Languedoc house hunting? Some top tips...

In this blog, we plan to give some valuable tips on the practicalities of house hunting in the region and a good starting point perhaps is how you should plan to equip yourself.

A few days of house hunting can be demanding and tiring, even exhausting, so you should think about comfort as well as equipment.

So, for our top tips for your house hunting...

* Usually agents will expect a small group to arrive for viewing appointments and will plan to take you to the properties in a car - if you will be a larger group, then let them know in advance. They may have a larger vehicle available or you may need to discuss following the agent in your own car.

* If possible, try to avoid taking dogs along to viewings - it can be quite impractical and, although France is a nation of dog lovers, not everyone will want dogs taken into their home.

* For viewing days, check the weather forecast the day before and plan to wear comfortable and practical shoes and clothing.  In the summer, remember that the Languedoc can get very hot, and you may spend a fair amount of time outside, so wear light clothing and remember sunscreen!

* If your French is not strong, consider taking a phrase book or dictionary - appointments will usually be with an English speaker, but it will often be their second language and sometimes meanings need to be clarified when talking about a property.

* Always try to get to the agencies on time, as someone will be waiting for you from the appointed time. A good road map of the region, or SatNav, can useful and allow some extra time for finding your way - and for parking if the agency is in a town.

* Once you have met a few agents, and seen several properties, it can be hard to keep track of them! Equip yourself to make notes on properties - which agent, where the properties are and key points about each property. 

* Also use a camera or video (or your phone's camera) to take reference shots - ideal for reviewing the properties at the end of the day.

* If a property is of particular interest, you may want to arrange a second visit and also perhaps take measurements additional to those given in the description - a good tape measure can useful for checking window sizes, access widths, etc.

* Finally, as some house hunting days can be long, tiring and unpredictable, especially going around some rural areas, think about taking some simple snacks and drinks to sustain you and your party through the day!

Watch this space for more house hunting tips...