Buying a character town house in Carcassone, France
Sarah Meadows explains how she benefited from using HiFX.
Why did you decide to buy a property in France?
Ever since I first went on a 6 week exchange to Grenoble when I was 16 I’ve been a bit of a Francophile at heart! I also studied French as part of my university degree so the language is not a problem.
How did you find your property?
Over the space of about 12 months I went to every French property show possible. I also spent hours in my study at home trawling the internet for properties and additional information about the regions I was interested in.
What advice would you give people thinking of buying overseas property?
Choose your location carefully. France has plenty of wonderful areas in which to live so it's a good idea to sit down and write out exactly what you're looking for in a property. Do you want to be close to a golf course, overlooking the beach or out in the country? Or would you prefer to be closer to a city where you'd have easy access to shops, restaurants and nightlife?
Do your research! Using the internet is a great way to find exactly what you're looking for. You can type in criteria such as location, price, amenities and more, in order to narrow your search. Also, call your realtor and ask for a current flyer or brochure.
Finally make sure you see the property in person. Buying an overseas property is a major decision. It's essential to make a viewing trip to visit and see the actual property you're interested in. Pictures are great for getting an idea, but with today's technology, it's easy to hide imperfections in a home.
When transferring your money what options did you consider?
I must admit I had never heard of currency companies like HiFX. I went to my bank and tried to get a rate from them. I had to go through their main call centre and after 15 minutes of hold music I gave up. In my frustration I turned to the internet and found your website. I compared your rates with those of the other high street banks and realised how much I could save.
As I was buying a resale property I decided to buy all my currency in one go using a spot deal. Your dealers monitored the markets for me and contacted me when the exchange rate got to 1.43.
Why did you choose HiFX?
I’m not exactly a financial expert and as a beginner in the overseas property market your staff guided me, explaining the process step by step. When I call, real people answer the phones and their guidance has helped me save almost £3,000 because of the excellent exchange rate you offered.
Since using you for my initial currency needs, I’ve insured my property with your insurance arm. I made a claim recently when a pipe burst and yet again the service was excellent. A far cry from most insurance companies.