Why air conditioning is quietly becoming a defining issue for life — and property — in southern France. Last week I came across two fascinating articles — one from The Economist, one from Le Monde — both asking essentially the same question: has air conditioning become unavoidable in a warming world? That caught my attention because, having lived extensively in both the United States and France, I’ve spent years watching two completely different cultures approach heat in comp

Today, I want to talk about… travel agents. Not exactly real-estate territory, you might think. But stay with me. A funny thing has happened over the past few years: travel agents are making a serious comeback. According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, the industry is booming again, particularly among experienced and affluent travelers taking longer, more meaningful trips. And honestly, I find that fascinating. Because on paper, travel agents should have disa

For decades, the global dream worked one way: people moved to America. But something interesting is happening. A growing number of Americans — professionals, families, entrepreneurs, retirees, remote workers — are now seriously considering building their lives somewhere else. Not as a fantasy. As a plan. The political context maybe? Recently, I spent time researching and compiling material from several sources about what may be an emerging modern trend: increasing American em

First choose the right area, then find the house Thinking about moving to France? French property coach Pierre Guillery breaks down the...

The most pressing question: there is a method! " We love Provence, we are thinking of exploring the lake Geneva area, we’ve been told we...

We have asked questions to our subscribers. Here are the answers. Thank you all for taking the time to complete our survey about...

Some foreigners dreamed of living in Paris, and later they became disillusioned –because of the (hot) roofs. [From Challenges, 10 August...

Here is a question I get a lot! Like a lot... It's a very legitimate question too, as it makes a lot of sense to rent before you buy. I...

It’s buying time! The spring marks the unofficial start of the 2018 property buying season in the UK and abroad. If you’re heading to any...

Make a list of your criteria The list could relate to criteria such as: minimizing travel time to the property, minimum price, preferred...

Organise your virtual exploration The Web will enable you to begin to get a general feel for what sort of prices you should be paying...

Administrative France As prospective home owners, you probably need to know a bit about the French administrative structure: The commune...

Contact local agents If you are going to handle your search on your own, decide which listing estate agents you would like to work with....

Be ready to come back Not everybody is ready to make a purchase decision after the first viewing trip. In our experience, only 30% to 50%...