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Living in the Lap of Luxury
Volume VII, Issue 50
Santa is loading up the sleigh and we’re all gearing up for a wonderful holiday. This is the 50th and last issue of French Property Insider for 2009.
In today’s issue, we report on the property price findings for the months of August, September and October of 2009 as reported this week by the Chambre de Notaire. The good news is that prices are up! Read all about it.
In addition, we give you a long list of how to both rent and create a luxury rental apartment — what makes a great luxury apartment from both the renter’s and the owner’s perspective. This is valuable advice, no matter how you look at it.
On the topic of luxury, Yves Saint Laurent’s duplex apartment’s furnishings sold at auction for more than $700 million. Read all about it! And be sure to see the luxurious Hot Properties that we all wish we could afford!
Banque Patrimoine et Immobilier has much to say about the current financing industry, worth a read for those seeking mortgages and there are a few items of other interest just for fun.
Pop the cork on a bottle of champagne, open those French dark chocolates, and enjoy the last issue of 2009.
A bientôt…Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all,
Adrian Leeds
Editor, French Property Insider
Email: [email protected]
P.S. Enjoy Paris this holiday season and stay in a luxurious apartment! Book any one of Le Balcon Planté, Le Deco, Le Grand Ciel or La Table du Roi between now and January 1 (subject to availability) and receive 10 to 15% off the normal rate. To view the apartments and check availability, visit http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apartments or email us at [email protected] for our recommendations.
P.P.S. Don’t forget to check out the rental apartment for sale on rue de Picardie! Scroll down for information.
Volume VII, Issue 50, December 24, 2009
In this issue:
* How To Buy and Rent a Luxury Property
* Mitigating Currency Risk on Your Mortgage
* Announcing the France Show January 2010
* The Latest Property Price Information
* Special Property Offerning
* Lifestyle: Holidays in Paris
* Offer to Save You Money Ends Soon!
* FPI Fractional Property Offerings
* New Mixed-Use Properties Being Developed
* New Air Times for House Hunters – Paris
* Moneycorp: Take the Risk Out of Currency Conversion
* How You Can Get a Free Property Consultation
* Parler Paris Apartments: – Last Minute Holiday specials!
* Lifestyle: YSL Paris Apartment for Sale
* Hot Properties: Lavish Luxury Looks
* Notaires’ Auction Returns in January
* How You Can Obtain a Mortgage in France
* Parler Paris Après-Midi: Next Gathering Jan. 12th
* Managing Your FPI Subscription
* Subscribers Receive Discount on Insider Paris Guides
By Adrian Leeds
…Both from the perspective of the renter and from the perspective of the owner.
If what you think makes a great luxury rental apartment as a renter, is just how you should think if you’re the landlord. Too often I hear the words, “But, it’s JUST a rental…” meaning that there’s not reason to put in high quality furniture or lavishly equip it.
“Au contraire!” If you don’t furnish and eq
uip it well, then how
do you expect to get a good reception from renters, be able to maintain high occupancy rates or charge high fees?
Here are the attributes a luxury rental apartment must have…from both perspectives:
Location: Central location, good transportation access, lots of amenities nearby, lovely if not great views are all attributes of a luxury rental apartment.
Level: Don’t go higher than 2nd or 3rd floor without an elevator! And beware that if it’s high up, even with an elevator, when the elevator goes out…you have to walk up!
Parking: Rarely a request in Paris, but does happen. If you’re lucky enough to own a parking space, it is valuable. And if you’re traveling by car, then a parking space is pure luxury.
Furnishings: Don’t skimp. No one wants to sleep on a bad bed or sofa bed. Twins that convert to a Queen or King size bed accommodate singles if necessary. High quality furnishings not only look and feel better, but last longer under long term use, too. Ikea style furnishings not only look like what they are, but last only as long as their price tags — so avoid them!
Decor: Profssional decor speaks for itself and not only does it scream “luxury,” but it’s fabulous to live in. As the landlord, don’t think you can save money by doing it yourself (unless you’re a professional yourself) — it will end up looking under par and less than luxurious, no matter how much you spend on furnishings.
Storage: There should be ample space for your clothing and a place to store luggage. Luxury apartments are those that allow you to be totally at home, and that means not living out of a suitcase.
Equipment: It should be missing NOTHING. Every single item you would want in your own home is what you want in a luxury rental apartment. Just when you think they won’t notice it’s missing a garlic press, someone will be asking you for it. It’s a small price to pay to make the apartment fit the category of “luxury.” The apartment should also be well stocked with all the basic needs — toilet paper, fresh soaps, coffee and teas, etc. What if your luggage was lost on route? Wouldn’t you be thrilled to have it all there, even a washing machine and dryer to clean your one outfit?
Service: Someone must meet and greet you at the apartment to show you all the details of how to enjoy the apartment. As a landlord, mailing the keys and directions may be a savings to the landlord, but is counter productive to charging higher fees. And who will be called in an emergency situation? Someone on the ground needs to be responsible for the maintenance of the property and the happiness of its occupants.
Professionalism: Luxury apartments are rarely represented by their owners. Renting directly from an owner can be less expensive, but a luxury apartment can only be as good as the owner is a landlord. If the owner is ‘on the ground’ and is a professional landlord himself, then it is possible, but still risky. Agencies are in the business to know how to deal with the day to day issues of management. Trust them…as both a renter and a landlord, it’s worth paying for their professional service.
Have you rented what you would consider a luxury rental apartment? Do you own what would be considered a luxury rental apartment? Don’t you feel it’s worth every penny, both from the perspective of the renter and the landlord?
Editor’s Note: For a look at our luxury rental apartments in Paris, visit http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apartments.
By Bonnie Sinnock
http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com
PARIS-France’s Banque Patrimoine & Immobilier has been courting investors with sufficient liquid assets in dollars or pounds to purchase properties in that country by offering them pledged asset mortgages with a mechanism for mitigating currency risk.
French real estate may look relatively attractive to such investors because that country’s property market has declined less than the ones in their home countries, according to the bank. Alternatively, some have had a love of the country that has been a catalyst for investment. But exchange rates can be a deterrent. At the time of this writing, for example, those buying French properties in dollars would need to pay about $1.50 for every euro.
The bank’s mortgages, which have a 100% loan-to-value ratio, mitigate this risk by allowing the loan to be secured in part by a securities account where the funds placed into the account can at the borrower’s option be converted into euros, Mary Fort, director of the bank’s international department, told this pub
li
cation in a phone interview.
The mortgages are secured both by a lien on the property and a lien on a securities account. The account must be at least roughly the size of a traditional downpayment, with a margin to account for currency fluctuation, making the amount the equivalent of roughly 25% of the loan value. One of France’s oldest private banks, Cholet Dupont, manages the securities account, which Ms. Fort said invests in relatively low-risk assets such as money market funds.
The loans have terms of five to 30 years, based on investor preference and ability to repay. Rates may be fixed, variable, variable but capped or interest only, Ms. Fort said. The variable-rate loans generally are indexed to the three-month European interbank offered rate.
To show how the loans work, the bank cites what it said is a real life example of an American couple with $1 million in liquid assets who used the mortgage to buy an 875,000 euro ($1.3 million) apartment.
The couple opened a securities account worth $400,000 (260,000 euros) with Cholet Dupont, which has a “qualified intermediary” certification that allows it to manage the assets of U.S. citizens. The securities account acted as collateral for a loan that Banque Patrimoine & Immobilier made to a French limited corporation. Each of the two individuals held 5% of the French limited corporation and an American limited liability company held the remaining 90%.
In this case, the couple also chose to invest its $600,000 from its loan in a separate Cholet Dupont securities account, according to the bank
By converting their dollars to euros in $100,000 increments on a monthly basis, ultimately the couple was able to make the equivalent of a $100,000 profit in a matter of months at current exchange rates.
Read the entire article at http://www.nationalmortgagenews.com/premium/archive/?id=164675.
The France Show 2010
Compiled by Schuyler Hoffman
Three days of indulgence in French cuisine, art, culture and property at London’s Earls Court, January 8th-10th, 2010…
Discover the magic of France by immersing yourself in the colors, the culture and the party atmosphere that is the France Show 2010 — the UK’s largest celebration of all that makes France such a special place.
The French Property Exhibition brings together estate agents, developers, solicitors, banks and other professionals covering just about every aspect of buying your property in France. Whichever location has taken your fancy — and suits your budget — you’re sure to find a suitable property.
Always a hive of activity, the French property section offers everything from expert financial advice to innovative energy solutions to picture perfect barn conversions and great investment opportunities. With hundreds of different exhibitors ready to talk to you, this is simply the biggest and best French property exhibition available in the UK.
More information is available at http://www.thefranceshow.com/default.aspx. Free tickets are available online at http://www.thefranceshow.com/pre-register.aspx.
By Adrian Leeds
Published by the Chambre de Notaires December 22, 2009
The volume of sales (35,100) during the months of August, September and October are up 12% over the same months in 2008 (31,300). In one year, the recovery for existing homes is up with the exception of the Seine-Saint-Denis area with a decrease of 2%. Increases in sales volumes range from 2% in the Seine-et-Marne region to 22% in Yvelines. Because of the recovery, when compared to the first 10 months of 2008, the volume of sales is up 19.9% and 31% over the same period in 2007. For all of 2009, it is estimated that 170,000 homes will pass an act of sale, far less than the 240,000 sales in 2006 and 2007, but approachingup the 200,000 sales recorded in 2008.
For the entire region, prices have declined at an annual rate of under 8%. The slight increase observed between July and October is the indication of a price stabilization accompanied by a seasonal effect (prices are normally higher in summer and early autumn). The annual decrease of all combined properties is as follows:
– Paris (- 6.8% in October compared to – 6.9% in September)
– Petite Couronne (- 7.9% in October compared to – 8.4% in
September)
– Grande Couronne ( – 8.8% in October compared to – 9.6% in September)
Houses have seen more of a decrease than apartments: prices down 9.3% for homes compared to 7.1% for apartments. The prices recorded during the last 3 months are equivalent to those seen 3 years ago in December 2006.
Statistics for all resale properties:
Paris property sales volume for August, September October 2009: 7,800, +17% over 1 year
Ile-de-France property sales volume for August, September October 2009: 35,100, +12% over 1 year
Monthly evolution of the index for Paris property at the end of October 2009: 207.5%
Monthly evolution of the index for Ile-de-France property at the end of October 2009: 192%
Paris annual property price evolution from October 2007 to 2008: 6.1%
Paris annual property price evolution from October 2008 to 2009: 6.8%*
*Estimated
Ile-de-France annual property price evolution from October 2007 to 2008: 1.7%
Ile-de-France annual property price evolution from October 2008 to 2009: -7.9%*
*Estimated
Paris quarterly property price evolution from May to August 2009: .6%
Paris quarterly property price evolution from June to September 2009: 1.9%
Paris quarterly property price evolution from July to October 2009: 1.4%*
*Estimated
Ile-de-France quarterly property price evolution from May to August 2009: .5%
Ile-de-France quarterly property price evolution from June to September 2009: 1.7%
Ile-de-France quarterly property price evolution from July to October 2009: 1.3%*
Editor’s Note: the statistics published by the Chambre de Notaires are based on transactions signed in the offices of the notaries. They relate to former homes sold in the Ile-de-France on the last 3 months available. This data is published within 2 months after the end of the observation period. The Promesse de Ventes being made 2 to 3 months before the final sale, therefore this data is about 4 months old. The price indexes are calculated following the methodology of calculation by the notaries and the INSEE.
HOT PROPERTY! Proven Rental Studio on rue de Picardie €237,500
This 25m² (270 sq. ft.) studio pied-à-terre in the heart of the Haut Marais just off rue de Bretagne is on the first floor (European — one short flight of stairs) on a quiet street, rue de Picardie, near the Mairie of the 3rd district and the Square du Temple. This historically designated apartment has all new furnishings and a brand new well-equipped kitchen. The three large windows can be opened for ventilation with little street noise. The exposed oak beamed ceiling adds charm and character and is testament to the 1700s construction. The apartment accommodates four on a double bed and a double futon. A drop-leaf table allows up to six to dine. For guests’ clothing there is a large armoire. The bathroom is large enough for a bathtub with a shower. This apartment is a proven short-term vacation apartment and comes furnished and ready to go! Nothing to do but ‘sign on the dotted line.’
Asking Price €237,500. For more photos, visit http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/sub/49_photos.htm, and for more information contact [email protected].
By Adrian Leeds
Excerpt from Parler Paris Nouvellettre®
http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
You’re thinking about Christmas, right? You’re either in the midst of traveling to meet up with friends and family, or hunkering down to just enjoying it all at home. Those who are traveling are having less than smooth rides to their destinations thanks to inclement weather (the Eurostar is still not up to speed running a limited service paralyzing thousands of passengers).
The supermarkets here are overflowing with party-making goodies: foie gras, boxes of chocolates, champagne, smoked salmon and sparkly candles. The stores are open unusually late and the flower shops are filled with poinsettia and orchids.
Yep, it’s Christmas in Paris, all right.
Tourism in the City of Light is at an all time high between Christmas and New Year’s. While the locals are heading to their family homes in the countryside or making their own trek to foreign destinations, North Americans are lan
ding to the city tha
t takes the Christmas spirit seriously. Of course, New York does a really good job of that, too, and as it turns out, many cities are vying for attention to outdo each other with the symbol of Christmas: the tree.
Mexico City boasts of the tallest artificial Christmas tree at 295 feet (90 meters) tall made of steel wires erected on Reforma Avenue. Not far behind is Jordan’s 85-foot-tall (26 meters) artificial tree, the tallest in the Middle East, in the predominantly Christian city of Fuhais in the west. Idaho is claiming the tallest living Christmas tree in Couer d’Alene at the Couer d’Alene Resort at 162 feet tall (49 meters), which includes a light show of 1.5 million lights and a guaranteed snow shower. It’s twice as high as the one in Rockefeller Center, but a tree in Oregon is almost as high — 156 feet tall (47.5 meters). Not bad.
I haven’t been able to find out exactly how high the live tree is at Galeries Lafayette, but it’s almost reaches the top of the 33 meter high dome (108 feet). No matter, it’s a beauty.
I’ve never had a Christmas tree, although I had the pleasure of decorating one once at an office where I worked, but that was at least 35 years ago! The Jewish families that had them would call them “Hanukah Bushes,” just so they wouldn’t be seen as heretics, while alongside lighting the candles in their “Menorahs” for eight days.
My daughter complained she had been deprived all these years and for the first time in her young life, decided to erect a Hanukah Bush in her New York apartment. Or should we call it a “Bush de Noël?” (This is not to be confused with a “Bûche de Noël” – a log cake!).
Of course, her ‘bush’ is not exactly ‘traditional’ — but what would you expect from a young heretic?
French property developer BNP Paribas Immobilier has announced the launch of a new Paris property scheme, which will be located in the new Claude Bernard district of Paris (19th arrondissement).
The mixed-use project, which will mainly feature office and residential units across seven different buildings, will be developed through a public-private partnership with Semavip.
A number of the properties, designed by architects Jacques Ferrier, Emmanuel Combarel and Sauerbruch Hutton, have already been sold to investors, according to BNP Paribas.
The new French homes are earmarked for completion in late 2011.
Take the Risk Out of Currency Conversion
If you’re buying a holiday home or investment property overseas, when you trade your currency is crucial. The euro exchange rate is constantly fluctuating, so trading at the right time will mean your money goes a lot further. Adrian Leeds Group LLC and Moneycorp are working together to ensure you make the most of your Dollar or Sterling when buying a property in France.
For the latest exchange rate use our currency converter at http://www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/loan/moneycorpconvertor and learn more about moneycorp here:
http://www.moneycorp.com/affiliates/microsite/index.cfm?agentid=10168408.
Important: With the holidays almost upon us, we would like to advise you of our opening times over the next few weeks. The office will be open as usual between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (AEST) Monday to Friday, except on the following days:
Thursday 24 December – 8:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (AEST)
Friday 25 December – Closed
Monday 28 December – Closed
Thursday 31 December – 8:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (AEST)
Friday 1st January – Closed
Please bear in mind if you need funds delivered urgently, we suggest that you allow more time than usual.
One-Hour Consultation with Adrian Leeds Free!If you are a guest staying in any one of our luxurious Parler Paris Apartments, and would like to consider having your own “pied-à-terre” for your pleasure and profit, contact Adrian Lees for a FREE one-hour consultation while you’re enjoying the apartment in the City of Light. Visit http://www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apartments for more information or email me at [email protected].
Parler Paris Apartments – Last Minute Christmas and New Years special!
Welcome to your home in Paris. Home is how you will feel in
a private apartment in Paris that has the “seal of approval” from Parler Paris Apartments andme, Adrian Leeds. Parler Paris Apartments offers high quality accommodations to make your stay in the City of Light as enjoyable and memorable as possible.We at Parler Paris know each and every apartment owner or manager personally, and stand behind thequality of those we represent. We understand your needs and desires, all the small details that make a rental apartment a warm and welcoming home and a much better alternative to an impersonal hotel!Parler Paris Apartments is administered and serviced by the same greatteam as Parler Paris, French Property Insider and French Property Consultation. You can trust that Parler Paris Apartments and all those with whom it is associated will do heir best for your 100% guaranteed satisfaction.
SPOTLIGHT APARTMENT(S): Last Minute Christmas and New Years special!
Book any one of Le Balcon Planté, Le Deco, Le Grand Ciel or La Table du Roi December 21 through January 1 (subject to availability) and receive 10 to- 15% off the normal rate. There are only a few apartments still available for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, so book fast!
For more information go to www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apartments or mail:[email protected].
Yves Saint Laurent’s Paris Apartment For Sale
Compiled by Schuyler Hoffman
The famous French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent’s incredible collections of art, antiques, furniture, decorative objects and personal effects were auctioned off earlier this year in a series of sales that totaled over $700 million.
Now the duplex apartment he shared with partner Pierre Bergé at 55 Rue de Babylone on Paris’ fashionable Left Bank hit the market this past week for €23.5 million ($34.6 million). This listing price reflects what a
ppears to be
a substantial markup from the $18 million valuation that was cited for the same property this past spring, when French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy were reportedly seen viewing the apartment as a potential lovers’ retreat from their official Elysée Palace-residence.
The 5,600-square-foot home comes with a courtyard and garden. The designer began renting the apartment in 1970, bought it eight years later and lived there until his death last year. The property is listed with prominent Paris-based agency Emilie Garcin.
HOT PROPERTY PICKS: Lavish Luxury Looks
Each week French Property Insider features a range of properties which we believe are on the market at the time of writing. These properties are featured in order to give readers a sample of what is currently available and a working example of prices being asked in various regions of France and districts of Paris.
This week we focus on upscale, luxury apartments for sale in Paris.
 |
*** Paris, Richelieu/Palais Royal, 1st: Two-bedroom, approx. 104m² Located on the second floor of an ancient stone bulding with elevator, this beautiful apartment has been perfectly restored. The perfect pied-à-terre, it includes a large living room, large kitchen, and two large bedrooms. In the heart of Paris, next to the Palais Royal Gardens and the Louvre. Also has a balcony. Possiblity of acquiring the furniture. Asking Price: € 1 680 000 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee |
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 |
*** Paris, 16th: Three-bedroom, approx. 223m² Ideally located close to the schools and shops, in a beautiful stone building on the the 4th floor. This apartment is in excellent condition and features sophisticated and original decor. Consists of a large living room, three bedrooms, three bathroomss, a den, and an exquisite kitchen. This sunny apartment enjoyes a very quiet and charming environment. Asking Price: € 2 250 000 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee |
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 |
*** Paris, 8th: One-bedroom, approx. 42m² Located a few blocks from the prestigious Avenue Montaigne, in the very center of Paris, next to an open air market, close to to the museums and restaurants. This apartment embodies Parisian living. Living room, bedroom, kithcen, high ceilings, parquet floors, magnificent moldings and fireplaces. Asking Price: € 3 000 000 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee |
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 |
*** Paris, 7th: Four-bedroom, approx. 330m² Nestled in a charming paved courtyard, this hotel particulier includes, large living room, dining room, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, kitchen and a 61m² garden. It features the utmost Parisian elegance in a quiet and secure environment. Asking Price: € 4 200 000 + 2.5% Finder’s Fee |
||
Notaires’ Property Auctions On Holiday – Next Auction January 19,2010
Notaires de Paris
Place du Châtelet
12 avenue Victoria
Paris 1st
Additional information on Les Ventes aux Enchères des Notaires can be found on the Web site at www.encheres-Paris.com.
To read Schuyler Hoffman’s article about the property auctions in Paris, click on: www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider/members/content/articles/auctions1.html. </fo nt></p >
>
| The following properties will be auctioned off January 19,2010: | |||
| 2010-01-02 2 Rooms 59m² plus garage 78 rue de la Tour Maubourg 75007 – PARIS 7eme Starting Bid: 946 000,00 € Deposit: 189 200,00 € |
|||
| 2010-01-05 2 Rooms 35m² 188 bis rue de Crimée 75019 – PARIS 19eme Starting Bid: 89 600,00 € Deposit: 17 920,00 € |
|||
| 2010-01-06 2 Rooms 38m² 20 Cour des Petites Ecuries 75010 – PARIS 10eme Starting Bid: 120 000,00 € Deposit: 24 000,00 € |
|||
| 2010-01-07 2 Rooms 40m² 7 rue de la Durance 75012 – PARIS 12eme Starting Bid: 160 000,00 € Deposit: 32 000,00 € |
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Editor’s Note: If you look at the properties on the Notaire’s site (www.encheres-paris.com), when you click on the information for a particular property there is also a link to Google Maps to show you exactly where the property is located.
Managing Your French Property Insider Subscription is Easy!
We receive many emails from French Property Insider Subscribers who want to change their email address, or update personal information. But did you know that you can make these changes yourself?
It’s easy…
1. Go to adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider
2. Click on “Manage Subscription.” You’ll find it under the “Subscribers Only” section in the sidebar.
3. Enter your username and password.
4. On the Welcome Page, go to “Manage Your Account” and click on “Change Password/Edit Profile”
5. Once you’ve made the changes, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Save Profile.”
Simple!
Of course, we’re always happy to help, so if you do need assistance, send an email to [email protected].
To access password protected pages: click on any of the links on the left panel of the home page of FrenchPropertyInsider.com under “Subscriber’s Only,” then type in your personal username and password.
Past issues of FPI are available on the Web site. You will find the
“Past Issues” link on the left under “Subscribers Only” or by going to
www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider/membersTo receive your free French Leaseback Report or the Paris Property
Report, click on
www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider/members
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Copyright 2010, Adrian Leeds®
Adrian Leeds Group, LLC, www.adrianleeds.com
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