Assets proposed by the Côte Bleue
Radia Amar - 10 September 2015
Next to the Marseilles neighbourhood of L’Estaque, Le Rove, Ensuès-la-Redonne, Carry-le-Rouet, Sausset-les-Pins, La Couronne and Carro form a protected strip of the shoreline offering panoramic views of the sea and natural greenery. Known as the “Côte Bleue”, this area lined with little creeks is a unique market in the département.
In the 1970’s, a few developers realised the potential offered by this little Mediterranean paradise comprised of pinewoods and creeks at the foot of white limestone cliffs. A few estates and developments of blocks of apartments were built, though not excessively, as the zone is listed as a wooded area, which thus meant that its natural assets were preserved. The Côte Bleue appeals for its scenery, but also for its strategic location at the gateway to Marseille and pools of employment around L’Etang de Berre. Less than 30 minutes from the Marignane airport and close to the TGV stations of Aix and Marseille, this coast, still little-known, boasts a wide array of assets.
“We saw a quiet start to 2015 but since the month of May, there has been an up-turn,” says Michèle Cambiaggi of the A2Mimmo agency. A native of the Côte Bleue, she offers a personal approach to real estate ranging from financing to advice on urban planning, home-staging, and virtual tours of properties on her Youtube channel. Her clients, young retirees wanting to benefit from the region’s charm, or executives working in Marseille or around L’Etang de Berre – an important job-provider in the region -, are mostly looking for their main homes. One of her recent sales that ideally represents the market was a recently-built 3-bedromed villa of 150 m2 with a garden of 820 m2 benefiting from a pool. Located in Sausset-les-Pins, the property just sold as a year-round residence, for 620,000 €. “Most of our requests are for detached 3-bedroomed houses priced from 500,000 to 600,000 €.” Carry-le-Rouet and Sausset-les-Pins are the most attractive addresses, especially due to their infrastructures and amenities, facilitating everyday family life. Sausset-les-Pins caters for children from crèche up to intermediate level. “Prestige properties are currently in less demand. Top-notch villas on the creeks or the seafront require budgets starting from 1.5 to 2 million euros.”
“Prices are tending to stabilize, though still with a slight drop. Sellers are now more willing to follow our estimates. More and more frequently, properties are correctly priced, which helps towards shorter selling times, on average under three months,” explains Judith Agopian, manageress of the family-run agency Promoval, opened in Sausset-les-Pins in 1972. The clientele here is comprised of a good number of people aged from 35 to 50, working in Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Fos or Marignane, actively looking for detached houses of approx. 100 m2 with 3 bedrooms and gardens of 500 m2. “There is high demand from buyers with budgets ranging from 380,000 to 450,000 €, though available properties in this price bracket are rare. 2-bedroomed apartments near the centre of Sausset or Carry are also widely popular among buyers with budgets of around 300,000 €.”