Testimonial

What does your job involve?
- I support my customers all the way through their buy-to-rent investment project, from the moment they enquire about a development through to the management of their property.
Most investors looking to buy in Nantes don’t live here, so I’m their local contact. My customers get the benefit of my detailed knowledge of the rental market in Nantes. I also explain to them how and why the location, transport links, local infrastructure and shops make the development particular attractive for letting.

Why are your customers so keen to invest?
- There are two basic reasons: the first is personal use and estate planning, and the second is financial gain. In the former case, customers are interested in a particular individual property. They already live in the area and intend, eventually, to live in the apartment or pass it on to their children. In the latter case, customers are looking primarily for a sound financial investment. Some of them live a long way away, so all the decisions are made over the phone.

What advice do investors expect of you?
- It all depends on the customer and how far advanced their investment plans are. If their intention to buy is based on estate planning, they usually want to make changes to personalise the interior, and I help them in reaching those decisions.
I direct customers looking for a financial investment towards those properties offering the highest letting potential, and give them practical advice, like providing at least a fitted kitchen to avoid any potentially dangerous D-I-Y efforts by future tenants!

How do you assist your customers with the financial aspects of their plans?
- A lot of them are already well-advanced with their funding plans. I prepare budget illustrations to confirm the feasibility of their plans, and inform them of any tax advantages they could claim. I also help them to set the level of their future rent in conjunction with our partner property management firm.

What about after handover?
- My customers still need some support beyond the reservation and handover stages. More particularly, I advise them on the rental management of their property. Most of them want to delegate management to a management company, especially those who live outside Nantes and its surrounding region. In fact, this branch has a partnership agreement with a property management company, so about 3 months before handover I contact my customers to suggest putting them in contact with the management company, which will then charge them special lower rates. This way, I can be sure that my customers’ investments are in the right hands, and that they can count on the services of a trustworthy new partner.