Sunday, January 6, 2013

Buy to let in France

The French newspaper LibĂ©ration has published an interesting profile of typical French private landlords, who between them house one fifth of the French population - 14.4 million inhabitants,  or 22.7% of all households.

There are nearly 3 million private landlords, of which 30% own a single property they rent-out, and 25% have two. Larger scale owners are divided into 29% owning between three and five properties, 10.5% between five and ten, and 5.5% own more than ten house or apartments.

Of the properties themselves, 63% were purchased specifically to rent-out, 18% were their owners' former principal or private residence, and 14% were inherited. Some 80% of owners bought the property using a mortgage, with interest deductible from income.

Finally, the 'ideal tenant' is seen as someone aged between 16 and 35, with the rent guaranteed by parents. Older tenants (50+) are not seen as ideal 'as they are likely to be/become unemployed, and go into retirement with markedly reduced income'.

Source:www.liberation.fr 04 January 2013