A Huge Swamp...The Marais

From France Monthly
www.francemonthly.com

Thousands of years before the Celtic Parisii tribe settled down on this small island that would become the Ile de la Cité, the Seine riverbed shrunk, dividing the river into two branches. On the southern side was the Seine as we know it today, while on the other side, "the old Seine" stretched in a huge arc of a circle from the edge of the Bois de Vincennes east of Paris, all the way to the foot of the Chaillot and Passy hills to the west. This river crossed the neighborhoods that we know today as Ménilmontant, Belleville and Montmartre in the north of the city. All that was left between the two branches was a large swamp. The river's repeated flooding eventually covered it up, leaving behind a marshy beltway that was only of interest to the wild boars, until the arrival of the Romans...

Editor's note: Read the full article at www.francemonthly.com

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The "Place Royale"

From France Monthly
www.francemonthly.com

In 1605, King Henri IV felt, quite rightly, that Paris was missing a royal city square a prestigious place where he could hold sumptuous festivities, equestrian games (no tournaments) and parades, but also a place that would be available for walks. For the first time in the history of Parisian architecture, aesthetics came first. The king wanted a square site surrounded by elements that would form a harmonious whole. On each side there would be nine townhouses with strictly identical facades. They would be three stories tall. The ground floor would feature a gallery for strolling, the first floor would house the families, and the servants would live in the attic. The Flemish-inspired design would call for walls built of pink brick and white limestone, and slate roofs over the steeply pitched eaves. The king's house was the first to go up and was to serve as the model...

Editor's note: Read the full article at www.francemonthly.com

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John Howell's Top Ten Tips
By John Howell

For nearly thirty years I have specialized in ‘International’ legal work and, during this time, my firm has helped many thousands of people choose and buy homes overseas. Each Christmas for the last ten years I have produced ‘John Howell’s Top Ten.’ This is my personal prediction of the places that are likely to make the best property investments over the following year.
Never, never has the task been more difficult.

For many years I have believed that well chosen property is the best investment in the world. Of course, values can go up and down but over any sensible time frame it performs very well in terms of capital growth and income generation. More importantly, however, it is simple. You own a house. Somebody wants to live in it. They pay you money. My clients are increasingly dismayed and let down by complicated financially engineered investments. They don’t understand them. Frequently they don’t work. All too often they collapse and you lose all your money. Property never goes bust on you. You do not wake up one morning and find that your shareholding in Company X is now worth nothing because the management has been incompetent or dishonest and the company has collapsed like a house of cards.

Investing in property is not simple. If you buy the wrong property in the wrong place at the wrong price you will not make any money. If you choose the wrong management company to look after your property you may not make any money. If you choose the wrong form of financing you will substantially reduce your profit. If you choose the wrong legal structure to own the property you may substantially increase your taxes. Yet, despite all of these complications, property for me remains the most straightforward and easily understood investment that is likely to generate both good capital growth and income.

Never has it been more important to follow the basic rules of investment. What is your investment strategy? Do you want to invest in residential property, commercial property or land? There are many choices of property investments and each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. You need to understand, very clearly, why you are buying. Is this a holiday home intended to pay its way? Is this a pure investment that you may never visit? You also need to understand your attitude to risk and reward, your attitude to borrowing, your attitude to diversification and your attitude to personal use of the property. You need to be clear about the time frame of your investment – are you trying to make money over 5, 10 or 20 years? If you intend to make some personal use of your investment property then you need to think about the practicalities of getting there and it makes sense to choose a property where your periods of personal use are going to have the minimum possible impact on your rental returns.

Do remember that choosing the right property investment is as very personal decision. What is right for you will not necessarily be right for your next door neighbor. Everything depends on your personal circumstances – your age, your wealth, your family situation and your aspirations. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to property investment. This is definitely an area where £500 spend taking advice is likely to save you many thousands of pounds, a lot of grief and aggravation.

All of this brings me to my ‘Top Ten’ for 2009.

John Howell’s Top Ten Investment Locations 2009

1. Paris

Paris has, year after year, topped our list of the best investment locations and it was also voted for several years the best risk adjusted investment location in the PWC/Urban Land Institute Survey. We have clients in Paris who has consistently seen capital growth of 12-15% per year and who have generated Rental Income of 10, 11 or 12% per year. This is an extraordinary combination in a city which, I think, very few people would say is ever going to go out of fashion. It is the most visited city in the world. It is the capital of a government that is very centralized and located in a country which I believe to be very well placed to suffer less from the current recession than most other countries. Mortgage finance is still readily available at up to 80% loan to value – though we normally recommend taking out no more than a 50% or 60% loan if you wish to cover your costs from rental income. Importantly, there are also now some innovative mortgage products that will allow you to borrow 100% of the price of the property provided that you invest with the bank in question 30% of the price in cash, which is then retained in your own currency. At the moment this is an important option because the Euro is very strong against the Pound and if it weakens (which I suspect it will) you will, in effect, lose a portion of the Sterling you invested as your down payment.

In Paris location is everything. The performance of your investment will vary from street to street. We tend to recommend the third and fourth arrondissement – where there is very heavy rental demand or short term lettings and with prices still a little lower than they would be in the sixth arrondissement where there is similar demand. A case can also be made out for one or two other areas, but not many if you're looking to maximize both capital growth and rental return.

In Paris good property is hard to find and sells extremely quickly. We recommend the use of specialist property finding agents who will source property to meet your specification. We use such an agent who has given us excellent service over many years to find property for our clients...

Editor's note: Read the full article at www.JHCo.org/john-howells-top-ten-tips. (John Howell will be speaking at our upcoming Living and Investing in French Property Conference in New Orleans, March 21 and 22, 2009.)

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Where Ya At, Dahlin'...On March 21st?
By Adrian Leeds

New Orleans is a special place for us. Not just because I was born and raised in "The Big Easy," but because every Living and Investing in Real Estate Conference we've ever held there has not only been very successful for the participants, but it seems they have been the most fun...for everyone.

When Hurricane Katrina happened in 2005 devastating the city, we decided to support the rejuvenation of "Nouvelle Orléans" by holding a third conference there only nine months after the hurricane. We booked the meeting space at the Sheraton Hotel as always, but the registrations were so few a few weeks in advance that we were forced to cancel it.

Then miraculous things started to happen.

First, since I had already booked my flights to New Orleans, we decided not to disappoint the few registrants we had by holding a small, intimate private consultation with them. The city's second oldest restaurant, Tujague's, just happens to be owned by my cousin, Steven Latter, so when I asked him if we could use a private room upstairs in which to hold the meeting, he said, "Sure, dahlin', anything you want." (Can't you just hear that "Noo Awlins" "Yat*" accent coming through?)

And so we scheduled it and invited the registrants for an afternoon with just me in a three-hour 'crash course' to learn as much as they could about buying property in France.

Then Schuyler Hoffman, our long-standing loyal and faithful Projects Coordinator, said, "I'd like to come, too. I've got a place to stay at 'La Dauphine' (a local Bed and Breakfast) and I'll pay my airfare."

So, I said, "Sure, dahlin', anything you want." (Schuyler, by the way, moved to New Orleans not long after that and now has his own Bed and Breakfast in the "Faubourg Marigny" district just east of the French Quarter called "Chez Palmiers." It's a great place to stay, along with La Dauphine and several others we recommend.)

John Howell, lead attorney for The International Law Partnership, and his wife Janie, the co-sponsors of the conference, on their own did some checking around and discovered air fares and hotels were priced to encourage tourism to New Orleans. They couldn't pass up the deal to join us, so when they asked if they could come, too, I said, "Sure, dahlin', anything you want." And so they made their reservations.

With John present, we could extend the afternoon to five hours and give them double what they bargained for! (Someone from a past conference remarked about John Howell: "This guy is a walking encyclopedia. His presentation alone is always worth the money.")

Then another call came in, this time from Ruth Mastron, co-author of "Au Contraire, Figuring Out the French." She lives in San Diego, and was anxious to come to New Orleans, too, as long as we could give her a free place to stay. So, I said, "Sure, dahlin', anything you want." My mother was glad to give let her stay in the guest room and we were delighted to have her speak on Cultural Crossings!" And so she came.

Now, you can see what started to happen...like a New Orleans snow cone rolling down the levee. By the time it all happened, we had amassed all the 'usual suspects'...The guys from Moneycorp Currency Specialists came to teach us how to take the risk out of currency conversion. One of our best mortgage lenders came to show how easy it is to get a mortgage in France and what good sense it makes. Ruth talked about her favorite French icon, "Peppy Le Pew" and Tujague's gave us their biggest private room for the entire day including coffee breaks, cocktails and a five-course dinner.

It didn't take long before the registrations started to pour in and before it was all over, we had filled every bentwood chair at Tujague's. They came from far and wide. It was a fun-loving group of Francophiles anxious to hear more about how to have an enriching and rewarding life in France. While they got to know one another, they drank New Orleans coffee with chicory, ate "beignets" topped with mountains of powdered sugar and during a long and very intense day at Tujague's, learned all they needed and wanted to know about how to make their dreams come true.

That evening, we paused for cocktails and conversation and then Tujague's served up its famous specialities...Shrimp Remoulade, Louisiana Gumbo, Brisket of Beef with Creole Sauce, Shrimp Creole and Banana Bread Pudding with wine, plus coffee and chicory in a glass, just like they've served it for over a hundred and fifty years.

While dessert was being served, my niece took stage center with her trusty antique ukulele and played "When the Saints Go Marching In" while we all sang along, rejoicing in our fulfilling and fun day in The Big Easy. As you can imagine, it was all hilariously fun!

The whole experience was truly a miracle, and we had New Orleans to thank. The spirit of the people who came...coupled with the spirit of the great city struggling to survive...was a dynamite combination! We've never forgotten it. And now almost three years later...we're going to do it again.

"Oui." You read it right. We're doing it again March 21st and 22nd, 2009...in New Orleans. This is the city that is home to great food, great music and great entertainment. This is the city that is my home town and now is Schuyler's home, too. This is the city that the French influenced more than any other...where the streets have French names and where French culture plays a major role in what the city is today. This is "Nouvelle Orléans."

John Howell will be there, naturally, talking about why France is such a great place in which to invest, how to go through the buying process and structure your purchase to minimize your tax and maximize your profit.

Jody Cracknell from Moneycorp will be there to explain how much money you can save and how you can reduce your rate of exchange risk, just by using a currency specialist instead of your bank to transfer dollars to euros.

One of our best lenders is coming from France to show you how easy it is to get a mortgage and how low interest rates have gotten, making it even more affordable now than ever before!

Peter Zipper from Caye International Bank in Belize is going to let you in on the truth about off-shore banking...why it's such a safe way to park your investment funds until you're ready to make a property purchase...in any major currency.

And I'm going to show you how to find the best properties that appreciate well, how to renovate and rent a Paris apartment to yield up to a 10% return each year, and how to own a 'fraction' of a property to have the best of all worlds...and of course, how to make your dream come true.

These two days of conference activities include coffee breaks, the cocktail reception and five-course dinner at Tujague's, the reference materials and a tote bag filled with free gifts from Paris!

And it's priced so that it's very inexpensive to bring along your spouse, partner or friend...two can attend at just a little more than one! Subscribers to French Property Insider receive a special discount! (And if you bring a third person, we'll extend the second person discount!)

Everyone who has ever attended a Living and Investing in France Conference agrees that:
-"This was a very informative experience that I will highly recommend to others. It was completely worth crossing the country for the two days!"
-"After the first day, I felt like I got my money back two fold!"
-"The conference was above and beyond my expectations - thank you for putting together such an interesting agenda!"

Take advantage of this two-day power-packed conference with expert speakers from France, Europe and the U.S...in America's very own French city, "Nouvelle Orléans!"

Living and Investing in France Real Estate Conference March 21-22, 2009 New Orleans, Louisiana. For more information and to register, go to www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/conference/LIF_NOLA_2009 or email: fpi@adrianleeds.com

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World's Best Places To Invest In Real Estate

Forbes Magazine
www.forbes.com

With each passing day of bad market news, it's easy to see why there's so much skepticism about real estate investing. Despite banks' shareholders and equity investors tending to want less real estate in their portfolios, however, there are myriad growth opportunities in properties ranging from apartments in Sydney to office buildings in Shanghai. And some investors are shopping aggressively...

The opportunities vary from country to country, and at first glance, the U.S. and Britain would seem to be places to avoid investing. Both countries are facing an economic downturn and increasing price inflation. Because consumers are paying more for staple goods and have decreasing home equity, the amount they have to spend on discretionary items falls, and, in turn, so does the value of most retail property--making that retail property less attractive an investment...

Nevertheless, in times of global economic uncertainty, investors flock to markets that have proved stable in the long term. That's why New York and London occupy the top spots on AFIRE's list, with Washington, D.C. and Paris taking the next two spots...

Editor's note: Read the full article at www.forbes.com/realestate/best-property-markets. 

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The France Show 2009 - Celebrate the Best France has to Offer

www.thefranceshow.com

With over 30,000 visitors expected again this year the show has moved to a bigger and better venue in Earls Court - providing more space, better access and packed full of new attractions.

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. All regions of France are represented by agents or developers so you will be spoiled for choice with thousands of properties available to buy. This is simply the biggest and best French property exhibition available in the UK.

Editor's note: Full details are available at www.thefranceshow.com 

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Special Holiday Pricing for Apartment Rentals Extended

Take 10% Off All January 2009 Bookings in Parler Paris Apartments!

Minimum of three nights or more during the month of January in any one of Parler Paris Apartments at a discount of 10%!

Mon Petit Château
3rd Arrondissement, Le Marais
One-Bedroom Duplex, Sleeps up to 4
A magnificent glass staircase, as unique as a work of art, is the centerpiece of this charming little country house in the middle of Paris....

For more information and to reserve your stay in Paris now, visit www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apartmentsor email: Apartments@AdrianLeeds.com

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Fractional Property Offerings from French Property Fractional

www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional

If you are interested in traditional fractional ownership properties currently offered by our Fractional Ownership partners, see below:

	***NEW!!! Paris: La Résidence Luxembourg www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional
	Paris: LE PALACE DES VOSGES www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional
	Paris: LE PETIT TRESOR www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional
	Paris: CHEZ LA TOUR www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional
	Languedoc-Roussillon: MAISON BLEUE www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/fractional

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TODAY'S CURRENCY UPDATE

Visit the FPI Web site and click on the link on the left panel or click here for Currency Convertor by Moneycorp Global Money Services: Moneycorp Currency Conversion Tool for up to the minute conversions of all major currencies.

Compare currency values easily and quickly by visiting:
www.Moneycorp.com/agent/parlerparis/Currency Convertor by Moneycorp Global Money Services/Currency Online.asp

Charts: www.Moneycorp.co.uk/members/charts.asp. The charts are updated every ten seconds.

The prices shown are "inter bank" exchange rates and are not the rates that you will be offered by Moneycorp. Your rate will be determined by the amount of currency that you are buying. Please speak with an Moneycorp dealer or your consultant for a live quotation.

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HOT PROPERTY PICKS: Marvelous Magical Marais

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.

As we are not a real estate agency. These properties do not constitute a sales listing. For those readers seriously interested in finding property in Paris or France, you can retain our services to do the whole thing for you. For more information, visit http://www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/consultation.

This week we focus on the third and fourth arrondissements of Paris, the Marais.

***Paris, 3rd arr.: 1-bedroom, approx. 35m²

Discover this adorable top floor apartment with broad views over Paris. Located on the 6th and last floor of a period building, this 35 sq/metre flat is very bright, cosy and airy. It is comprised of a good size double bedroom, a full bathroom and a quiet living room with semi-detached kitchen. Prime location for Parisians at heart, the flat is located just a few steps away from the Picasso Museum, Café La Perle, and the fine food shops of the rue de Bretagne and rue Vieille du Temple, not to forget the famous Blancs Manteaux Market. The 3rd and 4th districts are also well known for their art galleries and designer exhibitions, and fashion boutiques, and it is the only part of Paris where shops remain open on Sundays. Thanks to its location and quality, this is a perfect investment for a lucrative seasonal letting and a great pied a terre in Paris.

Key Investment Points:

-Sought after location.
-Ready to move into or rent out
-Very good value for money
-Rental income 8.67% for short-term lettings.

Asking Price: 315 000€ + 2.5% Finder's Fee

 

***Paris, 3rd arr.: 1-bedroom approx. 53m²

Discover this tastefully renovated flat in a period building. Perfectly located in the Marais district, it is close to many art galleries, fine restaurants, and trendy bars. It is comprised of 53 sq/m and includes a 32-sq/m living space with open kitchen, a separate bedroom, and a luxury bathroom equipped with Jacuzzi bathtub. Thanks to its height (6th floor) and 10-sq/m balcony, this property is very bright and sunny with great views over the street and neighboring Haussmanian buildings. This is a charming pied-a-terre, and a very low risk investment due to exceptional location.

Asking Price: 514 000€ + 2.5% Finder's Fee

***Paris, 4th arr.: Studio with mezzanine, approx. 17m²

Discover this adorable apartment in Paris’s 4th arrondissement- prime location for Parisians at heart, located on a very famous street in the Marais. The 4th arrondissement is known to be a very fashionable area, full of art galleries, independent fashion shops and markets as well as trendy bars and restaurants. Close by and 5 minutes on foot from the apartment is the tree planted ‘Place du Bourg Tibourg’, with a typically Parisian gathering area, and 2 minutes from the shops of Rue de Rivoli. The apartment comprises 17 sq/m and includes a large living area with open kitchen, 1 mezzanine with bed settings, and bathroom. This apartment is ideal for a’ pied a terre’ or to rent out.

Asking Price: 192 000€ + 2.5% Finder's Fee

***Paris, 4th arr.: Studio, approx. 22m²

Discover the charm of the adored Marais quarter and this 22 sq/m studio flat. The premium area of Paris attracts more and more people thanks to its designer shops, art exhibitions, and innovative restaurants. A few minutes away on foot are the famous Bazar de l’hotel de ville (BHV), Pompidou centre and Picasso Museum. Ideal for a pied a terre to spend restful and enriching holidays in Paris, this flat is ready to move into. Also very lucrative for seasonal lettings, this flat can easily be rented for 500€ a week, with high occupancy rate.

Key Investment Points:

• Very sought after street
• Ready to move into
• Very fair price under market value
• Expected seasonal rental income: approximately 9.6%

Asking Price: 217 000€ + 2.5% Finder's Fee

***Paris, 4th arr.: 1-bedroom , approx. 72m²

This lovely property is located on the lively rue de Rivoli in the historical area of St Paul. The entrance is directly on rue de Rivoli yet the apartment looks over the calmer rue du Roi de Sicile behind. Centrally located in the historical area of St Paul.

This 1 bedroom property is situated on the 4th floor of a beautiful Haussmanian building with exceptionally well maintained common areas and a live in caretaker. Installation of a lift is possible and will be discussed at the next co-ownership meeting.

Traditional features such as herring bone floor boards, mouldings and marble fireplaces, high ceilings, volume and light are the highlights of this extremely well situated property.

It consists of an entrance, a double living room with mirrored french doors (dining/living area + 2nd bedroom if necessary), master bedroom with fitted wardrobe, independent bathroom (with washer, basin and bathtub), hallway, good sized fully equipped eat-in kitchen, and separate toilet with washbasin.

Asking Price: 739 000€ + 2.5% Finder's Fee  

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SEEKING A MORTGAGE IN FRANCE?

When you make a purchase as important as a piece of real estate in a foreign country, you want to know that you can trust the people you are dealing with. Adrian Leeds has developed a network of professionals that meet only the highest of standards. With the expertise and experience of Adrian and her team, you can depend on getting the best advice and support to feel completely confident that you are making an informed investment decision.

Let us help you secure a mortgage in France at a competitive interest rate. Visit www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/loan for more information or contact Loan@AdrianLeeds.com

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HELPFUL CONVERSIONS FOR REAL ESTATE

1 square meter = 10.7639104 square feet

1 hectare = 2.4710538 acres

For more conversions, refer to: www.onlineconversion.com/

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Parler Paris Après Midi

 

 

www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis/apresmidi.html

Come for a drink and to meet and chat with other readers in Paris...

The next gathering is January 13, 2009 and every second Tuesday of the month (except August).

 

 

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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 members@fpinsider.com

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THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

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 website. You will find the
"Past Issues" link on the left under "Subscribers Only" or by going to
www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider/members

To receive your free French Leaseback Report or the Paris Property
Report, click on
www.adrianleeds.com/frenchproperty/insider/members

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We wanted better guides, So we wrote them!

Insider Paris Guides are written for people who love the City of Light. You'll get a Paris insider perspective on Restaurants... Making a Life... Black Culture... Expat Writers...and the newest guide, Practical Paris!

French Property Insider subscribers receive a discount of 10% off any guide and up to 25% off the entire purchase (if two or more guides are purchased at the same time). Here's how it works:

1. Click on special Web link we give you just for FPI subscribers.

2. Then order one or more guide(s) and use the promotion
code "ED762." This promotion code gives you 10% off your total
order.

3. If you order two or more guides, then an additional 15% will be
taken off automatically. There is no promotion code needed.

Here is the special "coupon" Web link just for you:
www.insiderparisguides.com/offer

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SUBSCRIBE TO PARLER PARIS

If you're not a regular reader of the Parler Paris daily e-letter, and would like to be, simply enter your e-mail address here (it's free!): www.adrianleeds.com/parlerparis

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