One of your reasons for visiting the Languedoc may be to invest in property. You may be looking to relocate here on a permanent basis, for work or for retirement. You may be looking for a holiday home or a place to rent out when you are not visiting. Whatever the purpose for owning property it is important to have a clear idea of what you are looking for before you invest, as the costs involved in buying and selling are higher than most countries.

It helps to visit the region and decide which area you would like to live in. If you want city life you can choose between the vibrant and youthful Montpellier or the rather more tranquil cities such as Béziers, Narbonne or Carcassonne. If it is the countryside you are after decide whether or not you want to have access to a larger town or city with a good selection of shops, or whether you prefer to be in the remoter inland areas. The larger cities and coastal areas are more expensive, with prices falling as you move inland.

Finding property requires research. You can find a lot of information online. If you speak or read French, the Fédération Nationale des Agents Immobiliers at FNAIM has the widest selection of properties from their member estate agents. Another good site in French and English is French Property Links where you can search by region or by town. There are numerous other online and print magazines specializing in French property, so it is possible to do a lot of research before arriving in Languedoc.

Your research will lead you to making contact with one or more property agents. Unless you are a fluent French speaker you will probably want to have an English-speaking agent. Contacting by email will be a good test of general responsiveness. It is also a good way to assess email and internet proficiency of your agent, as many in the Languedoc still do not have email capability. Arranging a visit schedule in advance of arriving in the Languedoc is best, as many agents are very busy and may not be able to meet you at short notice. Once you have met your agent it will be time to look at the properties you have selected for viewing.

It is important to view the property you are planning to invest in. Check the following facts to see if they match with your purchasing criteria: does the property offer the type of accommodation you want, is it in the condition you want, will there be a lot of renovation work to undertake and are you happy to undertake such work from a distance (if you are not moving here on a permanent basis)? Is access easy, are there shops close by, is transport available, is the land for the property clearly marked, are there any rights of way on the land, is the property south-facing, is the area prone to flooding or at the bottom of a hill? Most importantly, are you sticking to your budget? Remember a nice large house that needs some work may be affordable and attractive, but redecoration and furnishing costs can be substantial.

If you find a property you like, check with the mairie (town hall), if you can, for property planning and development issues. For example, you may want to put in a roof terrace in your new village house, and your agent may advise you it is possible, but a trip to the mairie may make you realise this is not permissible, if you are purchasing in a protected or historic area.

As with all property purchases it is important to take good legal advice. The purchase transaction will be conducted by a notaire (solicitor) appointed by the seller. While the notaire must be impartial there is nothing to stop you appointing your own notaire or using a foreign-based solicitor qualified in French law to act on your behalf (one such company we have used successfully is John Howell & Co, based in London, now known as The International Law Partnership). You will pay additional fees for this service but it is worthwhile to ensure you understand the different forms of property ownership available to you and the important differences in French inheritance law, as well as financing options.

Whether or not to undertake a full structural survey will generally be your decision, as it is normally not a requirement for local financing institutions. Depsite the fact that a property has two-feet thick walls and has stood for 100 years a structural survey is still recommended. It may not stop you from your purchasing decision, but a fault that is detected may help you to negotiate on price. Termite, lead and asbestos surveys may have to be provided by the vendor in certain areas, and the notaire will check that these are in order at the time of sale.

The purchase process itself normally consists of the following steps: Signing of a pre-sale contract (avant-contrat) showing the intention to purchase subject to certain clauses, such as mortgage denial, with payment of a deposit; signing of a Promesse de Vente or Compromis de Vente, contracts that commit the vendor to sell and the purchasor to buy - deposits or additional penalties may be incurred if parties subsequently withdraw; signing of the Acte Authentique de Vente - the completion document - signed in front of the notaire.

The signing of the Compromis de Vente effectively guarantees the sale as both parties are bound. The signing of the Acte Authentique will take place a couple of months later, once the notaire has checked the legal title ownership, local search and survey requirements. Taxes and fees for purchasing a property in France will be 7-9% of the purchase price for older properties and less for properties built within the last ten years. The scale is fixed at law and the variability depends on the purchase price of the property. Title ownership should be received approximately two months after the signing of the Acte Authentique.

For a professional English speaking estate agent in the Languedoc see this link: Real Estate Languedoc