Kate and the BVI team were fabulous
Ordinarily, buying a French property is by no means for the faint hearted – but with the help from Beaux Villages and in particular, Kate Ryle, we found the whole process a pleasurable, exciting journey.
It starts off with their comprehensive, easy to use website and its affiliation with the more worldwide property sites such as Right Move. Once we decided upon budget, location etc. we simply clicked on a button requesting more information, viewing details, visa requirements etc.
Enter Kate, friendly, knowledgeable, professional and crucially fluent in French (because we aren’t!) armed with a brief to find us a typical French home, full of character, with some land to grow our own veg and a large space for me to set up a workshop. We booked a few days at an AirBnB in Verteuil to check out the area that was home to our first two choices, the problem was – we weren’t alone, we were pipped to the post by other buyers a couple of days before we flew out to France. Undeterred, safe in the knowledge that Kate still had several other properties to show us we viewed four other properties. All the properties that we viewed mirrored the information supplied, there were no hidden surprises. But it soon became apparent that we hadn’t considered what it would be like living in a remote area. Kate realised this and after we had viewed the final house for the day suggested that we return to her office in Charroux to pick up keys for a property that had recently become available. Close to the vibrant village centre boasting a couple of bars, a market and a few shops, this sous sol set in a fruit tree laden acre of land not to mention enough space for two man-caves! We fell in love with the house, returned for a second look the following day and made an offer on the house that was accepted. We returned to England chuffed to bits.
Job done for Kate you’d think, oh no, this was just the beginning. Kate arranged the surveys and subsequent repairs to the oil tank, personally oversaw an oil delivery, arranged and oversaw the repair of the macerating toilet (and negotiated for the vendors to pay), accompanied us to the notaires meeting, translated in person when negotiating the purchase of the owner’s sit-on lawnmower. Kate was always available to answer any questions about the labyrinth of French laws and red tape. I could go on… let’s just say Kate didn’t go the extra mile, she ran a marathon to ensure the house purchase went smoothly and provided the most incredible aftersales service once we had moved into the house.
I really can’t recommend Kate or Beaux Villages highly enough. I would also like to add that Kate is part of a well-run team who in her absence were equally helpful, courteous and professional.
