Selling house in France

[NineteenForever]

I don't own a house in France, but my parents do. They are in their 70s. It's oldish, tiny, one bedroom, bathroom, small kitchen (microwave hob combination) and they've had enough after 15 years of ownership. The driving to get there is a bit onerous as well as the cost.

They used to live close to a ferryport and now don't, and used to make 3 trips over a year, now it's just one.

They tried to sell for a year, got no viewings and I think they'd like to just walk away.

Can they? Just stop paying utilities and abandon it? It seems to be a current thought.

They insist you can't auction in France (I'm sure you can) and being honest I don't want to inherit this. They bought it for 20k sterling around 2000 and I don't think it's worth that now although they have done work to it.

Thoughts and comments....

[TwistInMySobriety]

You can auction a house in France, for starters. Not sure about just dumping a house though, not sure how that would work. Whereabouts is it?

[TwistInMySobriety]

If you read French there are plenty of websites that explain how to auction a house (vendre sa maison aux enchères). Basically you make an appointment with a notaire and he deals with all the rest, so it sounds like a pretty ideal solution to your problem. From a cursory web search auctions are held every two months, so it's probably quite a quick way out for them too.

[NineteenForever]

Thanks, Twist, I will try to persuade them to look more. In answer to your question, it's in Brittany and about 90 mins from Roscoff.

I'm too chicken to drive in France (ditto DH) and as there is no outdoor land (not a patio, not a patch of earth front or back, goes straight out onto street) it may not be verydesirable on the market. I'd love to see them get some money back.

[TwistInMySobriety]

If it's on the coast in a village or town I'm sure it'll be worth something, even if not a fortune. Heck I might even buy it myself if you really want to offload it cheap ;-)

[SwedishEdith]

God, yeah, I want to see it now if that cheap.

[clearsommespace]

It sound like it isn't an isolated property and as they are legally the owners and would be liable if anything happened concerning their public liability e.g. a fire causing damage to a neighbour. So not a good idea to let it fall into disrepair. I hope the auction route works out for them but if it doesn't they could try offering it to the council rather than.abandoning it. There are rules on the proportion of social housing towns/villages have to provide, so the council may be interested in it.
An agent won't give it away because there would be no commission, but if you have enough written French you could advertise on le bon coin web site at a very low price.

[Laptopwieldingharpy]

Maybe neighbours would be interested to buy. Ask!

[Laptopwieldingharpy]

Agree you shoukd not just leave it. There legal reponsability and liability dors not disapear by simply looking the other way.
I'd speak to the council too

[frenchfancy]

As long as the price is low enough someone will buy it. There are plenty young people wanting to get on the housing ladder. The notaire and the council are the way to go. Leboncoin is no good for you if you have no one to show the potential buyers the property.
Good luck.

[KierkegaardGroupie]

My parents just sold up. They had a bigger house with land.....basically they put it on for what they paid 10 years previous. They did lose money on the land which was hauling for them. I was shocked a lovely house with land that they had worked on a lot was only worth what they paid ....ten years back. First buyer did buy it so I guess it was priced right. Just lower the price. It should sell.

[SwedishEdith]

I suppose that even if you sell for what you paid, you've still had free holiday accommodation for 10 years.

[Branleuse]

oooh, whats it like. Got any pics?

does it have a garden?

[Branleuse]

reread, it doesnt.

I wouldnt abandon it. Im sure you could get something. Where has it been advertised?