A good year to buy property in Cannes

I now have an exact transaction price comparison of sales in Cannes during 2011 compared to 2010. And this comes from the reliable source of the Cannes Mairie (the town hall)

The turnover for 2011 was 1663M euros, a 500M euro increase over 2010.

These figures come directly from Gilles Cima who is Deputy Maire of Cannes with responsibility for Urbanism. He says: 75% of the sales were for small and medium apartments, i.e. studios to 3 rooms, mostly between 150K and 350K euros.  At the high level, that is apartments from 1.5M to 2M euros, most of the clients were foreign, especially Russians and Northern Europeans.

As I reported before, transactions in Cannes were 18% up from 2010 – so Cannes is certainly different to all the other areas of France!  Maybe that’s why it’s the ideal for so many people from all over the world.

My clients really appreciate a buoyant and active market – so this pleases both buyers and sellers.

Contact me – Jackie Pressman of French Riviera Property Search – and we will find you your dream property AND ensure you buy it right.

snow on the Esterel peaks

The beach and sea are full of seagulls – I suppose they love this weather!

Seagulls on the winter beach

Down here in Cannes it is surprisingly warm in the sun – but very very cold out of the sun. The beach restaurants below us are full of people enjoying their Cannes lunch in the sunshine – it is wonderfully exhilarating to be living here.

beach restaurant in the 1 Feb sunshine

Remember, I (Jackie Pressman) am here to help you or any of your family, friends, colleagues to find their own perfect place on the Mediterranean or in the hills.  Anywhere on the French Riviera – life is full and life is fun.  Contact me.

Palais des Festivals in Cannes

Cannes is one of the largest convention destinations in Europe and we are lucky enough to have a state of the art conference and exhibition centre which enjoys glorious sea views out over the Mediterranean.

Each year there seem to be more and more events taking place at the Palais from the world-famous International Film Festival to MIPIM, largely acknowledged as the premier event for property professionals from across the globe.

The town of Cannes is well attuned to the annual calendar of events, but for those not so close to us, the complete list of events can be found here  MARIA – CAN I SEE THE INFO PLEASE.

For those attending one of these events – here are our 5 top tips

1. When booking your accommodation think about an apartment rather than a hotel.  You will always find that it’s less expensive than the equivalent standard hotel.

2. Book your apartment early.

3. Make sure that your apartment is no more than a 10 minute walk from the Palais des Festivals. It’s no fun to be getting on a bus or trying to find a taxi when you’ve been on your feet all day and only have a 30 minute window to change for the evening activities.

4. Book your travel early, flights are at a premium during convention/festival times. If you do have to book late, consider booking a flight into Marseille airport and taking the train to Cannes. It’s a bit of a journey but you may make significant cost savings.

5. Plan some time to enjoy our beautiful city. Even if you only have a couple of hours, enjoy the beaches, wander along the Croisette and soak in the ‘designer’ atmosphere or just relax over a coffee and indulge in people watching…the Cannes residents are an eclectic mix.

If you are visiting Cannes PRESUMABLY TO THE CANNES FR MAIRIE SITE?  and need accommodation please let us know. We have an excellent selection of Cannes apartments  in key locations.  NO LINK PLEASE.

Cannes Property still a great investment

“Could it be the famous Cannes micro-climate?” says today’s Nice Matin newspaper. ”Cannes is leading the country in sales” says this same newspaper today.

Property transactions are 18% up in 2011 from 2010 (and at higher average prices)

But in all of France sales transactions were down an average of 7% in 2011 from 2010.

We have always known and always told you that the property market here in the Festival City is influenced by buyers from all over the world. Today’s report advises that Cannes remains an exception to the rest of France property markets.

Jackie Pressman and French Riviera Property Search are still very upbeat about purchasing in Cannes – apartments for rental return or for luxurious living, and villas for the quieter relaxed family life.

It is a buoyant market all along the Cote d’Azur – contact us to find your own dream property and to be sure that the way you purchase is tax-efficient and legally correct for your own personal requirements.  NB French inheritance tax is formulated quite differently than in other western countries.

Friends have told us that the last 2 weeks have been like this and we see in the forecasts that it is likely to continue for at least another week. Wow, we are very lucky.

We seldom go away at this precious time of year and I am reminded that the weather is usually breathtakingly inspiring and beautiful, with wonderful sunrises and sunsets.

Come and join us – French Riviera Property Search and Jackie Pressman – will find you the property of your dreams.

Winter sea view

Lone boat at sunset

January beach scene

Meanwhile, we’re off to the beach for lunch – how wonderful that everything closes for lunch (except the restaurants of course). Here in the south of France the lunch break of 2 hours is sacrosanct – did you know that even parking meters are free for that time?

Happy 2012! Writing this from a rather grey and wet Cannes, the festivities all seem a distant memory and the prospect of the January diet all rather too close to home.  So what will 2012 bring to the property market here on the French Riviera? For us, we can already see positive signs, the UK market is returning, the mortgage rates continue to be low and the rental potential of properties here in the South of France remains excellent.

Our clients are choosing to buy a property here on the French Riviera for many different reasons. For those looking to maximise on their investment then an apartment in Cannes is the obvious choice. With all the annual events which take place in the centre of Cannes then an apartment within walking distance of the exhibition centre is a sure fire bet.

Want to relax and enjoy the sunshine, away from the crowds? Then choosing one of the quieter villages in the hills above the coast makes sense. Mougins is always high on our list and is ideal for those planning an eventual permanent move to the French Riviera.

Whatever your reason for buying a property here and however unusual your list of requirements, then 2012 is an excellent time for you to buy property here on the French Riviera. Our FREE service will save you time and money and is guaranteed to find your perfect property – so what are you waiting for? Contact me today jackie@frenchrivierapropertysearch.com

Seasons Greetings

Cannes Christmas Market Decorations

At this time of year our beautiful region is alive with Christmas spirit. In many of the towns and villages there are dedicated Christmas markets, skating rinks and of course the cafes are now selling ‘vin chaud’ a hot mulled wine, ideal for keeping out that winter chill.

In Cannes we have the Christmas village which is open every day and has some gorgeous Christmas decorations and hand made gifts for sale. They stay open late on a Friday and Saturday until 9.30 pm, ideal for those of us who have a full working week right up until the big day itself.

In Monaco there is another Christmas village open on the port together with a fun fair and the skating rink.

Wherever you go here on the French Riviera at this time of year you will find the traditional Provencal Christmas fayre and of course the Provencal creche complete with ‘santons’ the small figures representing each and every person and profession to be found in a Provencal village.

Happy Christmas shopping to you all.

Cannes at Sunset

Just saw a comment from a writer for the UK Financial Times.  He says “the French are taking money out of banks and buying property to protect themselves”.  This is definitely borne out by the increasing percentage of French buying their second homes here on the French Riviera.

For your additional interest an article in this week’s L’Express says that 60% of the second homes bought in Cannes are by the French and the remaining 40% are Russians, Scandinavians and Italians.  Because of the current exchange rate, the English buyers are few and the Irish buyers have disappeared.

The French are astute, so follow their lead. Contact me, Jackie Pressman, at French Riviera Property Search, and let me find you the perfect property and provide, free of charge, advice and guidance on the intricacies of French taxes and the best purchasing procedures for your individual needs. www.FrenchRivieraPropertySearch.com

My husband is currently President of the American Club of the Riviera so he hosted a traditional turkey lunch for 150 people at the very grand Hotel de Paris in Monaco. Interestingly about half of those present were not Americans but wished to spend this special day with their friends.

The Club always invites American military who are away from home on this important family day, and it is a tremendous joy to share with them. This year it was a group of airmen who are stationed in Italy and we try to have one at each table.

In this most beautiful setting with its grand chandeliers and gilded ceiling decorations, each table is centred with an attractive display of autumn-coloured roses and other flowers to complement the polished silver and gleaming glasses. Following the champagne reception, the hotel put on a fabulous full turkey lunch with all of the many trimmings. Even though not an American custom, it was noted by the airmen that espresso was served after the meal, which they loved!

President Obama’s Thanksgiving Day speech is read out by the U.S. Consular Officer, and the Captain of the military group present gave a heartfelt speech of thanks and introduced each one of his men.