For teleworking, for long weekends or for vacations, a second home is the dream of many French people, but it is not necessarily inaccessible…
For many French people, owning a second home remains an unattainable dream. According to INSEE data, two thirds of second homes are owned by households aged 60 or over, which demonstrates the difficulty for younger people to invest in this type of property.
The purchase price of a second home is often high. According to Statista, it is on average 242,650 euros in 2021 to which you must remember to add costs which recur every year linked to taxes, insurance, maintenance of the property and possible work. Added to these costs is an investment of time to maintain the house, the garden and for some owners, the swimming pool.
However, since the Covid-19 crisis, a new trend has emerged to democratize access to second homes. From now on, it is possible to acquire a share of a holiday home with an investment of just 50,000 euros.
This solution, which seems surprising, is the purchase of a second home together. A trend that has become popular with specialized platforms like Prello or Altacasa. They made it possible to simplify this process. Their operation is simple: They offer for sale shares in SCI (Société Civile Immobilière) giving access to the joint ownership of a luxury villa, to be shared between several buyers.
Let’s take the example of Prello, a pioneer in this market. This startup offers to buy a share of a house from 50,000 euros, which gives access to 44 days of occupation per year, the equivalent of around 6 weeks. According to her, this is more than the time typical homeowners spend in their second home. Prello estimates that for them it is an average of 40 days per year. Furthermore, potential co-owners who want to increase their occupancy time have the possibility of purchasing several shares.
The advantage of using a platform like Prello or Altacasa is to be able to buy a share by being put in contact with other interested buyers, without necessarily knowing them at the start. This avoids having to look for buyers yourself to embark on a group purchasing project. However, if you are lucky enough to have loved ones willing to make this type of investment, there is nothing stopping you from doing without an intermediary.
Before embarking on the purchase of a second home together, certain points should be anticipated. We must first agree on everyone’s share and distribute it fairly to limit the risk of friction. Then, clearly define the terms of occupation of the property, for example by setting up a forecast schedule. Finally, provide solutions in the event of a dispute or if one of the co-owners wishes to resell.
If buying alone is necessarily more reassuring, buying together allows you to relieve yourself of part of the maintenance of the residence, to dilute the financial effort and to access a property that you would not otherwise have. been able to acquire otherwise.
