Letting to house-hunters

HAVE you ever thought of offering your gîte to house-hunters instead of holidaymakers, and so taking the stress of changeovers off your shoulders?

As the market for holiday lets gets more competitive owners are beginning to look at other options to ensure their property earns its keep.

The Telegraph website features an article about the increasing popularity of letting long term to people who are interested in buying in France.

Most of the books and guides recommend that you should live in an area long-term before buying, and letting a place for six months provides a chance to get a true taste of a region.

So if you are looking to let a place for a number of months it is important that you target estate agents and notaires offices, leave a description of your property with them and ask them to pass it on to prospective purchasers.

Also make sure that you mention on your own website that you are keen to let your property for a number of months and give an idea of the costs involved.

It is also worthwhile highlighting that you have experience of buying a property, naturally, but also know the area well and can help people in those first few weeks and months.

And head to the many messageboards on the internet where people are often searching for information and property in France.

But don’t just say ‘I have a house for let,’ offer some answers to questions that have been posted and mention the availability of your home.

Providing simple advice and tips is not as stressful as marching up and down stairs with the vacuum cleaner on a Saturday morning!

And so over to you, what advice would you provide others who are thinking of letting their home long-term?

Comments

[G. Stringwell]

As someone who is looking to rent, long term (6 to 12 months)a suitable property in the Charente/north Dordogne area within the next 12 months as a base whilst looking for a permanent retirement home to buy, I am finding it incredibly difficult to research suitable options via the internet. It is impossible to avoid being sucked into the short-term holiday rental market offerings. There must be an opening here for someone to start a web search service targetted specifically at finding longer term rental properties. Or does such a site already exist? Can anyone suggest anything to make the frustarting search process easier?

[Duncan]

We have a gîte in Blaye, Gironde which is available for rent long term between October and April. Our rates would be by negotiation, not the summer ones BUT. Although the pool is not used the heating is and electricity is expensive in France! Another problem is SCAMS. These are people who start by enquiring about 2 or 3 weeks which then becomes 6 months or a year and payment is to be by bankers draft from someone abroad who owes them money. You are supposed to deduct the rental from a figure and then send the balance on but the draft never arrives. There is more to long term rents than some people thing.
Duncan

[Craig McGinty]

Hi Duncan
Many thanks for your comment and I would say that the scam you mention is not used for house rentals alone.

Anyone offering an item online can be approached in this way, the Autotrader website gives you an idea how it works in realtion to car sales:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/CARS/sell/cc/fr-1.jsp

Regards
Craig

[Trish]

There is a specialist site, www.RentaplaceinFrance.com

I advertise on there but I am in the wrong area for you.

[Wendy]

We have a gite new to the market - which is currently free all season....

Wendy

[john cawson]

We have a empty cottage overlooking a lake near the mediaeval town of Parthenay Poitou-charentes,

[john cawson]

Hi
To expand on my last entry about the empty cottage overlooking a lake near the mediaeval town of Parthenay in Poitou-charentes,The cottage is fully mordenised and has two bedrooms both with en-suites. It has fully central heating as well as a log burner. We are looking to rent it out on a medium to long term basis Well behaved pets would be welcomed.Any questions please call me on 0044 (0)1288 362 913

[Lisa Filewood]

Hi, Could you please advise if this cottage is still for long term rental. I am looking for immediate rental. Thanks Lisa...please email me on the above email. regards.

[lassus]

Hi, We want to rent for long term our beautiful XVIII century family house

145 Km from Paris or 1h15 from Saint-Lazare, beautiful house for your family holydays
and week-end, sharing the rental with one or 2 other families is possible upon request,

200 SqM ground floor: living-room w chimney, dining-room/kitchen, lavatory

first floor: Parent room, 2 children rooms, bathroom w shower, bathtub and toilet,

Attic: large room, can be used as a dormitory for kids

ADSL and satellite TV

garden is 6000 sqm with big Maple, Walnut trees and lots of fruits and vegetables

1 year period, 1500 € per month

mail : lassus@noos.fr or cell : 00336 47 18 55 88