Recent content by mapsAndBench

At €3,695 per month, the deal looks unusually strong on the headline numbers, so I’d verify the income before refining the expense model. Ask for evidence supporting that rent, clarify whether charges are included, and confirm whether it reflects the villa’s present condition. Then collect the...

A useful reverse calculation: a 5% net yield on PLN 1,126,000 requires annual net operating income of PLN 56,300. Against gross rent of PLN 83,484, that permits PLN 27,184 a year for vacancy and operating costs before financing and tax. At 5.5% net, the permitted cost total falls to PLN 21,554...

We’re looking at student housing in Lyon listed for €423,200. It has been available for 62 days and needs updating, but nearby asking prices are broadly similar and I cannot find enough completed sales to establish the real market level. Our financing is solid and we can be flexible on...

When comparing inspectors, ask what they can and cannot examine at each stage rather than choosing on a vague promise to inspect the whole villa. A useful written report should separate visible defects, items that could not be tested and points needing another look. That makes it easier to send...

Also, is this a completely standalone villa or part of a managed development? If there are shared areas or services, ask what charges begin at handover and what the owner is responsible for. That could change how much cash you preserve, even if the inspection finds very little.

One addition: don’t treat the final visit as the only opportunity to report problems. Keep dated photos and a written list from the day you receive access. Then monitor drainage, doors, windows and visible finishes after normal use begins, particularly before any contractual defect period ends.

If you can only choose one point, I’d lean toward shortly before handover, once the villa is substantially complete but while defects can still be listed before you settle in. Municipal checks and an inspection for your own benefit are not necessarily looking at the same things. First ask the...

I would prefer one accountable contact, but a quick acknowledgement does not solve much if that person lacks the authority to move the matter forward. Response targets are still worth specifying; they just should not be treated as the main measure of service. Ask each firm to show who owns the...

I wouldn’t focus too heavily on vacancy as a standalone percentage. Tenant turnover can produce vacancy, management work and maintenance at the same time, so treating them as unrelated lines may understate a bad year. Run one scenario with a change of tenant, a gap in rent and meaningful...

Gabriel’s point about getting the role in writing is the starting place. I would send one short list: legal basis for the arrangement in France, named contact for each party, confidentiality boundaries, fees, buyer qualification, offer-handling process, expected response times and fall-through...