# Property prices?



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

When I first started to look at property prices about 18 -20 months ago, the prices in Portugal were a fair bit lower than they were in France but when I look now, the PT prices seem to be a fair bit higher than they are in France now. 

Does anyone know if prices here have gone up or have French prices dropped and in either case, why?


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## silvers (Sep 22, 2008)

The Portuguese do not like to drop prices. They will happily sit on a property for several years, rather than take a hit. The only properties that are dropping are either reposessed or expat homes that are lying empty after their owners have gone back.
I know of two expat homes on the Silver coast that have had €30k taken off the asking price.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

I'd agree with silvers, although I have noticed price drops now on Portuguese first homes, some marked differences to property we viewed on Silver Coast this time last year, latest being a T3 single storey on 4100m2 84.000,00€, not good if your the seller


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

silvers said:


> The Portuguese do not like to drop prices. They will happily sit on a property for several years, rather than take a hit. The only properties that are dropping are either reposessed or expat homes that are lying empty after their owners have gone back.
> I know of two expat homes on the Silver coast that have had €30k taken off the asking price.



TOTALLY agree Silvers. It seems to work the same with cars....they put a value on it and there it stays


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I'm astounded how property prices in France have dropped over the last 18 months or so. 

Maybe we just picked a bad time to think about moving from Africa.


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

travelling-man said:


> I'm astounded how property prices in France have dropped over the last 18 months or so.
> 
> Maybe we just picked a bad time to think about moving from Africa.



You wouldn`t like it in France!!! PORTUGAL is much nicer


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## robc (Jul 17, 2008)

travelling-man said:


> I'm astounded how property prices in France have dropped over the last 18 months or so.
> 
> Maybe we just picked a bad time to think about moving from Africa.


I think that the last and current French Presidents have had something to do about that, removal of health for ex-pats, extra taxation, etc.etc.

And ultimately would you trust the French to take into account the needs of the community of "rosbifs".

Rob


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I've got to decide on that yet but at the moment, France is looking very appealing to me....... I've got to admit I'm finding the language here to be a big obstacle...... We both have a bit of French but Portuguese seems to be totally impregnable to us.

I'm also getting a bit ticked off with not being able to buy odds and sods that I like here and although I haven't looked into it yet, I rather suspect France might have a wider choice of things we tend to want/use.

Hell, I can't even buy a decent stock cube or any make or any fresh herbs at all in this area. 

I know I can order online and grow my own but I'm not really that organised. 

To be honest, even my part of Africa had a miles better infrastructure in most ways than this part of Portugal has. 

Then again, maybe I'm just having an off day!


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

travelling-man said:


> I've got to decide on that yet but at the moment, France is looking very appealing to me....... I've got to admit I'm finding the language here to be a big obstacle...... We both have a bit of French but Portuguese seems to be totally impregnable to us.
> 
> I'm also getting a bit ticked off with not being able to buy odds and sods that I like here and although I haven't looked into it yet, I rather suspect France might have a wider choice of things we tend to want/use.
> 
> ...


Your not looking properly one of the nice things about Portugal it isn't all what you can buy off the shelves, still tends to be seasonal, with a lot of home cooking, although we've seen a marked difference in product availability over the last couple of years, you might just be a little bit to far inland.
Knorr stock pots are available, ok not an oxo cube but better fresh herbs probably because the don't use all that many, but oregano widely available, it's all about learning your way around, no one supermarket does everything here, we have a shopping list for when we go to certain places areas like Porto where there are 3 Chinese supermarkets.

Expats are vacating France because of reasons given apart from dying there and facing French laws on succession.


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## Maggy Crawford (Sep 18, 2010)

As you are very close to where we live we recommend the Figueiró dos Vinhos market on a Saturday morning for quite a few fresh herbs, including coriander. Also Jumbo in Coimbra is excellent for exotic spices and herbs. Also Continente in Coimbra. If you were to spend some time there between the two you could probably find everything you want and enjoy the beautiful city as the same time. We are going to France next week to visit friends who say that since they moved there six years ago they cannot believe the price increases, not property but everyday cost of living. Coffee in an ordinary café there costs aorund €2.50 a cup as opposed to €.50 for 4 cups here. Yes, Portuguese is tough. Spanish in which I am fluent is my second language and I really struggle with spoken Portuguese because it sounds nothing like it is written. A Duthcman once called it "Spanish spoken with marbles in the mouth" There used to be classes in F de V given by Teresinha in the library. It might be worth checking it out.


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

travelling-man said:


> I've got to decide on that yet but at the moment, France is looking very appealing to me....... I've got to admit I'm finding the language here to be a big obstacle...... We both have a bit of French but Portuguese seems to be totally impregnable to us.
> 
> I'm also getting a bit ticked off with not being able to buy odds and sods that I like here and although I haven't looked into it yet, I rather suspect France might have a wider choice of things we tend to want/use.
> 
> ...



Perhaps you are not looking in the right corner on the shelves  Knorr stock cubes in all flavours are readily available in all supermarkets and are not as salty os OXO cubes. You can get the little stock pot type ones too.

Also look in Lidl and Aldi if you have them locally.

Really don`t think you would be any better supplied in France as foods are also very seasonal there. And I must admit that prices have shot through the roof!!!

We did consider resettling there as I speak French fluently and HIM indoors speaks passable French also. I already had a plot of land I could build on, also with planning permission. However one of the things that made us think otherwise was that everyday prices had already started to escalate considerably. The other was the succession laws. I had gone through that particular experience with a very close friend (French) who`s husband had just died. The tax people were on her back immediately to pay the taxes due on her husband part of the estate.
Both were quite well off in property terms but she had to borrow from the bank the large sum that needed immediate payment.

So PORTUGAL it was for us!!

The only thing that would add to our pleasure would be a really good Chinese restaurant!!! There are a few locally but not up to a good standard 
But there is a really good Chinese supermarket I hit when I go to Lisbon


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

What's the Thai restaurant like in Caldas not had a chance to try it yet, Chinese restaurants I find very mediocre here and not found one in Chinatown import centre near Vila Conde yet, you'd think there was one?


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## jerryceltner (May 15, 2012)

I love Indian......We have one that passes as one but not a patch on the UK ones. Love my onion bargees and popadoms with the relishes and a nice King Prawn Madras. This place does all of these but alas second rate. It's about 11km away and you can't pick up the phone for a takeaway. There are 2 Chinese in Tomar and one of these is OK with a large choice of dishes even crispy duck and pancakes. I am salivating now...lol


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Take a trip to Fiqueira de Foz


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## jerryceltner (May 15, 2012)

Hi,
It does make it a little expensive with toll charges and a 300 km round trip plus the price of the meal but thanks for the info.

Maybe order from our local takeaway and have it flown in....lol


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Sorry for the delkay in replying folks..... i'm in the UK because of yet another family funeral! 

We intend to give PT a year or so before deciding and hope that as we get to know the country more we'll start to find the things we miss etc. 

As to language..... Apart from English, I can manage Zulu, Ki-Swahili, Africaans and a bit of several others as well but find Portuguese harder than all of thos put together. 

Time will tell I guess........


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## mickie_dw (May 4, 2009)

travelling-man said:


> Sorry for the delkay in replying folks..... i'm in the UK because of yet another family funeral!
> 
> We intend to give PT a year or so before deciding and hope that as we get to know the country more we'll start to find the things we miss etc.
> 
> ...


Miskien moet jy eers leer om die woord Afrikaans te spel voordat jy spog met jou taalkunde.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

For those who didn't understand the previous post, he suggested I need to learn to spell in Afrikaans.

In reply:

I never said I could spell in the language and in fact struggle with reading it at all but I can follow and join a conversation in it...... just as long as things don't get too complicated.

Truth is, my English spelling isn't too good, let alone any other language! LOL

Ah. I've just sussed I spelt it Africaans rather than Afrikaans..... typo rather than spelling error. - Sorry about that but in my defense I was using a dongle and only had limited internet access. Hence the hurried post. LOL!


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## steve01 (Dec 8, 2010)

Hi,
i'm biased - lived in France for 6 years before moving here.
Away from Northern France its actually harder to buy stock cubes there - the French make a jus for just about everything - you should try it.
We left for a variety of reasons.
Weather - even in the South of France we had awful weather - short summers and endless freezing winters (Bordeaux -16c was very common)
Cost of living - much higher than here - tax Fonciere/ habitation was rapidly moving towards UK £1000+ levels - restaurant prices double here, drinks prices higher than the Algarve.
Population - everyones miserable (French and English) - probably not a coincidence its the same word - in Portugal most people still smile and say hello.
The language is more difficult - i speak French but struggle with Portuguese - however they have much in common (same latin roots) and i find it very easy to read - and after a couple of years of Portuguese tv / vists to the bar i'm slowly getting into speaking it.
As far as house prices go - they seem to have dropped 20-30% here and apart from a serious glut of apartments have bottomened out.
Because of my past i always keep an eye on France and prices are dropping all of the time - no wonder when a recent government paper suggested they should drop another 20% over the next 3-5 years
If your only decision is based on stock cubes let me know and i'll pick you up a years supply next time i go to the Algarve - maybe you should consider further South.
Best of luck


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I've gotta say I'm feeling better about PT as each day goes by & also getting more accustomed to on-line shopping so those things are becoming less of a problem....... but yes, maybe a move southwards might help and we are considering that.

As for France, we also considered that but think we'll hold fire on that until we see how things work out with the new Govt.


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## monsieurms (May 29, 2012)

travelling-man said:


> As to language..... Apart from English, I can manage Zulu, Ki-Swahili, Africaans and a bit of several others as well but find Portuguese harder than all of thos put together.
> 
> Time will tell I guess........




It is wicked hard to pronounce and the great disconnect between writing and speech is another cross to bear. It doesn't help that they slur things together so often. Something that might slowly be said as Mon-tesh (just a made up example) tends to become "montsh" in one syllable. 

there is one bit of good news though--it is a romance language. If you've had French, Italian, Spanish, etc the grammar and vocabulary is fairly easy to pick up. Speaking and understanding--well, that is a bridge that is far away.


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