How would you like to own a centuries-old house in Châtillon-sur-Indre? In the process of searching for information about the town, I came across this one listed for sale.
It's advertised at the surprisingly low price of 120,000 euros. Even after you paid the agency and notarial fees to close the deal, that would come to a lot less than $150,000 U.S. Of course, the house needs work. Here's a link to the realtor's ad, which says the building is a logis renaissance with seven rooms (2,500 square feet) on about a quarter of an acre of land.
That sounds like one helluva bargain. The price is so low and the house quite big....and the village traditional?
ReplyDeleteRomantic place, for sure, Ken. I guess the deux-chevaux is not included in that deal :-)?
ReplyDeleteThose were my thoughts on the 2CV as well....not that we'd need a third!
DeleteIt looks like a beautiful house, what a lovely exterior. The cost of renovation would probably be about the same as the purchase price, so still a bargain. What Châtillon needs is someone to do up some of the empty houses to make them look loved and lived in again.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew where the house is located. I'd love to see it for real. Not that we are considering moving... I like being in wine country too much.
DeleteI wonder what the other side of the house looks like. For a somewhat attractive house at such a low price, what is, are the hidden defects. Is it a ruin inside that will take several times the asking price to fix? Or is it in such a location that you wished you lived elsewhere?
ReplyDeleteI think the main defect is that the house dates back to the French Renaissance. Or is that a selling point?
DeleteI agree with chm ... what are the hidden issues ? plumbing ? that can ruin any hopes of mine .. been there done that and it was no fun. I was immediately imagining flowering vines on the old stone and huge pots of something growing by the doors etc.
ReplyDeleteBut then, the interiors ? floors etc.
An American with deep pockets would be happy ... too bad that's not me :)
You can be sure that the whole inside and all the systems need to be redone. Plumbing, heating, electricity... kitchen and bathrooms. Maybe walls and floors too.
DeleteMaybe I should be on the lookout for a very rich very old husband :)
DeleteYes, as Jean says, you would probably have to budget at least $150,000 to $200,000 over the purchase price to renovate the interior, and maybe redo the roof - all in accordance with historical committee oversight. Whenever they have zero interior photos, you can expect the worst. But it would be worth it!
ReplyDeleteThe facade looks tempting. Too bad there's not an address so one could do a little google earth search.
ReplyDeleteUh-oh. How do you say "money pit" in French?
ReplyDeleteNo interior photographs? Roof, electricity, plumbing, insulation, any structural issues, possible mold, lack of heating system, possible flooring, check the staircase for safety and stability. Probably needs complete kitchen and bathroom overhaul, as well as potential double glazing on windows. Outside, any rain gutters, drainage, stonework, attention to whatever land or garden is included.
Lovely façade, though, even without the deux-chevaux.
I don't know how to say "money pit" but I'm sure you're right about all that. Such a house could be a great project for some people in, say, their forties who have made a big profit on selling a house elsewhere. They'd need both a good bit of cash and of course some kind of income too. When Walt and I moved, we had some cash because we sold our SF house for a good price, but we also knew we wouldn't have any income for close to 10 years. So we bought a house that needed minimal improvements. We're both happy with it.
DeleteI see the informal, slangy expression "pompe à fric" for money pit. "Cette maison de campagne sera une vraie pompe à fric."
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