Airbnb Transforms The French Property Market

The Growth Of Airbnb

For some people buying a house in France has been a long-held dream and for others it just suddenly happens.

We find that our customers have many different reasons for buying a home in France, for some it is the idea of having a holiday home to return to many times a year. A home away from home with all your possessions waiting for you, no packing to do, just arrive, relax and let the fun begin.

For others it is the adventure of a life in a new country, one with better weather, a slower pace of life, a belief in the importance of traditions and a house and way of life they could never afford in the UK.

However, we are now finding that an increasing number of people are driven by the idea of having a holiday home but one which could make money too. The growth of Airbnb, as a source of easy renting, has made many people realise how simple it is to turn a home in France into an income producing venture. No longer do you need to clear the property of all your personal possessions, Airbnb clients know that they are staying in someone\’s home and that, in fact, is the charm of the whole set up. That, coupled with a really low payment for finding the client which also includes insurance…usually 4%….makes this a really tempting way to make sure that renting out your holiday home may not only cover the annual running costs of the property but may also make a small income. There are, of course, many other companies that can help you rent out your property but we are finding that the flexibility of Airbnb is very appealing to many of our buyers.

Non-one will dispute that house prices in France do not tend to increase as quickly as in the U.K. (Except perhaps in Paris and on the Côte d\’Azur). However, the lower prices of houses, mortgage interest rates starting at 1.97% and now the possibility of making an easy income from a French property are all facts that are bringing more and more buyers to the market.