This month we spoke to Clayton Haste of Cannes Property Sales about his work on the French Riviera…
Article written by Cannes Property Sales
Morning Clayton, how are you? What have you got planned for today?
Morning! Today is quite a busy day really. I have 2 apartments to take on this morning. The first in Rue d’Antibes, Cannes, and the second in The Old Town, known as La Suqet. This involves visiting the respective properties, meeting with vendors, and signing a mandate (the seller’s agreement with the agent). Then in the afternoon I have new clients arriving from the UK, to view properties in Cannes. I will pick them up from the airport, discuss with them the current property market in the South of France, and carry out the viewings as planned. After the viewings, I will drop the clients off at the place they are staying at, or the airport. Then return to the office to upload the 2 new properties for sale, to my website and Rightmove Overseas. In the evening, if I have time, I will normally go to the gym, then its home to play with my children before bed.
So is that a typical day in Cannes? What’s it like living there?
There is no typical day in Cannes. That’s why I love living here so much. In addition to owning Cannes Property Sales, I also own Cannes Rental Apartments which focusses on corporate congress lets. There are 5 main congresses a year, and during these events my main focus will be lettings. During one of these congresses, Cannes changes completely. The main town, restaurants and bars are taken over by the many 1000s of delegates that visit Cannes during this period. It really is a great atmosphere to be out and about at this time. As you would expect, The Film Festival is always a great time to be in Cannes too. It’s a real carnival atmosphere when this event hits town.
On a personal level, I will quite often grab a coffee with the family on the Croisette or the Old Town. We pretty much use the beach all year round, as on a sunny day even in winter, temperatures can be bearable at the least. I will often play tennis or golf, or take a ride on my road bike round the coast.
In July and August as one would expect, Cannes is taken over by holiday makers, and during this period, my business is probably at its quietest. During the weekends, if we don’t venture out of Cannes, we will normally visit the Marche Forville market in the morning, and then maybe grab a bite to eat in one of the many bars or restaurants around the market.
As you would expect, given the favorable climate here in Cannes, we spend a lot more of our time doing outside activities, then we did when residing in the UK.
When did you move to Cannes? What persuaded you to make the move?
We moved to Cannes on February 1st 2010. The 3rd year anniversary is fast approaching, and we can’t believe how quick it has gone. We had our second child here, have another 1 on the way, and so feel completely settled. We decided to move here for quality of life for us and our children, especially the opportunity for our children to learn French from a very young age. We made a decision before moving here that we wanted to integrate as much as possible into the French way of life, and hence our eldest son Harry goes to a French School, as will our other two children.
What’s the main reason Brits are so attracted to the South of France do you think?
There are so many factors that encourage Brits to visit and move here, but my sense is that climate has to be the main reason. In addition to this you also have a very large speaking English community in the South of France, which means visitors don’t feel restricted by language barriers. The scenery is very special, and there are many contrasting back drops depending on where you visit. It is very well served by road, air and train, and in addition both Italy and Spain are very accessible from this part of France. Lastly there is of course the small matter of an abundance of good food and wine!
What makes Cannes Property Sales different to other agents selling on the French Riviera?
I don’t think any agent can say they have 1 single differentiator over the competition. But what I think Cannes Property Sales has is a combination of factors. The first being that we bought and sold many properties ourselves in Cannes before we moved here in 2010. Our first purchase was in the late 90s, so we know the system well from both sides well. The second value we bring to any potential buyers is that we also own a lettings company in Cannes called Cannes Rental Apartments. In effect this company manages the apartments that we own, and in addition many other properties on behalf of other owners. This offers potential investment buyers, a one stop shop to their requirements in Cannes. They buy from Cannes Property Sales, and then rent through Cannes Rental Apartments. Finally there is the fact that we are a French Registered, English speaking agent on the French Riviera. This appeals to a large section of our clients, who just want to understand the process in their native tongue, as oppose to French which they don’t feel comfortable with.
And finally, tell us about your most memorable viewing….
I couldn’t possibly tell! Discretion for our vendors and clients is at the heart of our company ethos. What goes on the viewing stays on the viewing!
You can call Clayton on 0843 310 2868 to discuss any aspect of buying property on the French Riviera or make an enquiry. You can also view all properties for sale by Cannes Property Services by clicking here.
The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc.