JOE AND CECILE: FRANCE

Provence in the South of France is one of the most sought after areas in the country. Throughout the summer months tourists from all over the world flock to the Cote d'Azur along the Mediterranean and to places like Nice and Cannes.

Our search takes us inland to Grasse, an old town known the world over as the home of perfume. Our next house hunters are Joe and Cecile Duigan, who live in rented accommodation nearby with their children Jenny and Matthew.

Joe works in the local electronics industry and the plan is to find a permanent family home. Their budget is €250 - €300,000 and they want a three bed house with a terrace. It's also important for them to have enough garden to ultimately build a pool.

The first property they view is in the hills near Grasse. It's a large 4 bed villa with a large garden. The price is €320,000 and it requires a fair bit of decorative work. It's also outside their budget so they decide that it's not for them. The next property is more realistic. It's within their budget at €242,000, although there is work being carried out and the new owners will have to finish the work themselves.

One of the benefits in this property is that it comes with its own self-contained upstairs flat. A perfect place for visiting friends and relatives and definitely something Joe and Cecile would be interested in. Joe and Cecile see it as a possibility, but will definitely continue their search.