The attractive town of Annecy
Radia Amar - 21 October 2013
Green tourism, a rich cultural heritage, international events, a pool of employment… Only 20 minutes from Geneva, Annecy is doing well and exercises an ever wider appeal. Especially for many French buyers, from Brittany, Normandy, Paris…, who settle in the heart of the Annecy area each and every year.
Nicknamed “the Venice of the Alps” due to the three rivers that run through its historic centre, Annecy is the eighth largest town in the Rhône-Alpes region after Chambéry. About 20 minutes from Geneva, Annecy and its neighbouring communes - Meythet, Cran-Gevrier, Seynod, Veyrier-du-Lac and Sevrier - cultivate the Savoyard art of living between the town and the mountains. Annecy is enthroned at the centre of an agglomeration accommodating over 150,000 residents. A figure that rises significantly with every population census.
“In Annecy, the property market puts up good resistance thanks to its many assets,” says Yoann Guillemot, director of the Cœur des Alpes agency which opened its doors one year ago. “Prices are pretty stable, any setback being less brutal here than in other regions. Our profession is undergoing certain changes : we have to restore the confidence of both buyers, often adopting a wait-and-see attitude, and sellers, who need to be properly guided and accompanied.” Many people employed in Geneva or the “bassin annécien” are looking for an apartment in the town centre or a pleasant house on Lake Annecy’s highly-prized east bank with its unimpeded view of the mountains. In the Cœur des Alpes agency, properties of charm (such as old farmhouses transformed into high-end homes), character (such as stylishly renovated 1930’s buildings) or prestige (such as contemporary villas in modern-day chalet style), and apartments nestling at the heart of the “Golden Triangle”, are given precedence for their quality. “We select homes in which we’d like to live ourselves. It’s hard to talk generally about prices. Each property has its own value ; as professionals, it’s our task to estimate it.”
A feeling shared by Eric Flament, manager of the Expert Immo agency in Annecy. “A property which sells quickly is one which has been correctly estimated by a professional.” The activity of this agency right at the heart of town has remained stable despite the crisis. “Annecy and its surrounding region is protected. The current trend ? Sellers are becoming even thinner on the ground, while buyers are more numerous and more demanding. This situation is interesting for our profession as it redefines the essential role of the estate-agent, a major player in a smooth, fast transaction.” In fact, many properties in Annecy remain on agency files for months simply because they haven’t been fairly estimated. “In Annecy, price is not the main factor behind a sale. For properties with the same surface area, prices can triple depending on their condition, building, neighbourhood... It’s a bit risky these days to talk about average prices per sq. metre. Each property requires an in-depth survey in order to determine its real worth, for both the buyer and the seller.”