Where to buy in Languedoc Roussillon?

The region of Languedoc Roussillon is one of the sunniest of France. However, within this region, there is a difference in weather. So it is worth your time to investigate which area of Languedoc Roussillon appeals most to you.

Basically, the region is to be divided into four areas: the mountain area (montagne), the foothill areas (arrière pays and passage) and the coastal area (littoral).

                  

Real estate wise are the prices in the coastal area quite high. The landscape is flat, not very beautiful (compared to the mountain areas) and it gets very busy during high season. The sun does shine however. The mountain area on the contrary is very beautiful and the prices of real estate are low. However, if you are looking for sunshine, this is not the area to buy. Rain comes down more often in these regions, also in summer.

The area where Maxéa is specialized in, is the foothill area. This area does offer great scenery, combined with sunshine and reasonable prices. Both the departments of the Hérault as the Aude offer great houses.

Languedoc Roussillon is a pleasant region to live in. It is very accessible, both by route and by plane.

Close to the Mediterranean beaches as well as beautiful mountains, rivers to swim or canoe, bustling market villages, historical cities and the canal the Midi:  the region appeals to a lot of people to buy a secondary home or even their principal residence. Despite the great interest, especially further inland, the regions still remains its characteristic charm without being overflowed by tourists. Live is good in Languedoc Roussillon!

10 Tips to sell your house quicker

At todays market, it is not easy to sell your house. Below you will find ten tips to make your house more attractive to future buyers.

TIP 1 TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT YOUR HOME

Look at your home through the eyes of a potential buyer. Start outside and walk your way inside and see if there are already things that draw your attention. If so, change them.

TIP 2 CLEAN UP YOUR HOUSE

The first impression of your house is very important. It is very difficult for a potential buyer to see the possibilities of your house if they have to look through an untidy house. So empty tables, put knickknacks in boxes and store them away, tidy up open cupboards, bring empty bottles to the bottle bank and don’t leave dirty laundry lying around. A clean and tidy house will show its potential, if future buyers have to look through a mess, they will miss it.

A beautiful example of a well styled house on sale at Maxéa

This lovely villa is situated in the heart of the Minervois

TIP 3 CREATE SPACE

Most people are looking for more space when they want to buy a house. This is a good moment to already move or store some of your belongings. Buyers want to see the space they might want to buy, they won’t be able to see this space if it is full of furniture and personal belongings. Therefore remove unnecessary accessories and furniture with no specific function.

TIP 4 CLEARLY DEFINE THE DIFFERENT LIVING AREAS

In order to give a clear look on your house, it is best to define each room of your home clearly. There are rooms to cook, eat, relax, sleep, etc. If potential buyers see a computer in your bedroom, or an ironing board in the study, they might think there aren’t enough rooms and your house is too small.

TIP 5 DO SMALL REPAIRS

Fix that leaking tap, loose door knob or squeaky door. Small chores that might cost a few 100 euros in total, but that can make a big difference on the selling price. In addition, you avoid the potential buyer to get the idea that complete renovations have to be implemented as the house is well taken care of. This can also have an adverse effect on your sales opportunities and the final price. If you do not have much time yourself, you should hire a contractor to do these repairs. It will cost about 1 % of the selling price, but will earn itself back easily. Big home make-overs are not necessary though, they will cost a lot of money and do not pay back most of the times.

TIP 6 MAKE YOUR HOME NEUTRAL

If your house is very personal, this might scare off future buyers. It is much easier for them to see the potential of your house if the decoration is neutral. So remove personal accessories like pictures or child drawings. Another tip is to give the kitchen a contemporary look, for example by simply replacing the cabinet doors or paint them. Dated tiling in the bathroom can be easily painted with a special coating. Simple and not very expensive tips to neutralize your house. In terms of colors, neutral and natural colors appeal more than bright and flashy colors.

TIP 7 LIGHTEN UP YOUR HOME

Fresh and light walls create space and will make it easier for the people to imagine their own furniture in their future home. Also literally bring light in your home by opening curtains and blinds and let the light in. If there is light in your home, this will make your rooms look bigger.

TIP 8 BRING ATMOSPHERE IN YOUR HOME

The art of bringing your house to live and make it attractive for future buyers, is to bring atmosphere in your home. This should be in little things, like putting up nice kitchen towels. If you don’t live in the house yourself, still leave some furniture. Completely empty homes will sell a lot more difficult as they lack atmosphere.

TIP 9 THINK ABOUT YOUR GARDEN

No matter how nice and inviting your house looks, if the garden is a mess, people could have a bad first impression. Make sure your garden is neat, that the weeds are removed, bushes and trees are well trimmed, the swimming pool is clean, and people will get a much better first impression.

TIP 10 MAKE SURE THE PICTURES OF YOUR HOUSE ARE THE BEST

Before your agents comes to make pictures of your house, make sure your house looks at its best. These pictures are very important, as they have to make future buyers decide whether or not they would like to visit your house. If the pictures are attractive and show all the potential of your house well, you will get more visits.

Maxéa will be more than happy to help you with presenting your house at its best. Please contact us at +33 (0)4 67 24 82 42.

Another house for sale at Maxéa with a different style

A contemporary custom-designed villa 30 minutes from Béziers

HOUSE FOR SALE: Spacious villa with open space, views and a large pool

On the heights of Lamalou les Bains, this spacious villa with 3 bedrooms has all you could wish for: a lovely situation with views over the forest and beautiful wooded grounds, a large pool, 3 garages and a workshop. This peaceful location is south facing, not far from the centre of this a spa town and 10 minutes from the golf course. Energy label: E.

If you would like more information about this house, you can contact us at ventes@maxea.com or call us at +33 (0)4 67 24 82 42.

HOUSE FOR SALE: Beautiful country home near Saint Chinian

For sale at Maxéa Real Estate this lovely 19th century country home on 1.35 acres of treed grounds with beautiful rose gardens. The house has an open fireplace, exposed stone walls and original tile flooring. South-facing, in a peaceful location just 10 minutes from the bustling market town of Saint Chinian. This house would be perfect for bed & breakfast or gîtes. Energy label: F.

If you would like more information about this house, you can contact us at ventes@maxea.com or call us at +33 (0)4 67 24 82 42.

Moerland Holiday Rentals and Maxéa Real Estate sales join forces for Moerland Select

The number one quality holiday home rental specialist has placed its website and its experience in the selection of quality homes at the disposal of the real estate sales unit.

For sellers and buyers alike, the multilingual team of Maxea Immobilier real estate professionals are at your service to give you personalised guidance and ensure that you accomplish your real estate project.

Check out at:

Moerland Select, the real estate specialist in the Languedoc – South of France

Selling your house in France – Compulsory surveys

When selling a house in France, there are several compulsory surveys or “diagnostics” to be carried out depending on the age of the building.

Without these surveys, your house sale cannot be completed. All surveys must be carried out prior to the completion of a sale and we recommend that you do all surveys at the moment you decide to sell your house. The DPE (energy label) is compulsory from the moment you put your house on the market.

The compulsory surveys:

Survey	Compulsory for	Validity
Termites (Etat parasitaire)	Property located in contaminated areas (determined by the Prefect of each department). In the Hérault as well as in the Aude this survey is compulsory.	6 months
Asbestos (Constat Amiante)	Property with planning permission which was granted before 1st of July 1997.	Unlimited if no asbestos found
Lead (Plomb)	Property built before 1st of January 1949.	1 year if lead is found, otherwise unlimited
Energy label (DPE – Diagnostic Performance Energétique)	All properties.	10 years
Natural and technological risks (Etat des risques)	Property located in susceptible areas determined by the Prefect of each department.	6 months
Gas	Properties with fixed gas installations which are older than 15 years.	3 years
Electricity	Properties where the electrical installation is older than 15 years.	3 years

The costs of these surveys are at the charge of the vendor of the property and have to be carried out by a qualified expert. Only the Natural and Technological Risks declaration may be executed directly by the seller (information available at the town hall and on internet). However, we also recommend that these surveys are carried out by a qualified expert.

Link : Maxéa – Real estate in South of France – Languedoc
Link : Moerland Select – A selection of quality properties for sale and rent in the Languedoc

Example of an energy label (DPE):