“The character house is a charming house recognizable by its volumes, its architecture and its exceptional location”summarizes Marion Gouvenaux, co-manager of the two Christine Miranda Immobilier agencies in Drôme and Vaucluse.
These can be barns which will become lofts or even architect-designed houses. “The very contemporary villas are very popular”, she notes.
The mills or old silkworm factories, specific heritage of Ardèche, in which silkworms were raised, are part of these properties.
“The stone house is the traditional habitat in this rural department. We also find pebble houses built by our ancestors who went to look for them in the rivers. underlines Sylvain Berrée, manager of the SAB Immobilier agency which operates in Drôme and Ardèche. “The cut stone houses were mansions. In the south of the Drôme, there are yellow stone houses, in the center there are gray stone houses and in the north of the department there are pebble houses. »
The framework, above all
The atypical side of the property, the number of rooms, the quality of the renovation are criteria allowing us to define what a house of character is.
Beyond that, two other elements come into play: the surrounding setting in which the property is located and the surface area of its land, which can reach several hectares, sometimes with a spring, a wood, or vines.
This dream house must be located in a preserved location, without nuisance, busy roads, electricity pylons, TGV and without too many neighbors. A place that is becoming rare.
The million often exceeded
“The exception is this! A large house and a large plot of land becomes luxury. And depending on the geographical area, the definition of a house of character adapts,” underlines Sylvain Berrée.
Tranquility comes at a high price, even if the house is in a very isolated location. You need to count on average €800,000 for such a property.
In Drôme Provençale, the million euros can be exceeded, as for this 300 m² mansion on two levels which encompasses more than one hectare of land with truffle garden, garden, swimming pool and view of a lavender field, sold at Grignan by the Christine Miranda Immobilier agency.
While in Ardèche, it is possible to find a house of character from €500,000.
Customers looking for peace and quiet
In Drôme-Ardèche, the clientele is made up of Swiss, Belgians and Dutch who invest in a second home surrounded by nature or even city dwellers who arrive from Paris or Lyon and who settle in as their main residence.
“With the TGV in Valence, Lyon is around 30 minutes away and Paris is 2 hours away. This facilitated mobility and teleworking have changed the market,” remarks Marion Gouvenaux. “ City dwellers sell their apartments and buy land in the countryside. Drôme has been very popular since Covid. »
For Sylvain Berrée, demand exploded after the health crisis. In search of tranquility and to escape the world that invades the South of France in summer, people from Marseille and Toulon sell their apartment or house to settle in Drôme-Ardèche.
“Back to basics”
“If they are retirees, we need proximity to a village,” specifies Pierre Vallon, associate director of the Espaces atypical real estate agency in Valence.
The “back to basics” phenomenon also plays a role in this search for houses of character. People in their fifties, from Drôme or Ardèche, having had to go to work elsewhere, buy a holiday home with the intention of settling there when they have left working life.
Others set off on a new life project. “They buy a large building with land. Their objective is to transform it into a gîte or guest rooms. In the couple, one of them keeps an activity to generate fixed income and the other takes care of the lodging »adds Pierre Vallon.
A new offer on the market
The real estate market is slowing down, and this obviously affects that of prestigious houses. “But prices remain stable. We know they need to go down, but owners aren’t ready to hear it. Some customers have significant purchasing power. They don’t need funding,” ininforms Marion Gouvenaux.
Despite everything, the demand is still there but not at any price. Buyers take the time to visit, compare and think before embarking on the purchase of a property.
“Unlike the post-Covid period when people signed the intention to purchase on the hood of their car when leaving the visit,” reveals Sylvain Berrée.
In the mood of time
So, in order to sell large buildings more easily, the Christine Miranda Immobilier agency divides them into several apartments.
Which quickly find takers among young first-time buyers, retirees looking for a primary residence and people who want a pied-à-terre in the countryside.
“For these operations, we take care of everything, from assembly to the creation of the co-ownership”indicates Marion Gouvenaux. “For example, we are finalizing a project where the accommodation will be broken down into master suites sold with a kitchen area. The living rooms will be spaces shared by all the co-owners. It’s in keeping with the times and it’s a way to break free from a frozen market. »
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