Côte Abode

2011-12-27T19:08:00.000+01:00

French Riviera property market
Predictions 2012

You have to be a little mad or arrogant to predict property markets - crisis or no crisis. However, as we leave 2011 and enter 2012 I thought I would have a stab at what next year may hold for the Côte d'Azur.

Against the economic odds, 2011 was hugely busy and successful for Côte Abode. We had a stream of serious clients throughout the year and found (and importantly secured) the right property for each one first visit. It is not surprising, however, as more people hear of our reputation and can see the advantage in professional assistance when property buying. We act for the buyer, so our expertise and work is different from estate agents.

Many of the estate agents on the Riviera, especially those dealing in the luxury property market, have also done well in 2011. Prices on the Côte d'Azur were up by 5 percent for apartments this year and 8 percent for houses (figures from l'immoblier des Notaires de France). The Riviera is seen as a safe haven in shaky times. But for some in the property business it has been a tough year on the Riviera. Too few good properties, too many cautious wait-and-see buyers, and just too many agents competing in an already competitive market.

So what will 2012 bring? Here are some predictions, but I can't promise they will hold true. We shall just have to wait and see!

- Asking prices will hold up but the price is still negotiable.
This year we have negotiated between 4 and 8 percent off the asking price for apartments and villas. We believe this will continue into 2012

- It will remain a serious buyers' market
Less available credit around means that cash buyers will continue to dominate the Riviera property market. One of the biggest complaints from agents in 2011 were about buyers who were not able to fulfill a deal due to financing falling through at the last moment. People in a position to buy immediately always have the advantage, as our clients prove.

- More US and Asian interest
As the Euro wobbles and the US dollar gains, we should see interest from American buyers once again. The South of France is not yet a favourite choice for Asian buyers, but this is set to change as a younger affluent generation discovers the chic status of the region.

- Investment properties in Nice will stay strong
A city that is on the move, Nice is a hot-spot for rental apartment investment. The City government is on a mission to make Nice the jewel of the South. Public spending on new developments and infrastructure continues apace. Owning an apartment in Nice makes sense with its almost year-round tourist industry and high seasonal rental returns.

- Two-bedroom apartments are the best investment choice for rentals
There is a good quantity of studios and 1 bedrooms available on the Riviera property market. The next stage up is harder to find but far more desirable as more people eschew hotels for short-term apartments and want more space.

- The quartier to invest in Nice is Lafayette
The Carré d'Or - traditionally Nice's most expensive central neighbourhood - will hand the crown over to Lafayette/Place Massena and streets in close proxmity - Alberti, Pastorelli, Hotel des Postes - Gubernatis, Place Wilson.... Smart investors know that the new park that is being built on Felix Fauvres and bordering the Old Town will dramatically change the area. It is also simply a quartier that has the branché (trendy) factor - great restaurants and shops are springing up daily here.

For villas on the Riviera, look to Beaulieu and Eze bord de mer
- Villefranche is beautiful but crowded and touristy. The real afficionado will buy in expensive but chic and discreet Beaulieu and Eze.

- The personal, smaller agent will continue to have the good properties
A lot of properties that come to our attention are by word of mouth or 'silent' listings (a seller who wants to sell discretely). Smaller agents often pick up the best and more interesting properties. Bigger, flashier agencies tend to share the same properties between them, take more commission and over-price them to a non-local market. Local and small is always best and 2012 will continue to confirm this!

Bonne Année!
www.coteabode.com

2011-12-08T09:48:00.001+01:00

A few of my favourite things
Christmas in Nice
Christmas shopping with the sun shining in a deep blue sky is one of the pleasures of Nice. It might not feel particularly 'winter wonder-land' but there is still something very pleasing about the season. The city returns to the locals after the summer wave of tourists. Nice's Vieille Ville (Old Town) is a pleasure in winter. One can actually navigate the narrow, windy streets in peace and really enjoy the architecture and sense of history. A stroll along the Cours Saleya market picking up seasonal vegetables, followed by a lunch at Le Cambuse is a regular out of season Saturday morning for our family.
With Christmas only a week away, it seems a good time to share some of my favourite Christmas shopping spots in Old Nice.
Joyeux Noël!

Maison AUER patisserie and chocolatier
7 rue François de Paule

A little chocolate delight of a shop that has been in existence since 1820. A Florentine-Rococo style interior is lined with every sweet chocolate treat imaginable plus their famous 'fruits confits' (honeyed fruit), a speciality that originated in Provence but is now adopted by the Southerners on the coast. There are perhaps smarter, more modern chocolatiers like Lac, but there is something lovely and old fashioned about Auer.

A selection of fruits confits at Auer in traditional earthenware bowls

The enticing Rococo interior of Auer

Cours Saleya

Nice has many wonderful markets but the Cours Saleya on the edge of Vieux Nice is the best known. Seasonal vegetables, bunches of flowers and sellers with local produce - honey, olives, olive oil and lavender soaps - nestle side by side. Watch out for the small, more local stall-holders selling 'Bio' (organic) harvested from their gardens. For the Christmas feast, this is where I will be buying my side of salmon to marinate (in dill and orange), fresh beetroot to roast with lemon thyme, and celeriac to make a traditional remoulade.

The small stalls are often the best as the produce is grown locally and organic

Compagnie de Provence

rue François de Paule

We love this soaps and lotions shop for the fact that everything smells good, is lovely to use and is beautifully packaged. They will even gift wrap the tiniest bar of soap to make it look like a million-dollars. The lavender based range is divine - from organic hand cream to crisp linen spray. And there is nothing old lady about it.

Cabane

rue de la Préfecture

A concept store that feels more Paris than Nice in its cool style. Eschewing the Provencal look for something more earthy and funky, the shop is an eclectic mix of household ware, clothing, decorative objects and linen.

Maison Baral

rue Sainte-Reparate

The proliferation of fresh pasta shops in Nice is a reminder of its Italian past. Maison Baral is one of the best. The display of fresh ravioli changes everyday and is constantly inventive - from the more traditional daube to newer flavours such as roquette, ricotta and pistachio. They also have a good selection of oils, pasta sauces in jars and truffle paste that make great presents.

Caprice

rue Droit

Caprice is our favourite vintage shop in the Old Town. Two floors of clothes, bags, accessories and small pieces of furniture. For something original, this is the place to pick up a snakeskin clutch or a pair of Chanel shoes from the 70s. Nostalgia with a modern twist.

RENOVATED RIVIERA

2011-11-19T16:08:00.000+01:00

RENOVATED APARTMENTS

To renovate or not to renovate, that is the question I am often asked. Buying a place that needs work is the less-expensive option and usually allows you to gain more from your investment. It also lets you put your personal stamp on an apartment. However, for many the thought of working on a renovation project in a foreign country is neither practical nor fun.

In the past couple of years on the Côte d'Azur - in Nice and Cannes in particular - there has been a glut of renovated apartments on the market. Suddenly everyone thinks they can be a property developer. Most of these apartments, I have to say, are poor, and I tend to avoid them for my clients. Typically, they are small, done on the cheap and then priced far too high. Eventually they sell - but usually considerably under the asking price (or if not, then to a foolish buyer).

However, recently I have had to stifle my sniffy tendencies towards new fit-outs as I have seen some rather good examples. One in particular impressed me in Nice. The location was perfect on an upmarket shopping street close to the beach. Although the space was small - 30 sq metres - the developer had thought about the design (he works in the fashion world) and had used quality fittings. I have a real aversion to mezzanines, but this time even I had to admit it had been done exceptionally well.

Price-wise, the difference between a renovated and an unrenovated apartment can be as much as double. Thus in Nice in a good neighbourhood, you will be looking at paying around €4,000 to €5,000 per square metre for place that needs work. This then shoots up to anywhere between €7,000 and €9,000 per sqm for a renovated apartment. What they ask for and what they get, of course, are often not the same. But a smart developer will know the market, know the clientele he is aiming for and make a handsome profit.

I usually still come down on the side of renovation when looking for clients on a tight budget - even if it means having to cost in the extra for hiring someone to supervise the work. But if your heart is set on a ready-to-rock rental investment apartment, then I am beginning to waver slightly after seeing my latest batch of viewings.

We're having a heatwave...

2011-08-27T18:30:00.000+02:00

ROQUEBRUNE CAP MARTIN - A BEACH FOR ARCHITECTS

Le Corbusier's 'Cabanon' at Roquebrune

I know I should be writing about the recent Notaires' figures on the property market (not that they hold much relevance here on the French Riviera where we have a specific micro-market). Or the extraordinary - and welcome- announcement by some of France's wealthiest citizens, such as Mme Bettencourt, that they will voluntarily pay more tax (you can read it here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/24/wealthiest-french-citizens-ask-to-pay-more-tax ). Or Sarkozy's new proposals for taxation. However, it has been too hot on the Côte d'Azur. Almost too hot to work, sleep, think, eat, and certainly to write about serious matters .... So I think it is appropriate to write instead about the beach. It is summer holidays, after all. This beach has an architectural twist, however.

With temperatures in the 30s, mornings are the best time to get anything done as after that the sun is even more unforgiving and everyone is either short-tempered (road rage seems to be the norm) or closed. Trying to property search in this heat is difficult. Fortunately, all my clients have been looked after for the summer now and new ones are not due until September. I have a few interior design projects on the go for clients who have bought, but this can be handled under air-conditioned conditions with scheduled ice-cream breaks.

Mad-dogs and Englishmen won't agree but the best time to head for the beach is either a very early morning swim to start the day or an early evening trip that turns into a beach-dinner. I am currently giving my beloved Villefranche a swerve in the height of tourist season (too many cruise ship people en masse stumbling around with cameras and loud clothing). Instead, we head for St Jean and, recently, Roquebrune Cap-Martin - my latest obsession.

Roquebrune is not a beach for people wanting sand, shops selling plastic-rings in the shape of dinosaurs, and cafés selling yet another poor excuse for a salade niçoise. It is discreet, it is stony and it is not easy to find. It is also for people who love 20th century architecture. It combines my passion for architecture and bord de la mer location.

A glimpse of Villa E.1027 from Roquebrune beach

In fact there are two beaches at Roquebrune, but the one that is of most interest (to me at least) is a tiny stretch of stones which has perched above it three very special places. On one side of the bay is Villa E.1027 (http://e1027.org/), a beautiful modernist house designed by Eileen Gray (a painter, designer and architect) and Jean Badovici between 1926-1929. It is currently undergoing renovation and restoration and is due to be open to the public in 2012.

On the other side is Le Corbusier's 'Cabane'. A mere 16 sq metres in size, the great modern architect Le Corbusier described it as his 'Château sur la Côte d'Azur'. Built in the 1950s as a retreat for himself and his wife, he famously claimed that he drew the plans in three-quarters of an hour and didn't change a thing (although as my mother tartly commented, given the tiny dimensions, that couldn't have been that difficult!). You can book to visit the Cabane through the Roquebrune tourist office.

The third delight on this beach is really not something you can see from the beach, and certainly not a property you will be able to visit. It is best to view it from a boat on the water. Casa del Mare is a magnificent villa hidden behind an enormous white-washed wall that spans almost the entire beach. You can catch glimpses of its lush tropical garden and mosiac pool as you descend to the beach. Once owned by the movie mogul Dino de Laurentiis and his wife the Italian actress Silvana Mangano, this house is my dream property. Although I would happily settle for either E.1027 or Le Corbusier's 'château' as well.

The sympathetic and adventurous architecture of these three buildings combined with the untamed, untrammeled, setting takes me away from talk of property investment, prices and taxes. And I don't make any apologies for that. Instead, for a moment one can relax on a tucked away Côte d'Azur beach and relish the beauty, both architectural and natural.

AGENT PROPERTY SHARING

2011-06-24T11:34:00.001+02:00

TAKING CARE WITH BUYING ON THE COTE D'AZUR

I am always delighted - OK, a bit smug - when I come across great properties thanks to my detective work. The weeks leading up to a client arriving are intense, but it always pays off and it is a wonderful feeling when I do find that special property.

However, this year I have been experiencing a whole new level of service from agents and developers. They have started to call me when they have a new property on their books and ... 'would I like to see it before anyone else does?' Private sellers, too, are contacting me on a regular basis. (Although I have to say this market tends not to turn up that many interesting finds in my experience - but I always keep an eye on it.) Even a contact at a Syndic (apartment management company who are able to act as estate agents) called me recently to suggest some apartments they wanted to sell. This week-end my popularity hit a new high, however. Chasing up Notaires for clients is a game those of us in the business are use to playing. This weekend, however, a Notaire phoned me about a couple of million-euro properties available for sale.

The word is that my clients are serious and always buy. Now although I am flattered by this attention, and being the first through the doors is obviously a huge advantage for my clients, I am in no doubt about the motives of the agents and sellers. They are entirely self-interested. If they can sell a property quickly and directly, they stand to make a bigger profit. Once a property goes 'public', competing agents will fall over themselves to make the sale even if it is not directly on their books. This means that the original agent (who holds the 'exclusive mandate') is obliged to split his or her commission with a second agent, and sometimes even a third is involved. On the buyer's side, this means the margin for negotiation is less as the pie gets cut thinner and thinner.

Many agencies on the Côte d'Azur are part of the SIA group. SIA is like a club which agencies pay to join. It allows them to access and share each other's properties via a computer listing system. The 'exclusive mandate' agent lists his or her property, throwing it open to all the other agents in the SIA club, but the original agent still retains a cut of the commission (usually 50 %) if sold by one of these secondary agents.

Agents and property finders who are signed up to SIA are very keen to tell buyers that this gives them access to a much wider number of properties. In one sense it does and I can see it has its uses as a search tool. But in reality, agents are often not that happy to share and will certainly do what they can to keep a good property to themselves. Although those in the SIA club are obliged to list apartments and villas, they can make it difficult for other agents to see them. If it is a particularly interesting property, they will often try and sell it before it goes on the site. Hence why I get so many calls from agents wanting me to bring them clients first as I don't share the commission with them.

SIA is the reason if you go to a Riviera-based estate agent or property finder's website these days you will often see a huge number of properties. However, when you call the agent you are more than likely to be told: 'Oh that one is sold...' (usually months ago). It was never their direct property to start with so they have no idea it is sold until they check the listing. They have probably never even been to visit it. But having so many in the shop window is a good tactic to get you to call them and start talking. The next question is usually, 'what are you looking for? We can do a property search for you....'

In fact what they actually do is called 'being an estate agent'. Many agencies on the Côte d'Azur - particularly the Anglo-focused ones - have cottoned on to the fact that 'property finder' or 'property finding' sounds as if they are working for you. However, there has to be a conflict of interest in there, no matter how you dress it up. If I hire an estate agent to sell my property, I don't want him or her to be working for the other side as well. As a seller, I want the best price I can get. And no matter how nice and charming an agent is to your face, the agent wants the best commission he or she can get. It's not complicated.

One concern I have is that the SIA listing has actually created a competitive first-to-the-post situation. While this works in favour of my clients since I am getting first pick through direct tip-offs from the original mandated agent, I am seeing consequences for some buyers. In an aggressive and competitive market like Nice, for example, some agents are pushing properties on to clients that they have little or no knowledge of in the hope they make the sale before someone else does. Under SIA agency sharing, the pressure is on for an agent to get a seller to commit quickly to an offer before another agency comes along. The agent accepts an offer and then 'blocks' the apartment from being shown by other agents.

A seller I know whose apartment is up for sale in Nice has serious legal issues in her building (an illegal restaurant that is in long-term litigation with the Syndic). But you would probably only know this if you have some connection to the owner and the original agent. And if you are one of literally hundreds of agents chasing this apartment, chances are many will not know or think to ask the right questions (and some unscrupulous ones will try and cover it up - and I have this as a fact). The hope is, then, that the Notaire picks up on any problems at the Compromis stage. But not all Notaires are perfect, plus by this point the buyer has wasted considerable time and money on a deal that should by rights fall down.

Many agents in Nice and the Côte d'Azur are good, professional and careful. I am happy to have a very good relationship with these agents. They claim that they have always shared properties, it is just easier now with a one-stop site. But I see how it works daily with the less meticulous agents and 'free' property finders and there are serious issues for the buyers. With big money at stake, this is not a market where one wants to be taking risks nor to make decisions about property without being fully informed. I want an agent to know the owner and I want to find out the history of the property before I go any further with a serious offer. It just makes sense.

Villefranche, espadrilles and summer

2011-06-17T17:39:00.002+02:00

Strolling through Nice's Old Town the other week, I spied a shop piled high with espadrilles - all colours and patterns, some flat and some with heels. Ahhh... it is finally summer, I thought! So of course, I had to buy a pair (this season's nautical blue and white stripe, small wedge heel, for those who are interested in such things).

The point is that I have been so busy with clients flying in and flying out that I haven't really even noticed the perfect golden days of these early summer months. Head down, I have been flitting between searches for villas and apartments. All successful, I am pleased to say. I jokingly tell people that I have a track-record of success to maintain - but it is only half joking.

With my latest clients returning home this week after a whirlwind visit of one day of viewings (and settling the following day on a fabulous apartment in a glamourous and rather well-kept secret neighbourhood of Nice) I now have a quiet-ish moment to contemplate a long Riviera summer.

Lunch at Villefranche on the Port

I am asked all the time does it feel like I am on permanent holiday living on the Côte d'Azur? Well yes and no. Yes I have the beach on my doorstep and the sun overhead. But when working, there is not much time to enjoy the Riviera life.

But I have decided that the time has officially come to launch summer. I shall be putting on my espadrilles and stepping out. First stop Villefranche sur mer for a swim and lunch at one of the port-side restaurants.

Villefranche is one of those picture perfect seaside villages on the Côte that never changes. Tourists come and go, the season gets busy with cruise ships, yet this fishing village's beauty and smallness doesn't seem drowned by the waves of outside attention. Property prices are especially high in Villefranche. A combination of exquisite charm, its desirable position close to a sandy beach and proximity to both Nice and Monaco.

A four-bedroom villa with sea views will be advertised for around 5 to 6 million euros. A recent search for clients in this area turned up some great properties, however, that were certainly negotiable (250,000 - 500,000 euros off was the standard whisper from the estate agents who know my clients always buy and don't play me for a naive incomer). In the end, my clients and I settled for a villa in Eze bord de mer - just round the corner from Villefranche. Another beautiful spot but, like Beaulieu, slightly more exclusive.

Million euro views from the hills above Villefranche

Whether its Villefranche, Beaulieu or Eze, my new pair of espadrilles sums up the spirit of these villages perfectly. Relaxed, beachy and definitely summer in the South of France.

Côte d'Azur through a Russian lens

2011-05-06T18:27:00.027+02:00

In September last year, Russia launched a luxury train service between Moscow and Nice. Tickets for the 53-hour journey start at around €300 and climb steeply to €1,500 for first class. We already have the 'slow food' movement and now 'slow travel' is seemingly the next big thing. The train meanders through the Eastern countries, passing through Austria and Italy, before arriving in what many Russians consider to be their Southern 'home', Nice on the French Riviera.

A very busy week spent with lovely Russian clients recently made me think about this wonderful train trip — a romantic return to another era. It also made me ponder on the relationship between the Côte d'Azur and Russia and how it never seems to fade. Today's Russians who come to visit are part of a new world, far removed from the imperial milieu of their ancestors. But the attraction is still the same.

The Russian love affair for Nice and the Côte d'Azur dates back to the late 1800s, when Russian royalty and nobility began to vacation here during the winters (joined by their British 'relations'). The advent of the new railway system in the mid-19th century confirmed the Côte d'Azur's status as the playground of the rich and made travel to the region easier. By the time of the Russian revolution, the numbers of Russians arriving in Nice had swelled considerably as noble families took refuge on the Riviera.

The Russian Orthodox church in Nice

Today there are still clear signs of this Russian history in the city. Nice has one of the largest and most beautiful Russian Orthodox churches outside of Russia. There is also a Russian cemetery. The landmark Negresco Hotel is home to a spectacular crystal chandelier in its foyer, commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II. The identical twin of the Negresco chandelier hangs in the Kremlin.

After a roller-coaster of a week speed-shopping (and happily succeeding in finding the perfect villa for my busy clients), I am looking forward to taking the very slow train to Moscow one day soon.

Villas, spring garlic and the Côte d'Azur

2011-04-17T20:24:00.001+02:00

I have spent a considerable part of this week looking for a special family villa for my Russian clients. My clients are new to the French Riviera and its different towns and villages. This makes things a little hard in terms of settling on an area and they are relying on me to lead them. Thus, most of my time has been spent going from one end of the Côte to the other in order to give them a decent selection - from Villefranche to Cannes. I'm hoping this 'best of' will help them to make a decision on location and then we can narrow down the search once they are here.

As with all my searches, it is hard work in terms of the amount of preliminary research and then considerable hours of viewing. But it is also a pleasure to rediscover parts of the Riviera I have not visited for a while. Over the winter, I realise how much I have tended to remain Nice-bound. But now the sun is out and Spring is here, I am enjoying the journeys over to the Cap d'Antibes to glimpse around the beautiful houses that normally one only admires from the road and then back again to do the same on the Monaco side.

After a particularly productive morning spent looking at some of the best villas on the Cap d'Antibes and Cannes with my favourite agent, we decided to take a quick lunch at Juan les Pins. There is a wonderful beach restaurant in Juan where the tables tumble down to the sea and your feet rests in the sand as you sip rosé and dine on simple sea-food. Sitting there, with the sun shining down, the waves rolling in, we both had to agree that life doesn't get much better than this.

FRESH SPRING GARLIC

It is a busy time, however, with clients arriving one after the other and more arriving in less than a week. All of my clients quite rightly expect the highest level of service and attention. In this job you need to be available at all times. Sometimes it can feel like you are on stage in a particularly intense play. You are expected to perform at your best day after day with no 'off' moments.

By way of relaxing, cooking is always my escape. Going to the market, picking out the seasonal ingredients and being inspired to come home and cook is a pleasure that lets me escape from the pressure of house-hunting. This Saturday the market in Nice seemed to have come over all 'Spring'. Every stall was over-flowing with new season vegetables and fruit, from fresh green peas ready to slip out of their pods to the first vanilla-flavoured ruby strawberries from Carpentras. Each stall was also decorated with bunches of lavender lilacs, scenting the market with their elegant perfume.

But what really caught my eye was the first new season garlic. Plump, pungent and delicious. Nothing can compare to the rich green flavour of fresh garlic. The dried up stuff that we use for most of the year is a pale inferior. The man at the stall asked if I wanted the garlic trimmed and I said 'No thanks' immediately. The green tops being as wonderful as the rose and cream bulbs.

My favourite fresh pasta shop in the Old Town (Barale, in rue Ste Reparte) yet again inspired me with their fabulous choice of pastas. In the end I settled for their ricotta, roquette and pistachio ravioli and I headed home with a basket of Spring.

The ravioli was dressed with the simplest of sauces - a glug of the best olive oil, a few torn basil leaves and a grind of black pepper. To accompany it was a green salad, with a small amount of the fresh garlic leaves chopped up and tossed in - just enough to give a garlic bite, but not to much that it over-powered the delicate meal.

Bonjour printemps!

Room with a view

2011-03-31T13:04:00.003+02:00

What the latest 2011 property prices for the French Riviera tell us about the market

'What are property prices doing on the Côte d'Azur and what will they do?' This must be one of the most frequent questions I am asked by clients on a day to day basis.

Well, the latest property prices for the Côte d'Azur have just come out and as usual it sends out mixed messages to both buyers and sellers. The agents in Nice all want to hype the market up but the reality is that the prices in their shop windows are often far from realistic given the quality of the properties. One can calculate an average square metre price as a starting point, and for the statistic fans, this is currently between €3,500-5,889 per square metre. But check the agents' pricing for central Nice and 'average' doesn't seem to figure in their world. This is partly optimism on their part, but it is also combined with a busy market. However, there are many more variables that must come into the equation, and these can't be calculated as an 'average' price.

This makes the square metre average in Nice - and the Côte d'Azur generally - a difficult figure to pin down. It will depend on the neighbourhood, the street in the neighbourhood even. Besides location, most important is the state of the building and the position of the apartment - what floor it is on, if it has a balcony or terrace, etc. Then there is the charm factor and view. The top-end average of nearly €6,000 per square metre suddenly becomes redundant if you have a nice-looking building in a prime location with caché (high or top floor, good size terrace, not over-looked).

I have been busy with several searches in Nice and along the coast recently. I feel slightly schizophrenic as I have searches on the go both for large prime location villas as well as small pied-à-terres. As I swing between the two, what I notice is that in the smaller budget range there is a lack of understanding by both agents and sellers about what makes a great property. It is not so much that the properties are over-priced (which often they are - but usually at the behest of the unrealistic owner rather than the agent), but that at any price I would not want my clients to buy them. Simply, they do not stand out. They may be in a good location, but they miss something - that something that is so hard to describe as often it is just a feeling. An apartment can be 'right' or 'wrong' and it is hard to say exactly why. Needless to say, I drive the agents crazy with this undefinable criteria.

Agents generally want to tick lists. Two bedrooms, check. Balcony, check. Central location, check. Lift, check ... But you can't tick a box that says 'this just makes me feel good but I have no idea how to put that into words'. This is what I am looking for in my searches as much as all the important factors such as location and investment potential.

ROOFTOPS OF OLD NICE

I love a view and I love finding properties for my clients that have a view, or if not the perfect view, then at least something that will make their apartment or villa special. Obviously in the smaller budget (under €400,000) this is a tough task. Drop below €250,000, it becomes even harder. But get the ingredients right and you will have a great apartment rather than an ordinary one.

That is why I am particularly proud of my last search. A budget of around €200,000 is always a challenge on the Riviera if you want more than a shoebox, but I found a perfect pied-a-terre. It has a fabulous full-sized terrace in Nice's old town - which is very rare. Nicely renovated with all new electrics etc, it's also on the peaceful side of Vieux Nice away from the hustle of the market Cours Saleya and Palais de Justice. The building is in great condition, which is also a find in this area. And it has a very romantic view over the old terracotta roof-tops and looks over to the tower of an ancient church of the quartier.

Price per square metre: at the higher-end of the Nice average, but nonetheless an excellent buy. Happiness factor for my clients: hopefully priceless.

NICE CARNIVAL BEGINS

2011-02-20T12:37:00.001+01:00

The sun came out for the first day of Nice carnival yesterday. The annual event is one of the best known festivals in France and signals the start of Spring on the Côte d'Azur. The traditional bataille des fleurs (battle of the flowers) kicks things off with enormous flower-decorated floats. Perched decoratively on the floats, Niçoise girls throw flowers at the crowds - mainly the first saffron coloured mimosa - and are followed by noisy Southern French brass bands, dancers and enormous floating ballons in mad shapes and vibrant colours. It is worth coming to Nice for the two-week Carnival to experience the flavour of Southern life and festive fever.

The carnival is also a prime-time to rent out apartments as I keep telling clients who maybe don't want to visit or can't at this time. Good quality, well located apartments rent and rent throughout the year in Nice. However, the market is competitive and I find so many people are led astray by agents who are naturally anxious to make a sale rather than thinking in the best interests of the buyer. I'm currently looking for investment apartments for two clients and I can see straight away what has potential and what doesn't. This is often at odds with what the agents and 'free property finders' will be trying to say (and please people, understand that a free property finder is an estate agent as well - they are merely acting as intermeditate agent, so their eye is on making a sale regardless and gaining the maximum price).

In Nice a street can make all the difference between a really good investment and one that is not. When looking for rental investment it's important not to be hasty or encouraged by pushy agents into a bad decision. My clients' interests are my priority and they know I will never compromise on this point.

2011 Happy New Year

2011-01-13T14:28:00.000+01:00

THE ELUSIVE PERFECT VILLA

The sun is shining on the Riviera (finally, after an exceptional rainy season) and it brings the feeling that Spring is really not so far off now. Before that, however, there is the Carnival to look forward to in Nice and the lemon festival in Menton (a very unique affair).

This is always a busy time for me with the France Show in London (13-15 Januray) and a wave of early new year clients. All have quite different briefs, but quite rightly all my clients are looking for the best property in their budget as well as the best deal. They trust me and I do my best to make all the pieces of the puzzle fit and uncover the special apartments and villas. But some days I think I should change my job description to 'detective'.

My villa search for one client is going strong but the number of disappointing properties that I have to keep crossing off my list grows by the day. The sellers' and agents' expectations of price and quality often seem at such odds to what is being shown. The area I'm covering is quite wide, from Valbonne, Mougins, to Antibes and Nice. But the majority of houses have a familiarity about them. Badly designed (if an architect was involved, they should be ashamed), badly constructed (ditto the builder) and dated interiors (a speciality of the Southern French, I'm afraid). One of my favourite clients from last year describes them as 'gin palaces': Showy, poor interior design but strangely, lots of space for parking and a pool.

I was thinking about this on my last visit - yet another neo-Provencal villa, all pink stucco, Spanish arches and 70s bathrooms but asking over a cool million - and wondering how my aesthetics (and those of my clients) could be so out of step with the Southern French. The agents' job is to sell a property, so I don't blame them in the slightest for doing what they are paid to do. But it does amaze me how often I have to explain why I don't find the chipped brown and green tiles attractive and why a lay-out that involves going through two bedrooms to get to a bathroom just doesn't seem...well... practical. They almost take umbrage when I tell them it is not worth showing it to my clients. The next step of the game is the half-whispered, 'You know you can make an offer' (i.e. this property has been on the books for far too long and the price was too high). Just because something is 'cheaper' (i.e. 100,000, 200,000, 300,000 euros less than the original asking price), however, doesn't make it a good buy at any price.

But it is all part of the hunt and makes tracking down the good villas become not only a challenge but a pleasure when I finally find the few that make my list. And of course there are the agents who do 'get it', who organise good viewings and turn up on time - and they are a breath of fresh air (and always on my speed dial).

So the search continues and I know it will be a success in the end.

A Happy New Year to all!

Private sales on the Riviera

2010-11-24T18:13:00.002+01:00

Is it better to buy through an agent or privately?

Buying a house or an apartment is a fraught process at the best of times. Buying overseas in an unfamiliar country and relying on estate agents makes the process even more stressful. But buying property through a private sale must rate as potentially the most prone to problems and misunderstandings.

As a buyer's agent, my clients hire me to take over the work, sift through the numerous properties, guide them in the right direction, remove the 'chance' element and make life that little bit less stressful. It makes sense to have someone like me who knows the areas, prices and market and advises independently. One thing that comes up frequently in my searches are private sales. These are of interest as they will usually be advertised for less than with an agent - and finding the best price is an essential part of my job.

Recently, while looking for a client, I found a villa advertised privately for almost 40,000 euros less than with the agents. After one visit I could see it wasn't right for their brief, but it was worth seeing nonetheless, especially as the price could have meant a considerable saving for my clients. However, I am always a little wary about private sales and tread carefully. It's not that people who set out to sell privately want to create problems - to the contrary, they just want to get the best deal and avoid the agent fees. However, no matter that it is a business transaction, buying and selling has an emotional element that most people find hard to separate out.

Our homes are more often than not an extension of ourselves. They have memories, personal connections. Putting a price on this is often very difficult for a private seller. Letting people wander through your home making comments (or, more tellingly, not making comments) is perhaps even more difficult. Agents play a big part as buffers between the two parties. Obviously estate agents will be working in the seller's interests, but it isn't always an easy relationship between seller and agent either. Agents frequently take a lot of flak.

I don't think many people realise how delicate the negotiation stage can be, for example. Launching in to this game without any prior experience is risky on both sides. This is when misunderstandings happen. A price is agreed and then after a few days of contemplation the seller feels he has sold too cheaply, or the buyer feels he has agreed too high. That's why an agent will quickly (usually) get something in writing before either side has a chance to change his/her mind. This initial agreement is not legally binding, but the psychological, quasi-legal effect of seeing something 'officially in writing' makes it a lot easier for people not to back out or feel aggrieved.

The other issue with private sales is that you are having to trust what the seller is telling you - be it about shared boundaries, issues with the property itself, etc. OK, so an agent might not be particularly trustworthy, but the hope is you have at least some back-up, some sense of 'duty of care'. Although in the past I have had issues with some agents and their lack of transparency, as well as lack of attention to detail, generally they are careful not to get themselves caught up in blatant lies. I haven't found this to be the case with some private sellers, unfortunately.

My advice is be careful when going it alone with a private sale. Make sure you have everything in writing. Not just the price but anything that the seller has promised, be it parking or permission to rent out an apartment. I certainly don't intend this to be an argument against private sales. I will always search through them and the majority will be fine. But I am working for the buyers, so in this respect I am the 'agent buffer' and I know what questions to ask and what to look for. It does change things considerably.

If you are looking for property on the French Riviera, I'm here to help. Contact home@coteabode.com

Property on the Riviera set to rise

2010-11-08T15:41:00.000+01:00

A recent article in the French economic and political news magazine Le Point began with 'Paris is not France, but even so ...' The article then goes on to highlight how Paris property prices have taken off, rising around 10 percent and more in under a year. The gist of the article is where Paris goes other cities in France follow. Singled out for special mention is Nice : 'This market is about to sky-rocket. Investors take note...', says the report (28 October).

I've just returned from a trip to Paris. Autumn is in full swing with the leaves swishing under foot and Paris skies having turned that pretty dove-grey. I unashamedly love Paris in any season. The South of France is my home, but I often dream of one day having a pied-a-terre in Paris for occasional visits (just a small apartment near Le Jardin du Luxembourg, Montparnasse or maybe Canal St-Martin...). In Paris, my favourite past-time is playing the flâneur. I get up early and meander through the streets, passing chic parents and their immaculately dressed children on their way to school and work. Catching glimpses through open doors and passages to courtyards, one enters a private world. Somehow these quick snapshots of Paris life give the feeling of being part of the city.

Glancing at Paris real estate is a down-to-earth moment that bolts one out of this reverie. My most shocking find was an advertisement for a 'chambre de bonne studio' in St Germaine. 6.64 sq metres (so let's be generous and say 7 sq metres) . Asking price 90,000 euros. Paris apartment prices run from between 7,000 and 12,000 euros plus per square metre. The equivalent in Nice is roughly between 4,000 to 9,000 euros.

The Côte d'Azur is not bargain territory, but next to Paris it seems like a snip - at least plausible as opposed to dream territory. The article in Le Point signals something that has been unfolding slowly in the market. After a long period of calm and no movement, there is a sea-change as people having waited long enough seize their chance. With Paris as our guide, I would second the view that investors should start to take note and not wait too long.

For help with buying on the French Riviera, contact Rebecca Russell at Côte Abode. Email home@coteabode.com

All calm on the Côte d'Azur

2010-10-22T14:04:00.000+02:00

Several people have been in touch recently to check how I have been coping with the strikes. At first I was a little perplexed by the question as the strikes have had no noticeable effect on my life, or Nice, as far as I can tell. I don't need to jump barricades to get to the shops or queue for petrol (if the worst came to the worst, we joke, we could drive to Italy). There have been a couple of strike days at my daughter's school. But we saw this as an opportunity for a relaxed breakfast in the sun at our local café. Any demonstrations have been low-key minor affairs - more carnival than serious protest. I watch the flights a little more carefully, but there have been no major cancellations. All in all, Nice is it's usual laid-back self.

Once owned by David Niven, this villa on St Jean Cap Ferrat is typical of why the Côte remains desirable

But if you watch what is happening in other parts of France, it's a different story. Marseilles, in particular, now has rubbish stacking up in the streets. Riot police are clashing with college students in Lyons and Paris. The north is running out of fuel. Now much of this is a media-led frenzy, I know, but still it seems as if I live in a different country by comparison.

And this made me think about Nice and the Côte d'Azur and what makes it such a pleasure to live here. Last year clients asked me why property prices were so much higher on the Côte than down near Marseilles. I guess the strike is one way of answering the question. It is a very protected (and pampered) area of France. Perhaps the stunning geographical beauty and warm climate make the people here less radical. But I suspect it has more to do with the high affluence ratio and the fact this region depends on the smooth running of its services to maintain the equilibrium that we are so use to.

When the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, was voted in we saw a move to the centre-Right. Whether you like his politics or not, since day one he has been on a mission to make Nice the star city (next to Paris) of France. His public transport policy with its state-of-the-art tram system and bike hire on every corner (almost!) has been a huge success. As has his '1 euro anywhere in the Alpes-Maritime area' fare scheme. Yes, you can get to Monaco on the bus for 1 euro!

Estrosi's closeness to Sarkozy (he is also in his government) has seen Nice favoured with grants. The latest scheme is to make Nice the most protected city in France (probably Europe) with 600 CCTV cameras installed around the city. Now, considering Nice is hardly a hot-bed of street crime this does seem like a huge waste of funds (7.6 million euros). But none the less, it all helps to build the city's ambitious plans to become France's second city.

So in answer to the question 'Why is it so expensive here?', the answer would seem, 'Because we have a highly privileged and stable quality of life'. And where there is privilege - exclusivity even - and stability, there is investment, and where there is investment, property prices tend to stay high and rise, making it a good investment area. And so the wheel turns. This is particularly so when the world is going through a financial crisis - investors retreat to safe havens.

And as much as I may like to think I have a tinge of the radical in me, ultimately I'm happy to remain in my 'safe haven'.

I'm always happy to offer advice to people looking to buy on the Côte d'Azur. You can email me at home@coteabode.com or visit my website www.coteabode.com

Small apartment buying in Nice

2010-10-08T13:05:00.000+02:00

Over two days, I have been showing my lovely Australian clients the 'best of' small apartments in Nice, handpicked by me in advance. The budget was under 200,000 euros, which is always a challenge, but I like a challenge. It takes time to find the good ones, but before clients arrive I have sorted the quality ones from the bad so there is no wasting of their time and no nasty surprises. I cut through the agent hard-sell, and cut out altogether the properties that agents want to shift because they are not selling. An agent asked me recently why I did not show clients the really bad ones as she considers this a great tactic to get people to buy (they then see a respectable one and think 'Oh, this is so much better.'). A client also asked the same question. He was so impressed by what I had shown him (having been taken around the usual rubbish by agents) he thought it would be a good way to show off my detective skills.

My answer is that I'm not an agent working for the seller. My loyalties are to my client, the buyer. They trust me to have done the ground-work and not waste their time. If they want to see bad properties, then I suggest they go round the agents. However, if they want to see the best properties in budget, unique properties, properties that are fairly priced, ones that are hard to track down .... then that's my job.

In all, I set up ten viewings for my Australians. They ranged from studios to one bedrooms. But each one had something I thought made it worthwhile. They liked the Old Town and could see the investment potential, but the one that won their hearts (and business-sense) is a top-floor studio with a big terrace that I first viewed on Friday (and wrote about in my last blog entry). It just had to be this one. We put in an offer Wednesday and it was accepted the next day. I negotiated 13,000 euros off the asking price. It's with a Syndic (building management company) so not on any agent's books. Not an easy find.

Although I spend a lot of time working out what will suit my clients best, I try not to pre-judge too much until we have actually spent some time together. Things change when you are on the ground. But regardless of likes or dislikes, business versus heart, this rooftop apartment was special. And special in the under 200,000 Euro bracket doesn't come along very often.

A small apartment and small budget in Nice doesn't mean you have to settle for any old thing. Don't believe the agents when they say this is the best you can get. Trust me, there will often be better but you need to know what to look for and how to find it. It's hard to uncover something unique, that's for sure, but at the very least it has to be a good investment. For me this means it needs to be bigger than a shoe-box (I prefer 30 sq metres, if possible more), in a good location, preferably one bedroom and if small then I look for other advantages such as upper floors, balconies, architectural charm.

The roof-top studio came under my 30 sq metre rule (it's 28 sq metres), but it is top floor with French windows on three sides, a terrace on all sides, marble floors, and a small turn-of the century marble fireplace. The building has one of those wonderful cage lifts. It's adorable. As I said to my delighted Australians, 'it's small but perfectly formed'. And that (and, of course, location) is the best guide when looking for a small apartment in Nice.

The best and worst of properties in Nice, all in one week

2010-10-01T19:44:00.002+02:00

It's been a long day. It's been a long week. I've been working flat-out looking at apartments for clients who arrive in a couple of days. The notice they gave was short (a week) but this can be a good thing in their price range (under 200,000 euros) as too far in advance, the chances are good apartments will have been sold by the time they arrive. The studio to one bedroom market moves quickly in Nice.

I have viewed over 20 apartments in four days. I wear out shoes at an incredible rate. Most of the apartments were dire (and that is even after the pre-selection process whereby I interrogate the agents in advance with the kind of technique that would make a Stasi agent look kind). Indeed, I was feeling rather glum mid-week after seeing one apartment in particular. It looked promising on paper and in the photos (large studio, Old Town, with balcony). But the visit, even by my sanguine expectations, was a shock. The communal areas were so bad that the agent (it was a first visit for her) could not hide her dismay. How do you explain hundreds of wires running along and hanging from the ceiling of the communal area? Water leaking from the ceiling? Bits of plaster falling on your head? It looked as if we had stepped into a scene from a Mad Max movie. The apartment block had been divided into numerous small flats. The corridors were a warren of doors. Some had signs of being broken in with bits of wood nailed on to protect the bashed locks. Agent M who was showing me the property did her best ('look how lovely, it has a balcony', Oh, the kitchen is not so bad...'). 'Oh pleeease', I cried! 'Stop right there' I can cope with tatty interiors, but not downright dangerous looking shared hallways. This was mugging zone. A classic example of prime location but an apartment that will never be worth anything like the asking price (150,000 euros).

The Old Town in Nice is very mixed, there's no doubt. It's slowly becoming gentrified (actually, quite rapidly, to the dismay of locals as the sushi bars move in), but the reality is that from building to building the standards vary enormously. I always pay attention to the communal areas as it says a lot about who your neighbours are, if they are paying their charges (or not), and will it have re-sale value.

So after that rather depressing visit (among many this week), my expectations certainly couldn't be lower. And then today it all changed. I had made an arrangement to a view a small studio off Nice's main shopping street (Jean Medicin). My hopes were not high. I nearly missed the ad (in French, of course) as it was merely one line, no photos. But the fact that the location was good, and more important, it said 'top floor, with terrace', was enough to make me think it worth a punt.

What can I say. It's a jewel, and it makes my job a pleasure. This is the kind of apartment that an estate agent would love to get their hands on but probably won't. It is being sold through a 'Syndic' (body corporate or building management company) who have the authority to act as agents. They have no interest in 'marketing', they have no website, and probably don't even own a camera. They want to sell the property quickly at a fair price. The owner is not interested in paying high agent's fees. To find something like this is truly rare.

It's a stunning top floor apartment that needs just a little make-over. Small (around 30 sq metres) but the glorious terrace runs along two sides and overlooks the rooftops of Nice. There are French windows leading on to the terrace. Even the bathroom has a view and a terrace. It's the best view from a loo in Nice. The building is in a-turn-of -the-century block, elegant and with a lift. I beamed when I saw it.

Finding a property for clients on a small budget is probably the hardest work I do, but it is also incredibly satisfying when you unearth such treasures. I know that someone from outside the area would never have found this apartment (and even locals might not, given how the 'marketing' is so discrete). So, I start next week with a spring in my step (and a new pair of shoes after this week's marathon).

AUTUMN'S COTE D'AZUR PROPERTY MARKET

2010-09-03T13:02:00.000+02:00

+ THE MARKET RETURNS – OR DOES IT?

Hot off the press overview of the latest French property prices

The latest property sales figures are out for the first half of 2010, and several French magazines (including L’Express, Le Nouvel observateur, Le Point) splashed headlines anticipating a return to a strong market on the Côte d’Azur. Those of us in the business have been pouring over the figures, squinting intensely and trying to make sense of the tables (and feeling a distinct sense of déjà vu). Unsurprisingly, the real story is a little less dramatic than the headlines make out.

Certainly, the French Riviera has been protected from the worst of the crisis with property prices falling far less here than other areas of France. Traditionally, the Riviera is seen as a safe haven for property investment and it continues to be a good bet. What has happened over the last couple of years, however, is a slow down of the market, more scope for negotiation in price, and far less good quality apartments and villas on offer as people have decided to wait it out.

What hasn’t changed is that a good property in the right area has kept its value more or less. That means prime areas (such as the chic Mt Boron area in Nice, and anywhere with a decent sea view) have seen prices drop only slightly. Unrealistically priced properties are now finding a more sensible asking price. No doubt there are bargains to be had, but it’s a lucky find rather than the standard.

Number crunching 2010

So what are the figures? For Nice, the Côte d’Azur’s major city, the price has dropped 5% drop over the past year (April 2009 to March 2010). The Alpes Maritimes region as a whole has also seen a 5% drop. But according to Le Point, the centre of Nice has had a 3.9% increase (figures from May 2009 to May 2010). However, as there are so many variables that make up these figures (areas covered, time frame, renovated versus unrenovated, based on asking price or actual selling price, etc.) they cannot be taken as stand-alone, definitive figures without some serious analysis.

What we can say is that a renovated older style apartment in the centre of Nice is averaging between 4,000 to 4,500 euros per square metre. Anything close to the sea, then the price goes up to between 4,500-5,500 euros. Compared with Paris, where the cheapest inner-city quartier comes in at around 5,500-6,000 euros per square metre, and the most expensive is 10,000 to 12,000 euros, then Nice is good shopping.

Looking beyond Nice on the Riviera, the line is drawn between those who will pay several millions for an exclusive villa, sea view and privacy (although not the crazy prices we were seeing a few years ago with the influx of Russian oligarchs), and the rest who want to see a fair price for an apartment or a more modest villa. The story is the same as Nice, with prices settling to a more realistic level and room to negotiate. In Cannes, this means around 5,000-7,000 euros per square metre in the prime ‘Banane’ neighbourhood for an apartment. Antibes hovers between the 4,000 to 5,000 euros bracket. A villa in Mougins or Antibes averages around 5,000 euros per square metre.

However, as I explain to clients who want to measure everything neatly in price per square metre, these figures can never be the whole story. They are a general guide; useful, but only a guide. When helping clients to find a property, I assess each apartment and villa individually and carefully, taking into account many more factors than the price per square metre. This means size, neighbourhood, street, style of building, new versus old property, terrace, parking, sea view … the list goes on. Only someone who lives in and knows the area can offer this advice.

OUTLOOK

The question I am asked constantly is, ‘What will the market do over the next year?’ I wish I had an answer. What I am pretty certain about is that things are not about to change quickly. We have seen prices come down and sellers and agents willing to negotiate (roughly 5-8% is a good guide). Good small city properties (studios, and one and two bedroom apartments) continue to be in demand due to a lack of quality on the market and the accessible price range. The middle bracket range – 400,000 to 800,000 euros - is having a harder time. But the high-end of the market continues to move as investors seize the opportunity.

Of course, much will depend on the global situation. Foreign buyers, who traditionally make up a large part of the Riviera’s property market, have made a tentative return. The strength of the dollar has seen a small American buyer flurry and the Italian investors continue to cross the border.

With a lack of good quality choice on the market, however, a big part of my job at the moment is sifting through the range on offer and finding the truly worthwhile gems. As I tell my clients, don’t be hasty and choose wisely.

French Riviera Top Ten Beaches

2010-08-21T17:17:00.000+02:00

August means Summer holidays have officially started, and here in Nice we are all heading for the beach (I know, we should be working but ...). The city's daily newspaper, Nice Matin, recently ran a list of best beaches with the title, 'Dix coups de coeur'. So if you are flying to the Cote d'Azur this August, September, October (and even sometimes as late as November when we can be still swimming), here is the paper's list plus a couple of our own favourite picks.

Bonnes vacances!

TOP TEN BEACHES AROUND NICE

BEST HIDDEN BEACH
Villefranche sur mer, La plage de la Darse
Most people know and love the golden sandy beach of Villefranche sur mer, but not many know about plage de la Darse next door. Behind the 'darse de Villefranche', it is frequented mainly by locals. Quiet, only a snack bar or two and not as accessible as its main rival (you need to park and then walk a while to get to it), it manages to keep itself secret.

BEST FAMILY BEACH
Villeneuve-Loubet, Espace Loisirs Famille
Between St Laurent du Var and Villeneuve Loubet is where you will find this sandy beach (a rare thing on this coastline) dedicated to families and children. There is a range of entertainment for the children and a large number of restaurants. And if the weather doesn't seem promising, Cap 3000 - an enormous shopping mall close by - is at hand. But that wouldn't happen on the Riviera!

COTE ABODE'S PICK: If organised beach games is not your thing, Villefranche sur mer is a good choice for the family. A beautiful fishing village with a generous sandy(ish) beach. It's relaxed and unpretentious, but it also gets very busy in the season.

MOST INTERESTING SURROUNDINGS BEACH
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, La plage du Buse

Only the locals know about this stony beach according to Nice Matin newspaper. While that is not entirely true, it is tucked away between Monaco and Menton and access is again by foot only. The beach is renown for a small but important piece of architecture - Villa E1027, a summer-beach house designed by the modernist architect Eileen Gray in 1929, which boasts murals by her friend and frequent house-guest, the even more famous modernist architect, Le Corbusier.

MOST ISLAND-LIKE BEACH
Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, La Paloma
The crescent geography of this small bay gives the feeling of being on an island and offers protection from the wind. Rubbing shoulders with the exclusive Saint Jean Cap Ferrat crowd is a public part of the beach, which is well maintained. The sun is best in the morning/early afternoon.

MOST DISCREET BEACH

Cap d'Ail, plage de la Mala

Nestled in a little cove, hidden by trees, the Mala beach is a natural haven. Access is by foot, down stone steps. The little beach huts dotted along the shore give the bay an authentic old-fashioned charm. There are two restaurants, L'Eden and La Réserve. A rocky path along the coast, favoured by fishermen, is a great place to take a stroll.

COTE ABODE'S PICK: Coco Beach, Nice. Not really a beach, but a series of rocks that tumble down to the sea (making it unsuitable for small children), this 'sunbathing and diving post' is one of Nice's best-kept secrets. With only room for a a couple of dozen bodies, the locals take priority. You are really 'in the know' if you know this beach!

WILDEST BEACH
Théoule-sur-mer, La Pointe de l'Aiguille

A tiny stretch of sand and stones, this beach remains untouched by the glitz of the Riviera. There are no shower facilities, no snack-bars, restaurants or other distractions. Just the sea, beach and beauty of the surroundings. Access is down a 400m track.

BEST VALUE BEACH

Cap d'Antibes, plage de la Garoupe

In a region renown for its eye-watering prices, including the private beaches and all their accoutrement, it is refreshing that Antibes has maintained a public beach in one of the best spots. For only 8 euros a day (5 euros for a half day) you can have access to an umbrella and beach bed. The down-side: the queue starts early in the day (9am) as there is room for 75 places only, and only two beach beds are allowed per person.

TRENDIEST BEACH

Cannes, le Pool Beach

'The place to be' according to Nice Matin. If you like your beaches to have that Ibiza or Santa Monica vibe, then this is the one. DJs, jetsetters and wannabes crowd the beach (and pool) in what is described as a nightclub under the skies.

COTE ABODE'S PICK: The Nice alternative is Hi Beach, brought to you by the people behind the uber-trendy Hi Hotel in the centre of the city. Expect Euro-kids and mojitos on-tap.

BEST NUDIST BEACH

Cap d'Ail, Pissarelles

Reserved for nudist sunbathing, this tiny rocky beach is difficult to find (There is a little path from the Basse-Corniche, between Saint-Laurent d'Eze and Cap' d'Ail.) A peaceful spot and no need for a bikini.

MOST ACCESSIBLE BEACH

Nice, 'Carras' and 'Centenaire'
These two beaches are especially equipped for the handicapped, including parking, a lifeguard and special helpers on duty, adapted showers/changing facilities, access ramp to the sea, special bathing chairs, etc. And all entirely free.

Spring property investment in Nice and on the Riviera

2010-06-11T10:18:00.003+02:00

Spring and early summer is traditionally the time for visitors and buyers to arrive on the Cote d'Azur. The property market is picking up considerably from my persepctive as a buyer's agent. My property-savvy clients realise there is investment buying, and then there is smart investment buying, and that means using someone with local knowledge and contacts who is not an estate agent. I live here and know the market. This means I have a handle on the areas that are prime location (and up and coming) and which properties will reap the best returns. In addition, I know which agents will take the initiative and work hard to seal a deal with their clients (and their client is the seller, not the buyer, remember) rather than lose a deal by sticking to an unrealistic price thinking they can squeeze more from a foreign buyer.

Writing in The Telegraph in February this year, Zoe Dare Hall reports that the Côte d'Azur, and Nice in particular, is one of France's 'Hot Spots', with buyers returning to the market again. Dare Hall writes that: "Property prices on the coast fell by about 15 per cent last year, but St Tropez remains the most robust of resorts, with planning laws banning building within 300 metres of the sea constraining supply. The investment-minded head to Nice, where sales to English buyers so far this year have included a £450,000 studio flat on the Promenade des Anglais, purely for high-end corporate lets and a small holiday flat in the Musicians Quarter for £225,000, reports Kirkor Ajderhanyan from Agency 107 Promenade."

The Côte d'Azur is not a bargain region, so making a mistake when investing in property here is an expensive one people can't afford. The current flurry of interest will mean buyers being shown a range of properties from bad to good opportunities by agents who traditionally don't try very hard. An essential part of my job is to remove this random element and guide clients to the best options, saving them costly mistakes.

Nice and the Côte d'Azur is always a sound investment area, but taking away the gamble should be a buyer's prime objective in an unfamiliar market. And that is what a buyer's agent does.

Daily bread

2010-06-01T11:02:00.004+02:00

Spring. It's been a hectic few weeks with clients arriving, viewing, and needing everything to be sorted for them now or yesterday (which is never easy in the south when everybody else thinks it can be done 'demain'). But that is what I'm here for and my clients rely on me to work through the bureaucracy and all too frequent 'it can wait' attitude of agents, notaires, utility companies, and such.
My Nice clients always ask the same question. 'Where should I buy?' So, I have decided to start an occasional series, handing over a guest-spot to people who live here which will give a flavour of Nice and the different quartiers and life. Nice is small but it has distinct neighbourhoods. My step-father and mother live in a downtown area of Nice called Les Baumettes. It's a bit of a secret hideaway and only 5 minutes from the Promenade des Anglais. It's worth visiting the Musee des Beaux Arts there which is housed in a grand mansion built originally for Russian royalty. The area has beautiful Belle Epoque villas which are now mainly apartments. Prices are dear, but the advantage is having the city (and beach) on your doorstep and also a bit of peace and quiet around you.

But over to George and his dilemma ...

The Problems of Living in Nice

We live in les Baumettes – about a kilometre from the centre of Nice on the Western side. My problem – too much choice …. of bread.

Within 400 metres there are four boulangeries, each one with its own specialities and between the two of us we can’t eat it all [but you try - Ed!]. My favourite for the last year or so has been Gosset at the beginning of Rue de France. Their baguette “tradition” is unbeatable – made with a sour dough, crisp and addictively tasty. They also do a mean line in pain au chocolat – no not the petit pain (pastry with a piece of chocolate baked inside) but a bread that is more like chocolate cake.

Round the corner in Rue St Philippe is Au Bon Pain. Their bread is not much to my taste but on Wednesdays and Saturdays they produce their gougères – choux pastry flavoured with cheese. I’m there without fail Wednesday and Saturday.

Then on Saturday when Gosset has their weekly day off I go to Fragole on Rue Dante. Their Pain Pio comes in a huge loaf of which I buy a tranche. Sough dough wholemeal, light and moist and dangerously delicious.

But now I have a real problem. A boulangerie in Rue de France which has been shut for a year has reopened. On the 16 May it was the fete de St Honoré – the patron saint of boulangers - and to celebrate they threw open their kitchen to the public from 5.30 am onwards and offered free samples of their wares. I went with my 8 year old grand-daughter. She declared the petit pain au chocolat the best she has ever tasted. I vote their croissants as good as any I have eaten in Paris. And their boulanger (who gave up his profession as avocat (lawyer) to follow his true love) produces 15 different varieties of bread. On the way home we discussed whether I can betray my other favourites.

Before we got home we dropped into the market at Rue Buffa to buy a pomegranate. There we stopped for a coffee and fruit juice in the market’s café. Though I am a non-smoker I was delighted once again to smell the smoke of cigarettes. The sign on the wall says “Il est interdit de fumer” and someone has added “du mauvais tabac.” (Smoking is forbidden (of bad tobacco)). So the French revolutionary spirit is reasserting itself.

St Tropez for lunch - why not?

2010-04-16T13:57:00.006+02:00

I was recently contacted by someone wanting help to sell their house on the Gulf of St Tropez and this made me start dreaming of a visit as it has been several months since I was last there. St Tropez is a name that conjures up 50s glamour, jet-setters, and Brigitte Bardot, and it doesn't disappoint.
We hopped in the car early morning and arrived in time for the market and lunch. From Nice the drive is very straightforward down the motorway. Once you turn off the motorway, however, the road is a bit of a nightmare at the moment as they are widening it to accommodate the huge numbers who visit the area. You see why arriving by helicopter or boat is the preference of the rich and famous.
Home to the super-wealthy, property prices are high in this area and look likely to stay that way. But equally it is an area that will never lose its value or, surprisingly, its charm. Although this once sleepy fishing village has been transformed into a glitzy shopper's paradise, it still manages to keep a feel of authenticity, particularly when you go inland. The hill-top villages of Gassin and Ramatuelle are particularly beautiful.
So after a delicious seafood lunch, we headed for one of the vineyards near Gassin that my brother who was visiting from the UK had spied as being nearly 'bio' (organic) and very good. The beautiful vineyard Minuty is situated in the lush countryside of St Tropez and produces excellent wines. We had time to walk around the vineyard, sample and buy some wines (the prestige rose is particularly good), and be back in time for dinner in Nice.
And if anyone would like to buy a very nice small house in the area, please just contact me ... home@coteabode.com

Var wandering

2010-04-07T16:17:00.002+02:00

I pride myself on going the extra mile for clients when looking for properties, but my most recent clients managed to make me go the extra miles and then some. And I'm very glad they did as I have now discovered the Var and have left my heart there. In the cold snap of March, we initially looked around the Nice area together, but with no luck. Nothing seemed right, the sun didn't shine, houses weren't 'the one'. My clients wanted a 'coup de coeur', and this is not something you can find easily or in a hurry. Oh well, sometimes this happens and you have to concede defeat.

However, my clients announced their plans to start a search in Sanary sur mer as they knew and loved this area (Bandol, famous for its wine, is next door). A small fishing port in the Var, Sanary is an idyllic spot near to Toulon. Thinking it was too far from my range and not knowing the area, I turned down their request at first to take on the search. But little by little I kept thinking about it and how I had such a good idea about what they were looking for. And thanks to a lucky meeting with a wonderful agent called Damian Tudor (Carlton International) who did know the area, I was convinced by all that we could work on this together. Three overnight trips later and many many pre-viewings of villas Iater, we had a short-list for my clients who flew out for two days last week.

First day was promising, and the second day we had booked a second visit for two houses. The next day we also had a visit to house in a sea-side location not well-known to those outside of the area. Called Tamaris, we had come across it by chance on our search and agreed it was Cap d'Antibes before Cap d'Antibes became unaffordable to most. The villa was new to us and not viewed before hand. We walked in and it was everything my clients had dreamed of. A beautiful turn of the century villa, still retaining all its grand charm, with sea views, only one street back from the sea. We knew we had to move quickly, so the offer was placed that day and agreed by the early evening. A boat was thrown in to the deal thanks to Damian's charm at negotiating.

So as well as feeling over the moon that we found the perfect place for our clients, it was for me a discovery of a new and wonderful part of the South of France. Prices are more reasonable, the area is more wild and rugged. I imagine it is a bit like St Tropez before the glitz took over.

So if anyone would like me to go that extra mile for a house, I'm ready to go back anytime...

La Turbie and Roman ruins

2010-03-01T13:31:00.005+01:00

If you want to see an iconic French Riviera film, then To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, is the one. In the film Grace Kelly takes Grant for a ride in her convertible at wild speed on the Grande Corniche (rather unnerving to watch considering her tragic crash near this area many years later). The Grande Corniche is the most breath-taking, winding coastal road on the Riviera. As you drive along it and reach the village of La Turbie, an extrordinary sight comes into view: the remains of a Roman ruin rise up behind the medieval hilltop town.

The Trophy of Augustus was built about 2,000 years ago to celebrate the victory of Augustus over the people of the Alps. It was partially restored during the early part of the 20th century and the steep climb is worth it to see the beautiful views over the sea and down to Monaco. There is a a tiny, rather shabby, but none the less interesting museum attached to the site. But the pleasure is seeing the architecture of the monument and walking through its wild hill-top setting.

If you want to eat at a really good restaurant with the locals, try Café de la Fontaine on La Turbie's main road. It's a blackboard menu and one of the better meals I have had on the Riviera recently. Honest steak and chips and other simple rustic dishes in a great atmosphere.

Snow storms and mimosa

2010-02-22T22:00:00.007+01:00

Nobody really talks about the weather on the Côte d'Azur because, well, the weather is usually blue skies and sunshine and that's just not really interesting enough to spend time talking about. But the Nicoise have all suddenly taken to greeting one another with ... 'isn't it incredible!' or 'did you see the snow, how deep it was?!' They say it happens every 20 years in Nice (but being the French, some contrary types say every 15 years). We awoke from our sleep to see the palm trees covered in snow. Cars stopped, work stopped, people ran into the street and threw snowballs. It lasted only a couple of days, but we will never forget the snow.
Then, as if to laugh at this crazy snow-covered world, the mimosa tree - the first early sign of spring in this region - fluffed out its can-can skirt of bright yellow flowers to celebrate Nice's annual gaudy, confetti-strewn carnival. And we all sigh happily as we know Spring, thankfully, is around that corner.

Why live anywhere else ...

2010-01-12T17:59:00.003+01:00

From sleety, wintry London yesterday, I landed home in Nice to be greeted by blue skies. As we swept over the Baie des Anges, I thought it couldn't be in starker contrast to where I had come from (and the reason we choose to live on the Cote d'Azur ... I just thought I would drop that in...). This week-end's France Show was a great success - incredible to see so many people braving the elements to come and visit. I was especially happy to see people who I have only talked to on the phone or by email - thank you for coming. And sorry to have missed people on Friday because of the snow keeping me in Nice (hello and see you in Nice, Ursula and Suzanne!)

All of us at the French Entrée stand worked flat-out fielding enquiries and explaining how an independent agent's buyer works (in the interests of the buyer, not the seller or estate agent). I particularly enjoyed chatting to people about their dreams of moving to and living in France. I understand because it was once my dream too ... and look at me now. The week-end ended with a raffle of a particularly fine bottle of 1966 cognac (donated thanks to property finder extraodinaire Graham Downie - see his Blog at cognacproperty.blogspot.com).

So, at Côte Abode, we start the New Year feeling mighty positive and looking forward to helping people move to the French Riviera. It really is a little bit of heaven under blue skies.