Testimonials
We are convinced that what people are searching for in this ever-increasingly impersonal world is that special “personal” touch. Rather than trying to emphasise the importance of being a small business and our aim to offer personalised services making each client we deal with as important as the last, we have decided to let our clients do it for us! We have put together a selection of comments which we hope will give you a fair impression of what to expect if you choose to use Beyond Biarritz. Finally we would like to thank all those who have accepted to write a few lines, for their time and their honesty.
"What a find! Not just our French villa but also meeting Julia. Every obstacle along the way she helped us overcome. Quite simply, we couldn’t have bought our dream holiday home without her. Julia “c’est tres, tres magnifique!”.
John and Anne Ward, Essex
"Our aimless and ineffectual attempts to investigate property in the Pays Basque (we wanted to buy "a cottage") were transformed when we emailed Julia after reading about her in "The Independent". She was informative, helpful, lively; everything we needed, not just to provide us with precisely what we wanted in short order, and in very good order too, but also to make the whole process enjoyable. She advised us, found us a small newish villa in a pleasant and quiet area, shepherded us through the purchase and set up all the necessary systems without fuss and with charm. At her suggestion, we bought some furniture from IKEA in Bordeaux and she was not only ready to receive the order (and make helpful suggestions about it), but to ask her carpenter husband to install it. Thanks to her contacts and ideas, we have found reliable and appropriate letting agencies, wonderful people to act as keyholders and guardian angels, reliable electricians and plumbers; everything to make the experience thoroughly interesting and so far, stress free. She is marvellous!"
Peter and Joan Wadsley, Bristol
"We first met Julia in March 2003 when we were one of her first clients. She saw us through the house purchase, arranging insurance and dealing with French companies/authorities in a very professional and friendly manner. Julia always went the 'extra mile' to get the job done and has continued to help with our queries and issues with a ready smile. I can truly say she is now a friend of our family. In summary, Julia is brilliant!"
Mr and Mrs Groom, Bedford
"We visited France for a week’s holiday in April 2003. Julia had sourced 5 houses for us to look at following our brief and by the end of the holiday we had put our offer in on one and it had been accepted. Julia then guided us through the complete purchasing stage and then project managed the year’s renovation with us. We certainly could not have done this project without Julia’s help and even when we did encounter some problems with timescales during the renovation Julia liaised with the workmen etc and sorted it all out for us. It is very rare to find such a company as Beyond Biarritz, where your project seems to always be top of their list. Julia has become a very good friend during this project and we would recommend her to anybody looking to purchase a house in South West France."
Mr and Mrs Adams, Kent www.mountains-2-coast.co.uk
"It was lovely to meet up with you again in St Jean de Luz. To be honest you are probably a bit of the SJDL (our abbreviation for Saint Jean de Luz!) ‘magic’ too; when we are in England thinking wistfully of the mountains, the sea, the sand, the apartment, the air, and the walks, you are also there as part of the picture. I’m sure a lot your clients think that too. You made the whole experience very enjoyable and continue to be very helpful and knowledgeable (and lovely with it!)."
Mr and Mrs Sarahs, Herts
"We first visited Biarritz two years ago, and decided that Pyrenees Atlantiques was the area where we would buy the French home we have always promised ourselves. Since then, however, although we are lawyers we found it a nightmare logistically to even find a house, let alone purchase one, until earlier this summer I stumbled across Julia's website, and she has been the answer to all our problems. She arranged everything from start to finish, nothing has been too much trouble, and we are now the proud owners of a lovely house just outside St Jean Pied de Port."
G Johnson, Middlesbrough
"Having spent several months searching France for the perfect location, we eventually decided on the Pyrénées Atlantiques because it basically has everything! Once we’d done that bit, we really needed help finding the right property and how to go about the whole process and that’s when we met Julia from Beyond Biarritz. As she rightly says, you have to choose and visit the region yourselves and get the feel of the place before you call up the services of companies like Beyond Biarritz. For various reasons our purchase was lengthy and complicated and we really don’t know how we would have got through it all without Julia’s professional help. She did everything possible and even managed to make a traumatic experience an enjoyable one in the end. The added bonus is that we have also made a very good friend who still helps us with extra formalities now we are permanent residents in France : bravo Julia!"
Mr and Mrs Hartley, Yorkshire
"On a holiday in France we visited the Pays Basque and immediately 'fell in love' with the region. We knew that if the possibility arose, in retirement, of becoming French residents to live near St Jean de Luz, we would need first hand knowledge to find "the" house for us. We found Julia Troccaz of 'Beyond Biarritz' on her website and were impressed by the expertise and range of services offered. After some e-mail correspondence and telephone calls we met with Julia in the region mid-April 2004.
Julia made no pretence of knowing what we might be seeking but took time and care listening sympathetically to us and when satisfied that she fully understood our needs, in terms of the residence type, condition, location and price, suggested a short list of properties that we might wish to view. In the event, amazingly, the second of five houses we viewed with Julia was "it". Throughout the intervening period, during which time we finally sold our house in England (with a few hiccups), Julia kept us fully informed of all developments regarding the purchase of the property in France. She was a calm, reassuring presence dealing professionally at all times with the sellers, agents and notaires. On 22nd July 2004 our household effects arrived from England and we moved in. We cannot thank Julia Troccaz enough."
Paul and Janet Wright, Saint Pée sur Nivelle
"We had been looking for properties for such a long time making several visits to the area but to no avail. We had been to agencies ourselves with our very limited knowledge of French but were shown properties that just didn’t correspond with what we were looking for. When we found Julia via her website, all changed and suddenly we had found someone who almost immediately had the sense of what we wanted. She asked lots of questions about us, not just what type of house we wanted and now we know why because she hit the nail on the head with our first visit to her.
From going out thinking we’d maybe rent first, we ended up finding our dream home and Julia “held our hand” throughout the whole purchase and made it so trouble free. We read so many nightmare articles in the English press but it is all about who you put your confidence with and we can certainly say that we chose the right person and have now also made a very good friend and neighbour."
Mr and Mrs Southall, Bidarray