either set one up yourselves or invest in an already existing one (in which case I do believe you may be entitled to look at a mortgage on the basis of buying a business with at least 2 years' running incidentally).

There are several things to think about of course regarding successful gite running and it is important to be realistic.

Decent heating, a good washing machine and dishwasher are all pretty much expected these days. It is also important to give your gite a general feeling of comfort and cosiness – think along the lines of “would I like to stay here?”. There is no need to overcrowd it but invest in good quality linen, crockery, glassware and cutlery, have plenty of fresh towels and think of welcome touches such as vases of flowers, a bowl of fruit...

Remember to send easy to read instructions for your guests so they don’t get lost and arrive calm and full of anticipation for their holiday. Include some information inside your gite on local attractions, useful phone numbers such as the local doctor, pharmacist, taxi, emergency number etc. Explain how the oven works and give them an idea of what shops and bars they can find in the local area. This kind of information will ensure repeat business, a little effort goes a long way and you cannot beat the personal touch.

Regarding finding customers, the first thing to bear in mind is that you should research your market and the particular area you are thinking of running the business in. You need to assess demand, check how much competition there may be and consider location. You need somewhere ideally which is not a million miles from the nearest restaurant/cafe/bar/shops. You may also want to look at how big the expat market is in your chosen area and make sure it is big enough to sustain your business, if this is your target. My own view is that Brittany is still very much a good area: I am finding that a great proportion of my readers are looking to either buy or visit this area and many would like to rent or stay a while before committing themselves to buying.

The next thing to bear in mind is that you cannot expect to have bookings year round but that you may well be wise to be open in the winter months as many people are thinking about moving and go house hunting at this time. Renting is normally long term in France so many will be looking at renting a gite as an alternative.

You will need also to consider how to fund your business at the outset. Whilst you are starting up you should ideally have enough money set aside or overdraft agreement to support yourself for a year.
In general, with proper forethought, planning and networking you certainly can make a reasonable business from your gite. Another good tip, which may seem obvious but I feel is worth mentioning, is to always be charming, outward looking and polite and to talk to everyone you meet (within reason!). If you are liked generally and make a name for yourself in your village, you will find this pays tremendous dividends and people will want to do business with you, recommend you to friends etc. As long as you integrate and make an effort, you will find the French friendly and pleasant.
If you need more advice on this subject, or indeed any other aspect of buying or making a go of living in France, please just email me at: mailto:Alexis@overseasguidescompany.com

Closing

Whether you are planning to live and work in France or are looking for a second home to enjoy in your leisure time, I will be very glad to help make your plans become a reality. Britain has had an on/off love affair with France for hundreds of years and there is a certain feeling of familiarity for us there. The year before last I spent quite a bit of time in Canada and it struck me, on my return to the UK and then to my own second home in Montjoi, that although in Canada they speak the same language, we actually have more in common with our fellow Frenchmen than we do with, say the North Americans. The European connection remains strong and although many complain about the bureaucracy in France, still it is a bureaucracy that actually works. My advice is the old adage: “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” and all will fall into place!

My France Buying Guide seems to be selling like hot cakes (or should I say “gateaux”?). If you have not yet got your copy, click here: http://www.francebuyingguide.com/guide.htm

You might also like to post a comment or question on our France Forum:

http://www.fbg-forum.com

I leave you with a heart warming testimonial from Trevor, one of my trusty readers:

“Dear Alexis,

For someone who knew nothing about looking for houses or what pitfalls to beware of in France for I found the Overseas Guides Company a real warm family organisation and pleasure to deal with. A great mix of people, butcher, baker and candlestick maker who have come together to offer real advice based on many years of practical experience having all trodden the same route earlier and understanding my needs and concerns. Their courtesy and knowledge with a user friendly website helped me find many properties to meet my requirements and along with their colleagues from Smart Currency Exchange helped me through the cultural adventure of finding a place with the benefit of giving me reassurance on the financial situation regarding exchange rates on how to get the best use of my money.

Full marks!

Regards, Trevor”

Wishing you all the very best with your France plans. Remember that I am at the end of a telephone and very often in front of a computer so I look forward very much to your calls and emails soon!

Kind regards till next time,

Alexis
France Buying Guide
The Overseas Guides Company Ltd
0207 898 0549 (call me!)
mailto:Alexis@overseasguidescompany.com