A CLOSER LOOK AT LE VAR
Philippe Fonteneau, estate-agent for WF King, reviews the assets offered by Valescure and, more generally, Saint-Raphaël, an area combining unimpeded views of the sea, closeness to golf-courses and the Estérel hills, as well as easy access to the town centre and nearby communes in Le Var and Les Alpes-Maritimes…
All advantages appealing to a French and international clientele. The tale began in 1906 when a certain William Frank King opened an estate agency for the British living in Le Var, along with an insurance company, a bank and a travel agency. Already, the notion of service and a vocation for making life easier were part of WF King’s DNA.
A cosmopolitan and mainly French clientele has replaced the English of yesteryear. Before the pandemic, holiday homes were the rule, but a desire for space and the roll-out of teleworking have reversed the trend, to the benefit of year-round residences. Budgets range from 700,000 to 6 million euros. Everyone appreciates the proximity of the beaches, the greens and Estérel hills, as well as the pleasant town centre.
By train, Saint-Raphaël is only 1 hour from the Nice Côte d’Azur international airport. Among the agency’s most recent sales, Philippe Fonteneau mentions a house of 109 m2 in perfect condition, on the edge of a golf-course, priced at 890,000 €, and another of 300 m2 a few hundred metres away, offering high-spec appointments and priced at 1.7 million euros. Benefiting from a budget of 6 million euros, clients can set their sights on a property of 200 to 350 m2 at the water’s edge, in grounds of 1,000 m2 with a landing-stage and/or boat house.
The segment comprised of such front-row properties remains a confidential market. After the pandemic, prices rose in the same proportions as demand. Today, the market is stabilizing due to reason and a healthier balance between supply and demand. No more penury, the end of euphoria. 90 % of buyers pay cash and are shared out in all price ranges. n
