We came across something recently that stopped us in our tracks — a podcast interview with Jerry, one of the owners of Clé Rouge Immobilier in Duras, France. It’s genuinely some of the best advice on buying a house in France we’ve encountered in a long time, and we had to share it.
Why We’re Recommending This
Full disclosure: we bought our own house through Clé Rouge, working with both Caroline (Jerry’s wife and co-owner) and Theo, one of their wonderful agents. The experience was a great one. And to be clear — we have no financial relationship with them whatsoever. We’re recommending this podcast simply because listening to it helped us understand why we clicked so well with their agency in the first place.
The Approach That Changes Everything
What sets Jerry and his team apart is their philosophy. Rather than zeroing in immediately on the property with the most perfect antique fireplace or the most gorgeous stone terraces, they take a big-picture approach — starting with you. What are you actually looking for out of life in France? What does this move mean for you?
That framing matters more than most people realize, and Jerry articulates it beautifully. We love how he encourages buyers to get clear on what they want from the move before they start hunting for a specific property. It’s a subtle shift, but it changes everything.
Tips You Won’t Hear Anywhere Else
Beyond the philosophy, Jerry shares several genuinely useful, practical tips that don’t come up often in the usual house-buying-in-France conversation:
- Negotiating furniture into the sale — how to approach it and why it’s worth considering
- How notaires work in France — a clear explanation of their role in the transaction
- When to use your own notaire vs. sharing with the seller — and why it actually matters
Listen to the Episode
You can catch the full interview on Spotify here: Listen on Spotify →
Whether you’re deep in the search or just beginning to dream, we think you’ll find it worth your time.
Baguettes and butter 4eva, Raina ❤️
