Will the excitement of the auctions send prices soaring at a time when buyers are harder to woo than ever? This is what the Barnes real estate network is hoping for, which is organizing an interactive sale in the form of an auction in order to sell the castle from La Verdière. This extraordinary building, whose roots go back to the 10th century and which is located in a small Var commune, presents itself as the largest castle in Provence. One thing is certain, its figures are dizzying: 3000 m² of living space, 2000 m² of annexes, 120 rooms, 16 hectares of wooded park, 2 swimming pools, 365 doors and windows…
“Given the current situation and the difficulty of estimating the value of such a property, I have chosen to turn to the format of an auction, which will allow this piece of history to find a new owner who will be able to appreciate its true value and participate in the preservation of Provençal heritage”, underlines Frédéric Champaver, the current owner. The man launched titanic work 20 years ago to restore the shine to this abandoned historic monument. The sale will begin on October 19 at 7 p.m. via a secure and anonymous platform which can only be accessed by people who have previously visited the property with the real estate agency. And submitted a file attesting to solid financing capabilities…
The seller can refuse
THE auction will start at 9 million euros and will be done in increments of 200,000 euros. Remember that the property was listed a few months ago at 18 million euros without finding a buyer. Unlike forced auctions, the final result does not constitute a firm and definitive offer. And the seller can refuse, or even choose a lower offer.
“In a market particularly disrupted by the economic context, it is already becoming difficult to estimate a “clic” property, so when it is a thousand-year-old property, completely renovated and of this scale, the estimate becomes subjective and very personal, explains Adrien Jaffredo, commercial director of Barnes. The auction format will allow this property to be sold at the fairest price.” There is no miracle formula though: this summer a Parisian owner was disappointed by the result of this process for the sale of his luxury duplex of 300 m² and 260 m² of terraces. After a starting price of 5 million, the bidding stopped at 6.1 million, an offer declined by the seller.
