Housing on the outskirts of Perpignan

283,000 people live in the greater urban area of Perpignan, whereas the prefecture of the Eastern Pyrenees itself is home to only 116,700. The difference speaks volumes about the development of villages in the first belt around the town. Dreams of space, tranquillity and affordable housing prices… There are lots of reasons for hunting down a house.

Les Albères mark the southern boundary of the former capital of the Kings of Majorca. Les Corbières lie to the north-west, while the Mediterranean, separated from this lovely Catalan town by a mere 10 km, lies to the east. Every year, just like Montpellier, Perpignan attracts new residents, drawn by the climate and very pleasant life-style offered by this colourful region, a real junction between France and Spain. Over the decades, little towns like Vernet and Saint-Gaudérique have become fully-fledged neighbourhoods. Others have retained their independence and fiercely defend their individual character.

“Houses on the outskirts of the town form a two-tier market : the south and east are far more popular than the north and west, undoubtedly because they are closer to the sea and benefit from good roads leading to the main activity centres,” explains Cécile Baco of Must Immobilier. Located in the coastal plain of Le Roussillon between the rivers Têt and Réart, Cabestany with 8,400 inhabitants currently has the wind in its sails. Estates with “pavillons” are gradually replacing the vines. Residents enjoy lower land taxes here than in Perpignan as well as the convenience of a shopping centre, Le Mas Guérido. If you drive further out, you come across ravishing little villages, typical of of Les Albères, but somewhat off the beaten track. To the east, Saint-Cyprien boasts beaches and a golf-course. Said to have been built by the Romans in the 1st century B.C., Le Mas Llaro and Château-Roussillon offer well-off clients some beautiful properties, with living space of over 200 m2 in grounds of 4,000 m2, priced from 800,000 to 1 million euros and more. All areas combined, most transactions range from 300,000 to 600,000 €, a budget corresponding to a relatively recent house of 100-200 m2, detached or semi-detached, without too much refurbishment on the horizon, in grounds of 500 to 1,000 m2. Among recent sales, Cécile Baco mentions a stone village house of 140 m2 with a terrace and garage on the commune of Baho sold for 270,000 €, a building of 200 m2 in perfect condition towards Montescot, sold for 625,000 € early in 2009, and another comparable example of 200 m2 over towards Soler, with grounds of 1,600 m2, sold for 590,000 € at the end of the year. Some owners are putting off their departure until better days, afraid they will be unable to find a new home to meet their criteria, whence a shortage of offerings. More attentive to professional advice and prepared to negotiate, other sellers have finally agreed to reductions of up to 20 % in the case of basic properties. First-time buyers form part of the clientele. In January alone, Cécile Baco sold two houses on the outskirts at prices under 160,000 €. In Perpignan, this amount will only bring a 2-bedroom apartment in an acceptable block of flats in a southern neighbourhood. Another group of buyers consists of employees transferred from Paris, the middle or northern parts of France. They are all looking for houses with gardens, swimming pools and sunshine, and can generally afford to pay for them.

“These clients are usually 35 to 45 years old, work in the area and still have children of school age,” says Dominique Huc of the Nicole Huc agency. They compare lively addresses such as Canet and Cabestany with dormitory neighbourhoods, a factor reflected in the prices. A 5-minute drive from Perpignan, Canet-en-Roussillon is seen more as the town's maritime suburb than as a seaside resort subject to seasonal rhythms. In the case of sound investments, 80 % of transactions now consist of year-round homes. There is no ideal location : the west offsets a lack of liveliness with affordable prices while the south has to deal with dense traffic. “Not as popular as town houses, standard homes on the outskirts are still 15 % too expensive,” concludes our estate-agent. “And buyers are not deceived : they continue to make offers under the posted prices.”

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