Meet the agent - Steve Clemo
You were an estate agent in the UK; tell us a bit about that.
My first experience in Estate Agency was from 1977 until 1979 in Braintree, North Essex working for an independent operator. Thanks to the internet and companies like Rightmove, I was able to re-enter the business without the huge start-up expense of an office etc and from 2006 until 2014 I owned and operated my own Estate Agency from my home in Bracknell, Berkshire. We offered all the services you would expect from an agent.
When did you move to France, and why?
Full time in 2014. I had just turned 60 and thought that was a good time to ‘retire’. Little did I know what awaited me.
How was your experience as a property hunter?
Very good. Although the research I did beforehand made it easier for the agent to find me a suitable property. I knew roughly where I wanted to be and what I wanted to pay and my budget was flexible
What did you buy?
An old farmhouse which needed considerable renovation, with a large barn also requiring work, situated on a 2 hectare plot with views.
Describe your new life…
I’m ‘living the dream’. Very little stress if any. Every day I wake up happy and appreciate where I am. Workwise, I support my girlfriend Kate who works full time for Beaux Villages Immobilier and I provide b&b and gite hire to some of her buyers and the general public.
Did you always plan to work in France?
No, I hadn’t intended to get back into Estate Agency but I met my girlfriend Kate at a party and when she described to me how Estate Agency worked in France compared to the UK, it rekindled my interest.
What are the main differences between the job you do now and the one you did in the UK?
There’s a world of difference. Being an agent in France is far more interesting. Briefly, agents in France have to work much harder to earn their commission. One example, time!! Time spent speaking to both buyers and vendors trying hopefully to create a relationship so they only buy from us and eventually sell with us in the future. Time spent travelling taking buyers to and from viewings, time spent on the phone to UK buyers, chasing vendors to return their mandats, time to attend meetings with Notaires, time doing final meter readings, time spent marketing yourself as an agent and the company etc etc etc. But in my opinion
all of this makes most agents in France far more professional in their outlook and with a deeper understanding of the French market including the nuances. In the UK, it’s money for old rope. If any property is priced correctly it will sell almost immediately and once the agent has emailed the Memorandum of Sale to respective clients and solicitors, all the agent has to do is ‘keep their eye’ on the chain from time to time until completion. If a buyer pulls out of a sale, there are plenty of others standing by. UK agents have plenty of time as their property portfolios are normally contained within a 4 to 5 mile radius from the office which allows one agent to accommodate 20 plus viewings in a single day.
What advice would you give to the next generation of property hunters?
Do your research before contacting an agent. Think it through. Decide what region you want to live in. Then, do you want to be isolated, in a rural hamlet, a small/large town, near the coast, near airports and/or in a city?. Also what type of property can you imagine living in? Are you happy to renovate, just want general DIY or nothing to do? Do you want somewhere within an easy days drive from the UK? Whatever region you choose, you WILL find the home you are looking for as there is so much for sale all over France, that’s why I would select the region first.
What would you change about your adventure so far?
Seriously? Nothing.
