Counting Down to Departure
We are counting down to moving out of our beloved house. Twelve more days remain for us to leave our life in the Parisian region and start anew in the southeast of France. At least it’s for me since my other half has been there since last year. We have just signed the agreement for renting out my house in France. As a result, the tenants take over just two days after our departure.
Renting out the house is easier than I expected. I adore my house, but I try to be objective. Perhaps not many people are wild about tranquility and having a forest in the backyard. The flip side is that basic amenities are not easily accessible. I have to admit that I often grumble about the nearest train station being 20 minutes away on foot. In fact, the slope our house sits on makes that walk even longer.
Doubting the Price of Renting Out My House in France
We were initially a little apprehensive about the rent we put up. It sat at the higher end of the estimated rental range our real estate agent had given us. When we first heard that range, we told ourselves the price was preposterous — and hinted as much to the agent. Even the top figure seemed far too low for our beloved house. After speaking with the agent, however, we sensed she saw even that higher figure as reaching for the moon. A second opinion later confirmed the same range. I suppose most property owners are partial to their own properties and like to think of them as gold mines. That might just be how we feel about ours.
A Second Opinion, Same Range
However, we did have a tangible reason to back up our belief. The house next door was much smaller. Yet its owners had rented it out earlier this year at a much higher price per square metre. Despite pointing this out to the agent, she still kept to her estimated range.
Her reasons were vague — one being that people generally prefer direct access from the veranda to the garden. Our veranda, though, does not lead to the garden; we have to exit through the front door instead. That, she said, is what drops the house’s value. To me, that sounds like a trivial reason. Besides, I worked as a business valuer in my past life. So I take the agent’s estimations with a pinch of salt.
We were in a dilemma. Only at the end of May had we put the house on the rental market. We planned to move out by mid-July at the latest. Renting it out quickly mattered to us. For the past year, we had been paying both the mortgage and the rent on our Grenoble flat. We did not want that to continue. Still, we refused to believe our house was worth so little. In the end, the agent indulged us. We could try renting it out at the higher end of the estimated range for two weeks. If the price was reasonable, there would be visits; if interest was low, we could revise the rent.
From For Sale to For Rent
It was déjà vu, similar to what happened earlier this year when we tried to sell the house. We wanted to sell and make a clean start in Grenoble. We knew, however, that the real estate market was not in our favour. The only way to sell would have been at a substantial loss. The agent suggested we list the house at our own price for three months. If there was no interest, we could then rent it out until conditions improved for sellers. That is exactly what we did. The house was on the market for three months, until May, with two agencies at once. We even dropped the asking price once, hoping it would attract buyers. Not a bite. This time, we did not want wishful pricing to sink us again.
Fortunately for us, the rental situation turned out very differently from the sale attempt. House visits started on 31st May, and we rented out the house on the fifth visit — in less than two weeks. According to the real estate agent, the couple had a crush, a “coup de coeur,” on our lovely house. Finally, someone with taste! We have spent so much money and time on the house. We have barely started to enjoy the fruits of our labour, figuratively speaking. In fact, we already have literal fruit from our bountiful garden.
A Coup de Coeur on the Fifth Visit
Actually, we almost rented out the house in the first week. A couple was interested right after their visit, but they changed their mind after viewing a single-storey house later on. The agent explained that the couple’s elderly parents, in their eighties, would be moving in with them. We guessed that our stairs were a deterrent, given how much easier a single-storey home would be for them.
Dodging House Visits, One Run at a Time
The failed rental attempt rightfully disappointed us, and I thought I would have to keep enduring inopportune house visits. The agent was fine with me staying in the house during visits, but I would feel uncomfortable. They might not be at ease either. Hence, I scheduled my runs around these visits. The first few were fine, since they happened on different days. There was one occasion, though, with two visits on the same day. I did a speed workout that morning and knew I would be too tired for another run in the afternoon. So instead, I hiked in the forest for 45 minutes before heading home.
Anyway, the fifth and final, successful house visit took place just a few days after the failed rental attempt. I no longer have to suffer more house intrusions. I get to enjoy my last few days in this charming house in peace. So everything is back on track for renting out my house in France.