Lost in France is a full service estate agency, specialising in traditional French property
Lost in France offers a complete estate agency service for buyers and sellers of French property in many popular areas of the country. Run by Jeremy Lang and a dedicated bi-lingual team, Lost in France is expanding into new areas of France, bucking the trend in these uncertain economic times.
Jeremy Lang initially created France Property Search (the parent company of Lost in France) from an office in Paris in 2002. From here he conducted property searches in Paris and throughout the country. In 2003, he added Lost in France as a web-based agency working with estate agents from across France. Increased demand saw the first Lost in France estate agency office being launched in Saumur in 2004. Now, in 2012, Lost in France covers the Loire valley from its Saumur office, while the newly formed Nantes office will soon be offering services throughout the Vendée and the Brittany coast. In addition, a network of locally based agents deals with property in the Dordogne and the south-west, Languedoc-Roussillon, the Var, the Haute-Savoie and, importantly, Paris.
When Jeremy was looking for his own property in France, he found that there was a gap in the market for an agency that provided a complete service. Many French estate agents operated in a different way to UK agencies, leaving UK buyers literally feeling "lost in France". So Jeremy set out to create an agency with a difference, using his extensive local knowledge and personal experiences of buying French property. Lost in France prides itself on being a "full service agency", offering a complete, informed and user friendly service to both buyers and sellers. A dedicated bi-lingual team helps clients with every step of the process, from first contact, where all enquiries are answered within 24 hours. Buyers and new property owners can be guided through legal minefields, mortgage applications, changeovers of utilities and more. This ensures a smooth transaction and an enjoyable experience for all. In fact clients often return again and again for repeat business.
It's important to make the most of a client's time on viewing trips, especially if a buyer has had to travel from the UK or further afield. That sounds like a basic requirement for any agency. But, as Jeremy points out, some agents in France prefer to show clients the properties they want to sell, rather than the ones that meet the buyer's criteria. He says:
"One of the important features of Lost in France is that we really listen to our clients. There's no point wasting everybody's time showing clients properties that are clearly not suitable, so we put a lot of effort into matching potential buyers with the right properties."
Clearly, this approach works. Viewing trips have a high rate of success.
Lost in France deals mainly with traditional properties and operates a "no pavillon policy". This means they offer only properties that are true to their origins and regions. This may be anything from a grand chateau, to a total renovation project. But all will be built from local materials and carry the stamp of the region and period. Jeremy comments:
"Among the most popular property types at the moment are "longères". Traditional farmhouses like this have been expensive for many years, but have recently come down in price and offer great value for money."
In fact French property in general is now more affordable than ever. And although prices seem to have bottomed out in many areas of the country, buyers are beginning to return, spotting investment opportunities. Today's low prices won't stay low forever!
As Jeremy explains: "Many years ago I was visiting a property in the Loire Valley with potential buyers, and noticed that there were photos of a famous film star all around the house. I thought that the owners of the property were obviously big fans. We all got talking and my potential buyers turned into certain buyers. The only problem was the crying of a small baby, who the owners were looking after for their son. Having three children of my own, I offered to wander around the garden with the baby, who was soon peacefully sleeping. No sooner had this happened than the baby's father turned up who lo and behold was the filmstar. Looking a bit bemused that his parents were drinking champagne with my clients whilst some strange man was holding his baby. Our conversation
went like this:
'Hi, I'm Jeremy'
'Hi I'm Jude'!"
"This took place along the very select Bordeaux coast - the Arcachon Basin. We found the ideal property for a client and negotiated an acceptable price (several million Euros). We then agreed that, as the land was buildable and the plot size large, he could divide the plot and sell half the land. This he duly did and we found a buyer prepared to pay a very good price for a fabulously placed parcel of land. Everyone was happy until the Mairie informed us all that planning permission was being refused on the instructions of the Navy, thus leaving the buyer of the land with possibly the best situated but most expensive campsite in the world! Luckily we all managed to persuade the Mairie and the Navy that building a property on this plot of land was not going to affect French national security. It all ended happily and now there is a magnificent house overlooking the Bay of Arcachon."
Lost in France has advertised with French Property Links for 8 years. Jeremy says:
"I like the excellent UK exposure and strong leads that the site offers. And I appreciate the supportive back up provided to advertisers. The site is always near the top of internet search engines and operates in a simple and clear fashion, resulting in more enquiries and more sales.
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