If you are looking to buy a property in the French Alps, or indeed you have a property to sell, it can be quite a daunting process if your French is not great, or you don’t know the region well.
If you only speak English, it is tempting to use one of the UK-based firms to manage the process for you, but if they don’t have local people “on the ground”, then you are potentially missing out on a wealth of information, which can make or break a deal, and result in you buying a far from perfect mountain getaway.
Likewise, if you insist on using a local French-speaking agency to search for your ideal property, you risk overlooking the small details – either the agents don’t understand what you are searching for, or you totally misunderstand the small print on the contract!
Clearly the ideal solution is to deal with a company that has agents who live in the region and understand the market like a local, but who appreciate some of the finer points that matter to international buyers, and can take you through the entire process of buying a property from initial search through to signing of contracts – in your own language!
One company, which has been doing this for nearly 20 years, but which has only recently been brought to our attention, is Alpine Property. A web-based, French-registered estate agency, Alpine Property currently has 17 bilingual agents, who live and work in the Haute Savoie region of France.
If you’re considering embarking on a home or garden renovation project this year, then you should take a look at what the Swiss-registered English-speaking building company, PURE BUILD, can offer you.
Working since 2006 and rebranded as 'PURE BUILD' in 2012, Greg Brown will manage the entire project for you, from initial concept and sourcing architects, through to interior design and/or planting trees.
The branding PURE BUILD reflects the aim to be as sustainable and environmentally conscious as possible, using sustainable materials, responsible waste management and efficient transport and work ethics.
PURE BUILD specializes in two main fields: Home Renovations including carpentry, masonry and decoration; and Garden Landscaping, which includes terraces, earth works, masonry, carpentry and plant science.
5% discount for knowitall.ch readers on all orders placed before end of 2017!
If you have a home improvement project in mind for 2017, which involves an element of woodwork, then you should talk to Woodhouse Carpentry in Geneva.
Set up in 2013 by Englishman Sam Woodhouse, a locally trained cabinet maker, the company specializes in bespoke furniture, fitted bookshelves and wardrobes, but is also able to fit internal hinged and sliding doors, install mezzanine beds and undertake external woodwork such as decking and fences.
Asked why he decided to set up his business here in Geneva, Sam told knowitall.ch, “After I completed my training as a cabinet maker at the professional woodwork school in Geneva (CFC Menuisier), it soon became apparent that there were several English-speaking tradesmen and handymen in the region, but few who were equipped with a workshop for quality woodwork and cabinet making. So I decided to set up my own small woodwork business where we could all work together in well-equipped workshops close to Geneva airport. Our workshop is based in a professional woodworking collective in Vernier where the total experience totals more than 70 years."
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us at the celebratory launch of the 10th Edition of Know-it-all passport® at this year’s Expat-Expo fair in Geneva, on Sunday 2nd October, 2016.
With lively entertainment provided by Fanan from Cocktails Entertainment, our corner stand was buzzing with excitement as customers flocked to see for themselves Fanan’s renowned flair bartending skills and sample his amazing glow-in-the-dark cocktails.
As people posed to have their photos taken with their drinks, others took the opportunity to do some networking or watch the celebration video produced for this special occasion by Zuzana Hevler of VisualSouvenirs. If you didn’t get a chance to watch the film in full, you can see it now by clicking on the image below.
Excerpt from trailer below.
To celebrate the 10th edition of Know-it-all passport® (KIAP), we are creating a special video that will be loaded on our site, and viewed at various events.
We are asking KIAP enthusiasts to send in any of the below:
- a short video, up to 1 minute long (see details below)
- a photo (possibly of you holding any edition, on your bookshelf at home or the office, in the car, or anywhere else you can imagine)
- a greeting card (send in a congratulations card to the address below)
You can include other people or props: business associates, family, pets, balloons, confetti, banners, glass of champagne, etc. The photo of the book(s) in the bookshelf would be the perfect backdrop or wherever it is used the most (coffee table, car, stroller, office).
