12.17.09
It’s signed!
We’ve signed, we got it! Incredible, really hard to believe. In july we’ll be living in this wonderful place! Now we can relax for the christmas hollidays. Next year will be a different and exciting year.
11.29.09
House Grasse St Jean
Last saturday we visited for the first time the house of our dreams. It is the most charming place we’ve seen and we’re totally in love with this old house.
The house dates from 1840, has 110m2 living area and has a land of 5000m2 around (about half in front, half behind). A bit tricky to get the price to fit the budget, but we’ll try to give an offer quite a lot under the given price.
Yesterday we were there for a second visit, took photos, messurements and looked more into details. News from this second visit is: heating system is fairly new and could possibly be kept as is, as well as the water heater (chaudiere). They’re driven by gas and there is a gas ’sisterne’ outside.
I’ll show you the land. Lets start below the house. Here we have three wide bands of grass and trees.
Wine grapes 
And behind them you see a fig tree (figuier, fikonträd), and behind there a chicken house!
Then we’ll walk up behind the house:
All up to the big tree belongs to the property.
This is the house from behind. The view we see we will also get from infront of the house as soon as we’ve cut them a bit.
Next to the house, direction south, there is this terrasse with roof, perfect as dining place 7 months a year.
So, to the inside. There were no plans of the house so with our own meassurements we made up those plans.
[plans]
The main entrance leads directly into the kitchen.
This is the kitchen today.
Living room and dining area. The door you see is on the south side of the house.
Floors in kitchen and living room. I find them not very beautiful, but they have their charm, for sure. Even if it will hurt to destroy something old (probably from the twenties), I think we’ll change them to something more ‘calm’ but still keeping the atmosphere - not too modern.
The only toilet in the house is just above the stairs, and is 110*110cm. Never seen such a small room. But it works.
What you see here is what would become our dressing and bathroom. It’s in the part of the house to the left, added later. The crack in the walls, which you can also see on the outside is a bit worrying, but the most probable is that it’s been there for a long long time, and if the house could fall from it, it would already have happened.
Same crack on the outside, both in front and behind the house.
There are three other small rooms, but we might redo one into a shower room.
Next to the house there is a garage that could possibly (but illegally) be remade into living space, probably a living room with big windows where the garage door is.
The heater and hot water tank can be seen in the corner. On the back wall we can see the bare stones. If we’re lucky more walls in the house are made with this stone and we could make it visible on some walls.
View on the house on it’s hill, taken from the closest road. You hardly see it, but it’s there, a little bit below the middle of the photo.
Now, help us to hold all fingers and toes that we this dream comes true! And if you have experience yourself on old houses like this or renovation in general, don’t hesitate to share it with us!
01.04.09
Gott nytt år, 2009
Ibland när man vaknar har man en känsla av att allt är bra, och sen plötsligt slås man av det som hänt dagarna innan, som ibland varit något hemskt. Man kan knappt förstå det är sant, det är en konstig känsla att må bra en minut och sen dåligt resten av dan.
Som tur är så känner jag mig inte så idag. Jag vaknade av ett skratt i en dröm, mådde bra, sen kom jag att tänka på igår och vart jag var, och då mådde jag fortfarande bra. Inte stressad, roliga projekt att fundera över, perfekt kärlek, bra helt enkelt.
Det som fick mig att fundera på den där upplevelsen var att jag drömde om dans. Det var en lustig dröm där jag dansade lindy/blues med folk från folkdansen, på Stefan och Annas bröllopsfest. Vi sa att vi skulle träffas och dansa så där varje fredag kväll. Jag dansade med Niklas och Urban. Sen kom det en dans då alla kavaljererna var upptagna, då gick jag för att leta efter min kamera, och såg på vägen Joachim som satt i en babyväska på urbans rygg. Han var kanske 3 år. Jättesöt med sitt röda, aningens lockiga hår. Urban dansade runt och när jag gick förbi gjorde han en shimmy på skoj. Jocke hängde inte riktigt med (en shimmy är ju rätt snabb, det är när man skakar axlar/bröst) och hans ansikte var så roligt när det skakade, svårt att beskriva i ord ett avslappnat ansikte som skakas snabbt så kinder och haka vobblar. Det såg så roligt ut att jag skrattade högt, och så vaknade jag.
Dans är mitt gamla liv. Det är som om jag slutat ett liv och börjat ett helt nytt. Efter min dansdröm trodde jag nog några sekunder att jag hade kvar mitt gamla, och sen kom minnena från att jag är i frankrike, med Anthony, har ett bra jobb och letar hus på fritiden. Ett bra liv, men mycket annorlunda.
På tal om hus och tomtletande så har vi fått en dålig nyhet från Anthonys föräldrar. Den summa som de tänkt hjälpa oss med är blockerad och kan inte tas ut nu på grund av krisen, har vi otur är den halverad i värde också. Det kan dröja två-tre år innan pengarna blir “upplåsta”. Typiskt, det är ju nu när hus och tomtpriser går ner som man ska köpa. Jag tror jag fått Anthony att förstå att jag inte är så sugen på att sätta mig i en liten lägenhet i fem år, utan att jag hellre satsar på hus nu, att bygga hus, så vår plan är (som de senaste två åren…) att vänta ett år och sen köpa en tomt. Förhoppningsvis vet vi mer om de blockerade pengarna om ett år, då kan vi köpa en tomt med de pengar vi har, sen vänta på de blockerade pengarna och utöka lånet för att bygga huset. Idag har jag tänkt jag ska göra en mer detaljerad budget av det scenariot.
Jag hade just bestämt mig för att själv börja ringa runt till mäklare och gå på visningar av hus och tomter. Även om vi inte planerar att köpa nu är det bra att vara insatt i marknaden, och ha sett mycket så man vet precis vad man vill ha, och när man ska slå till. Dessutom skulle det vara en nyttig övning för mig att ta kontakt och prata franska. Någon gång är det ju dags att lära mig säga “vous” istället för “tu” (franskans förfärligt krångliga ni-form).
Men, nu har anthony lagt ner min plan, han vill inte att vi går och tittar på potentiellt interessanta tomter, om de skulle finnas kvar sen när vi vill köpa, då har vi ju försummat chansen att gå direkt genom ägaren och slippa dyra mäklar-kostnader. Jag håller med. Typiskt. Min super-favorit-tomt är kvar och jag vill verkligen se den. Innan jul åkte jag runt i hela opio, säkert en och en halv timme på alla småvägar jag hittade för att leta rätt på tomten men inte en skymt av någon skylt eller gräsplätt som liknade fotona. Bästa lösningen är att skicka någon vän att kolla på tomten, på så sätt skriver de på mäklar-pappret om att de sett den, och sen kan de berätta vart den finns, ibland träffar man ju till och med ägaren när man besöker tomt med mäklare. Men, vänner är det inte så gott om, i alla fall inte som Anthony känner för att besvära med att besöka en tomt som både är för dyr och som vi inte planerar köpa för att det är för tidigt för oss. Men jag vill! Jag vill använda den som exempel när jag lär mig mer om hur det funkar att bygga hus. Igår köpte vi en bok, vi bestämde att jag ska koncentrera mig på att lära mig mer om husbyggarteknik, papper osv, istället för mäklar-kontakt. Det är också intressant och lärorikt. Än en gång är jag besviken på att jag inte har några egna vänner här nere. Hade Kat eller AnnCharlotte varit här så hade jag ju kunnat fråga dem att gå och besöka min lilla tomt.
Nu är det ett nytt år och jag tror det blir ett bra år. Anthonys nyårslöfte är att ta hand om sin hälsa. Han har några små problem, bland annat att synen “darrar”, som han ska ta tag i. Själv ska jag bli mer ansvarstagande och drivande i saker vi gör, jag började igår med att laga en supergod middag alldeles själv. Det blev helstekt kyckling i ugn med päron bitar, aprikoser och fikon karameliserade i honung och vitt vin, och som var i ugnen sista halvtimmen med kyckligen så den fick en god smak av dem, och sen couscous brevid. Vi var imponerade båda två.
12.13.08
Frustration
Now I have to write down my frustration a bit.
As you know we (me and Anthony) wants to live in a house, and we have had plans to buy one or even build one. Now this is very expensive where we live. We have many questions unanswered, like, will we want to stay in this region, should we buy now or later, should we first buy a flat and then a house etc.
One and a half year ago we started to visit different lands, I showed some of them here in my blog. Then the market began to stabilize, and now finally it’s going down a little bit.
Some months ago, when we realized the market was beginning to go down we decided that we would try to buy a house or land one year from now. That way the prices have time to go down, and we have time to save a little bit more, and to be more sure we want to stay here.
Another affect of the crisis is that we are very happy to have stable jobs. We see how contractors are put out, Amadeus is firing lots of them, and how it gets harder to get jobs in general. It make us think that in our situation, with maybe a family in some years, it’s not the best time to quit jobs to find new, less stable ones, in another region, maybe in a smaller, more risky company. Even if the house prises would be lower, with one or both of us without jobs we would not get very far.
So, ok we’ll probably stay here.
Quiet some time ago, we applied/told we were interested in buying one of a set of new apartments built between where we live and where we work. The situation is perfect with 10 minutes bike in forest to work, forest all around, south position, a small but nice view on a small golf court. The appartments are built by Valbonne, and sold to a price lower than market to people working in sophia (which is part of Valbonne). We were told that priority were given to people with less income and we were too far back in the list to have a chance.
Yesterday they called Anthony telling that we had a chance to buy a three room, or even a four room appartment, available in september 2009. The tree room appartment is 75m2 and have a balcony of 25m2, price 310 000Eur. The four room for a bit over 400 000. Three rooms would be enough for us.
Anthony was from the beginning attracted by those appartments, the situation and the thought of for quiet cheep have something completely new where we could decide everything inside. And in contrast I have always been sceptic, now when I’ve tried the life on the country side with a garden, all is silent around, plus how nice we have it here with walking distance to Valbonne Village etc. I have a hard time seeing me live in a flat.
So, we did some calculation with three scenarios:
1) Bying flat now, then five years later a house (meaning either house, or land and constructing a house). (Another parenthesis here is that if you didn’t know, me and Anthony are very lucky people who will be able to put close to 200 000 in a loan, from savings and help of parents). We would first take a loan of 5 years for the flat (the one for 310 000), then buy a house for 500 000 (land 300 000, house 200 000), taking a loan of 10 years. So after 15 years of loan we would own a house of 500 000 and we would have payed 83 000 to the bank. Pas mal!
2) Bying a house now (land 240 000, house 200 000). Well, we would need a loan of 20 years and in the end we would have payed 170 000 to the bank. Note also that the house itself would be ‘only’ worth 440 000.
3) Staying here 5 years (to compare it to the first scenario, in reality it would rather be three years or until a baby made it too hard to stay here…). Say we would buy the same thing as in the first scenario, a house for 500 000. Then we would have ‘lost’ 101 000: 39 000 in rents the five years, and 62 000 for a ten year loan. 15 years in total to be free.
You see… we have a small problem. How to decide. Following my heart I would go for scenario number two. I want to build now, I don’t want to build a house when having a baby. And I DON’T want to spend 5 years of my life in a flat. I just don’t want. But is that worth 100 000 that we would loose? Don’t know.
Please help!
10.13.08
Refreshing the kitchen
We have been dreaming of this for two years. Anthony probably longer. Today the dream is realized: new bar and storage, new working surfaces, new fridge - and last, but not least new oven and induction stove.
Here is my hardworking man. Can you imagine how scared we were when we saw this note coming with the stove:
And we had of course the combination on the bottom right in the kitchen… aaaa! It took almost a day of help from my dad, anthony going to a shop to ask and then messuring with a tool Anthony got from his grand dad. Finally we realized that it was not three phase we had, but one of the others, don’t ask me which, I only know it’s working.
And watch this final look. It’s heating really fast! Yesterday when we had installed the oven I made a quiche lorraine, and tried one of the funny built in modes for paj that the oven has. It also has a mode called ‘Intelligent Cocking System’, but when I wanted to run it the oven told me that it was already warm (I grilled bacon for having in the paj just before) and then he didn’t want to cook with that program for me. I’m a bit sceptic about it’s intelligence, we’ll see if he can prove me wrong.
I’ll take more pictures of the kitchen when we cleaned up a bit.
09.26.07
A house with seaview
Yesterday we saw the first house. Before we’ve only been looking at lands. I
I have no time to write about it now, I have to go to bed because tomorrow we will go on our wine route to Bourgogne for the weekend.
The house is situated in St Paul de Vence, takes about 25 min with car to Amadeus without traffic, quite a lot more with traffic.
The upper and main floor contains a kitchen, open to a livingroom/eating place which is quite small to contain both. Then there are two bedrooms and a bathroom. There is no stair inside down to the bottom floor but you have to pass outside. The bottom floor has three quite big bed-rooms, and a door to an old garage which could be remade to kitchen. There is also a possibility to do a studio in the floor below the bottom floor, in the basement. That’s because the land is so steep.
What was missing is a terrasse in west, as it is now the sun on the terrasse dissapears around two-three in the afternoon since it is south. However I saw a possibility to add a terrasse on the side of the house facing the entry of the property. One on the same level as the main floor. For me this terrasse could be in wood, but Anthony said he really though it should be in stone as the rest of the house to not break the spirid. I didn’t think it would disturb. What do you think?
It’s north, but the view is fantastic. The place is really calm and you hear birds rather than cars.
The pictures are on the photo page.
We will not buy now, we are not ready for that, but it was fun to see that this is a house we actually could afford to buy, even if it’s the limit.
Have a nice weekend! (speciellt du mamma)
Kraam!
09.02.07
A green view
Yesterday we saw the first lands in Bar sur Loup. All the photos can be found in the photo album. We’ve called the lands 5 and 6. They are just next to each other and the photos are a bit mixed. Photo 83 to 108 shows mainly land 1, 110 to 131 shows mainly land 2.
When we first started thinking about lands, Bar sur Loup was a big candidate on our list. But after seeing some lands in Grasse, we both were thinking that Bar sur Loup, that would be too far and on the wrong side of Sophia Antipolis.
However, now when we’ve seen those two lands, our minds are back thinking that Bar sur Loup, that would be a nice place to live.
Some facts:
- Price: 230 000 Euro each
- Size: 1500m2
- Very steep, at least the first one, which would require quite some money
- Water, electricity and gas from the town are ready to take just at the border of the lands
- The view, as you can see, is amazing. Especially for the first of the two lots.
- The place is silent, a real countryside feeling
- If we compare to the land in Grass, st. Mathieu, the surroundings are better. Here it will be possible to take a walk. Even to walk up to the village of Bar sur Loup. It makes the place feel more friendly.
- The maximum allowance of living area is 160m2, and the max heigh of the house 7 m (that is two floors).
- It takes 25 min to sophia with no cars on the road, 30 with some cars, and 40 on the going to and from work hours.
- 30 minutes to Nice Airport.
Our general feelings are good. Anthony likes the lands better than the ones in Grasse, st Jean. I’m not as convinced that they would be better, but I also like them a lot.
This week we will meet with two banks to see more exact what we can have, and we will meet with two agencies to see more lands.
08.25.07
A land with an architected villa
Today we went to se another land in Grasse. The address is 314 Route de Saint Mathieu. With this land it’s both strong pros as quite strong cons (för- och nackdelar). Our general feeling is good. Anthony likes it a lot, me a little bit less, but I definitely can see me living there.
Price of land: ca 255 000 (when septic tank, water and taxes are paid).
Price of house: 250 000 with the key in the hand, meaning we can get it cheaper if we build the inside ourselves.
We made a personalized map on google maps where you can see the approximate borders of the land. We found the post on Seloger (link goes to the land).
The size of the land is 2500m2. That’s big, but the third which is closest to the road is very steep and there is not possible to make something on.
The photos are on the photo page under the 4th land. There you can also see the house itself. Before selling the land the owner laid an architect to draw the house. Because that we would have our own septic tank, the living surface is limited. They said 225 but we think it’s with garage.
The outside of the house is fixed but we are allowed to change the room layout inside. However the architect have made a solution possible to extend. There can be one more room added on the top floor, and the cave has windows so in there it can be rooms as well.
Pros:
- The land is ca 100000 less expensive than land 3
- Beautiful view
- Quite a lot of sun even with the bad orientation
- You don’t see the road below
- You don’t see other into other houses, and they don’t see us
- The bottom part of the land is forrest, fun for children
- There are houses on left, right and behind = no surprises
- Funny and personal house done by architect
- Possibility to change room layout inside house
- Lots of windows giving an open feeling inside
- Possibility of swiming pool (not included in house price)
Cons:
- Orientation is north-west
- Noise from road below
- The house is small
- Outside of house fixed, not possible to change
- No football field for children (they wouldn’t like football anyways)
- The road up to the house is turning sharp and dangerously small
- We would have to drive children everywhere (as for most lands infact)
08.24.07
Dreaming…
Hello friends! Sorry I didn’t write you for so long. Time goes increadably fast when working.
Here are some friends from work. Ruben, Raul and Maggie (much more complex name in Polish, but I’m still not able to remember).
But now I have something funny to tell! Me and Anthony are beginning to think about buying a land and building a house. It’s something very big. A big engagement for us, but a dream we both had since a long time.
We have just began to look at what is possible with our budget and today we visited the first lands for sale. No, infact we saw one yesterday too, but it’s too expensive and out of scope. On monday we will see a company constructing houses to see what will be possible to get for the money that will be left over from buying one of those crazily expensive in this region.
On my photopage there are photos from the three lands we have seen. It’s the third one we are really in love with, both of us. The second and third lands are here: Google-maps
Look and enjoy!