In “Sheer Terror”, our blog published in April 2020, we did not have the confidence of the visionary. It would have been a brave prophet who foretold the future in the midst of the pandemic pandemonium. Yes, we wondered if confinement would last another three weeks, three months, or until 2021, if pent-up demand would reinvigorate property transactions, as soon as we could all go back to work? But we did not dare predict a positive future for our special markets.
Now, here at the start of 2022 with the benefit of that best visual acuity, hindsight, we can clearly see what actually happened, how we could in fact have dared to be positive. Confinement did not last and has long ceased to be the treatment of choice. Fewer and fewer work from home, as the latest mutation reveals itself as a toothless tiger, more of an omega than an omicron. Pent-up demand did indeed reinvigorate our markets and 2020 and 2021 have been almost the busiest years for us since 2000. Pent-up demand, and no doubt a desire to “get on and do it”, and above all “get on and enjoy it”. For who knows what’s coming next?
Prices have remained firm, supported by renewed interest in top end French property markets from all over the world, and a reassuring number of high-value transactions. Confidence is back.
This is not to say that both we and our retained clients have not had to adapt. Many more contracts have been signed than is customary without the physical presence of our clients in the Notaries’ offices; some viewings have only been possible where adventurous clients have tactically re-routed their travel arrangements. We have even bought “sight unseen” on occasion. Unless the temporary restrictions applied to British travellers are quickly eased we shall almost certainly be taking possession of several properties in the next few weeks on behalf of buyers who cannot come personally to collect their keys. All unheard of in the past. It has been challenging, but everyone has coped.
Shall we dare to be more positive now than we were nearly two years ago? We think we can. The signs are good. No Catch 22.