We are house hunting in the Charente, Charente Maritime.

The two of us were sick of endlessly looking at houses for sale on the internet on the various Realty company sites. There appears to be no such thing as a Multiple Listing Service in France, and realtors tend to only want to show you THEIR listings, and I guess you can see why...they get full dollar of the commission, which isn't small, I might add. However, we are discovering some inequities in the way business is done, despite some very clear laws in France. Perhaps it is the difference between the French agent, and the English agent who has lived here for 13 yrs and who speaks the  language fluently.

We contacted the two agents to see two houses, not so far apart in location and price, but very far apart in condition.
Our first property was represented by an English company but the realtor is French with reasonable English, having lived in an English speaking country. He doesn't do colloquial Kiwi very well though, lol.
We met him at the property which we had seen on the previous Sunday, on our tiki-tour to take a look, in case we wanted to see the inside. We did, and here we were.

Apart from the fact that the property has not been occupied for the past 18 months, you would think that the owners have just stepped outside, while you go through their rooms.
The house is fully furnished with a lifetime of 'stuff', and though the elderly woman is now in 'care', her family use the house for vacations occasaionally. We were surprised that they hadn't apparently made any effort to clean it up/de-clutter, but this appears to be the norm here. Very few homes are 'Dressed' for sale.
We started outside, as you do. No garage, which is kind of a requirement for us, but not essential.
It was with some surprise that Waz discovered the Long Drop in the garden. It turns out that the old lady liked to spend time with her chickens and other farm animals, and a family friend built the outside loo for her so she didn't have to go back inside all the time. Nice, but ...not! Well built, however. No, we wouldn't keep that!
Two carports, which is fine. They work.

 That's the realtors pretty hand. The family use the old car when they are in town. Everything needs cleaning, de-mossing, de-ivying...and then there is the....BAMBOO!!!! RUN AWAY! No idea why the French appear to LOVE bamboo. The realtor when nuts over it...eh? Horrid stuff is like an army marching through the garden! My dear grandmother obsessed over it in her dotage, but it kept her busy cutting it out. While the bulbs are going to bloom soon, Im not sure that this wasn't a well at some stage of it's life.

 The back of the house. There is a pretty terrace running the length of the back of the house. I like the stairs, and the way they flair at the bottom. Begs a circular driveway, which would be possible. We would have to buy a power washer because we would need it each spring to remove the seasonal green stuff. I would have to once again become "The Severe Pruning Company" because EVERYTHING needs pruning.

 Lots of small outbuildings which is common in these farms or fermettes, farmlets. This isn't large acreage, and they are prepared to subdivide. The total available is 3 hectares or almost 7 acres. We only want about 1/2 and acre around the house, which is possible, we are told.
The stuff in this building is typical of the stuff everywhere.

 we aren't sure what these were....animal feed troughs? but they might be the basis for a veg. garden, if only the deer dont come and eat all the veges.

 I would put some lovely tall decorative gates on here. These are a bit ordinary.

 Ivy covers everything, and while the French appear to like their buildings covered in vines, they are very destructive to these sometimes delicate stone walls. We would get rid of it.

Hmm see the bamboo there? It is threatening a lovely rock wall.

 We would love to know what color the eventual clean walls will be. I have a feeling they will be pinkish.  The door at the far left is into the huge workshop space. the door under the terrace is into more space under the house, which is humungous. The garden is crying out for help, and is dotted with hyacinths coming into bloom, snow drops and daffodils. I can see it finished! Trying not to get toooo invested in this property. It requires EVERYTHING doing. The roof, heating and all other important parts are in good order, it is just that there is ...well, you will see shortly!

 The realtor was gaga over this pathway through the bamboo. I just groaned....so did Waz, I might add.

 A nicely established garden, huge trees and looking back at the 1870's rock (pierre) home. The underneath of the house has been converted to a 62m2 apartment. This used to be the double garage. I doubt that the old lady ever lived down there, which was the purpose for building. Full kitchen, wood burner fireplace and lovely light through those double doors.

 The round thing in the middle there, has an alcove for a Virgin Mary statue. It IS an old house, so these kinds of features are normal for the age. 1870. Electric shutters on the windows. Nice!

 The front gates. Not a fabulous outlook, across the road, but you wouldn't be looking that way much, preferring the rear garden view.

Looking outside from inside the dining room French doors.

 The heavy furniture doesn't do much for the room, but is quite normal for the type of house and age of the sellers. Lovely stone walls.

It was this room that attracted us in the first instance. The fireplace will need to be closed. Open fires aren't practical, and rather dirty, to be honest. They dont heat a house the way a wood burner does. Pretty Charentais fireplace. This is looking towards the front of the house. Not a huge room, but large enough for our own furniture. The rest of the house ...not so pretty.

 About 18m2 entry hall. Plenty of STUFF in it. Memorabilia everywhere.

 the front door isn't stunning, and the wallpaper is textured and smelled horrid. Yes, I did smell it!

 Looking out back, in the entry hall.

 Those wood walls are fake. This used to be a large room and part of the kitchen, but a fake wall to the left has been added to make it more of a ...what? There is a bed in there that the old lady used to use before going into care. This could be reinstated to be part of the large kitchen. The marble floor is in good condition.

 All that wood makes it dark, however...as well as the red walls...ack!

 The Kitchen, or what passes for a kitchen. So many older French homes look like this...and much worse. This room is a good size, with eat in facilities, but needs a total renovation, like the rest of the house.

 That door at left leads through to the entry hall. I like the doors out to the terrace. I would put my chair out there, and a trough or three of herbs.

 I dont think that fan over the cooker is actually vented anywhere.

 That's where my own chair would be, outside the kitchen doors.

 That shed contains firewood and a bar-b-q in the far corner. We would perhaps open the front of it and use it as a summer house. Would be lovely and cool.

 The terrace isn't too wide, and I dont know if you would fit a table and chairs there, but there are trees to sit under.

 The bathroom next to the kitchen, and serves three bedrooms. Windows in this part of the house need to be replaced for double pane. The bidet will go!

 This area behind the stairs to the basement is a nothing area which we would make into a laundry. Presently that is down in the cold basement. The steps go up to the three bedrooms, which have been built with strange walls between...they would either need to be demolished, or restructured somehow to make them sound proof. Rather horrid, actually. You will see.

 Bed #1

 Bed #2

 Bed #3

Solid wood floors are in good shape, except in the smaller middle bedroom.

There is an attic access in the ceiling of the entry hall. Waz climbed the ladder to peer into the abyss up there. It is IMMENSE! as so many are. They call it the Grenier. Many people make them into further rooms, if the roof is high enough.

 This is a lovely room, but for the heavy and heavily figured furniture. Not to our taste at all.

 The stairs up to the Master bedroom, office (other bedroom) and bathroom to beat ALL bathrooms.

 Prepare yourselves! Office to the left...or Bureau, as they are known here. The master bedroom is on the right. This is an interesting vestibule. Something we havent seen before. the built in furniture is glorious mahogany.

 Getting warmer?? The wall covering everywhere is like carpet..yuk!

 Someone called this Coconut Ice. A bit over the top?? nah! lol.

 The dark carpet stuff on the walls sucks the light. Quite a nice room otherwise.

 Everything in the room looks as if the gentleman who used to live here and has since passed on, just walked out minutes earlier.

 a lighter photo of that fake wood walled room behind the kitchen.

 Moving downstairs....This is the laundry sink, alongside one of the wastepipes, which is alongside the small washing machine...did I really want to make this photo larger?

The 62m2 apartment downstairs wasn't even finished. the kitchen cabinets are just placed there, but the waste water pipe is in, on the left there, for the washing machine. I dont think the elderly mother ever lived down here.

 So, that's it, for that house. We liked what we saw, but it would require at least a year of our time to renovate and make it what it should be. We will see what else there is out there!

Our next home is finished. There is almost nothing to do, but finish off some of the outbuildings. The couple who are selling dont really want to go, but have made the decision, so are going forward with it. They have done a fabulous job of making this former farm building, a Longere and attached barn, into a lovely home which can be made into two if wanted. Chambre d'hote or Airbnb possible.
I loved the large farmhouse kitchen with everything you could want, in it. The owners have done a wonderful renovation for themselves, and we are REALLY interested in this property. It is a bit isolated, but we aren't counting it out.

 They have a very large 18 month old puppy. We enjoyed her bouncy youth.

 This is the former barn which is now a lovely formal dining and lounge with stairs to the mezzanine and the master suite. Those French doors lead outside to a lovely terrace. Hot on summer evenings.

Dining under the mezzanine.

 Lovely and light! That fire heated everything.

 Out in the yard, there was plenty to keep us busy and happy for a long time. Most of the work has been done, but plenty of finishing to do. That long wall belongs to the neighbors.  Building to the right are on this property, and one on the left just out of sight.

 The master suite is cozy and comfy

 Nice bathroom and calk in closet

 The second part of the house can be used for friends/family or renting out. It is possible to install a kitchen over where that book shelf is, if necessary. Plenty of space, and beautifully finished.

 Lots of storage.

 Large bedroom with French doors to the outside. Bathroom outside.

 Lovely gates, but I would have to install something more ornate, Im afraid.

 The old barn to the left is now new. The door is straight into the kitchen.

The The mezzanine above is in this building below.

 Next door is the garage. Plent of space for a workshop here? Methinx.

 The lovely terrace outside the living room.

That's it for now folks. We did see another home, but it isn't in the running for our money.
We have some more to view before making any final decisions, but this is a wonderful start with these two.
Night night.