Romans-sur-Isère : an appealing property market

Near Lyon, Grenoble and Valence, pleasant to live in and seeing an economic revival, Romans-sur-Isère has some persuasive arguments. Especially as it posts some of the most attractive prices throughout the Valley of the Rhône.

Once the “capital of luxury shoes”, Romans-sur-Isère benefits from a location and infrastructures that ensure its on-going development, and is still a magnet for companies : about an hour from Lyon and Grenoble, and only 10 minutes from Valence and its TGV station, the town offers an excellent rail service as well as the nearby A49 motorway. Forming with its neighbour, Bourg-de-Péage, an agglomeration with over 50,000 residents, it is also just a score of kilometres from the Massif du Vercors. Another geographical advantage : limited exposure to the Mistral wind. It also benefits from an interesting architectural heritage with, for example, the Jacquemart Tower (12th century), Collégiale Saint-Barnard (12-13th centuries), Calvaire des Récollets (16th century), and the Old Town playing host to remarkable medieval houses and mansions dating back to the Renaissance.

Romans-sur-Isère is a pleasant little town with a full array of amenities,” says Michèle Truchet, manageress of the Romans-based agency Intens’Immo since 2009 (after being one of its commercial agents for 10 years). Specializing in sales of properties, she covers the area within a 20-km radius of the town : “For old apartments, one can expect to pay from 1,000 to 1,500 € per sqm, while those in new residences cost on average 2,600-2,700 € per sqm”. As for houses : “50 % of our clients focus on properties in the 250,000-300,000 € bracket. For example, we are currently handling the sale of a house of 120 m2 on an estate, with a garden of 1,000 m2, pegged at 265,000 €.” For building plots, the price per sqm is close on 160 €. “Already very affordable, prices are nevertheless always subjected to bargaining,” comments Michèle Truchet. Her clientele is mainly comprised of people in their fifties, looking forward to retirement.

Manageress of Vic Immobilier, an agency opened in Romans in 1991 (sales, rentals and rental management), Catherine Vicat covers a 30-km radius around the town : “There’s a wide choice of apartments, with prices ranging from 70,000 to 80,000 € in 1970’s residences, and 3,000 € per sqm in new ones. By way of example, a split-level apartment of almost 140 m2 with a roof-terrace of 90 m2 is on offer in a luxury residence at 349,000 €”. The same goes for houses, ranging from 150,000 to 500,000 € for high-end properties. “We have, in fact, just sold a stone house of 195 m2 in 3,000 m2 of grounds on the neighbouring commune of Génissieux. Originally pegged at 429,000 €, it found a taker at 380,000 €. Bargaining is the order of the day,” confirms Catherine Vicat. What about building land ? “In the centre and its surrounding area, plots cost from 150 to 180 € per sqm. In areas around Romans, they can be found at 100-120 € per sqm.” Just like Romans’ property market, Vic Immobilier’s clientele is very varied.

Paul Clappe is the manager of Paul Clappe Immobilier (sales, rentals, estimates) : one agency based in Saint-Donat-sur-l’Herbasse since 2004, another in Tain-l’Hermitage (2013) and the third in Romans (2007), which has just moved to new premises at the very heart of town. “In the case of houses, demand centers on those priced from 150,000 to 200,000 € : one example of 75 m2 to renovate, with a garden of 450 m2, is on offer at 159,000 €. Further out from the town, especially towards La Drôme des Collines, budgets range more from 200,000 to 250,000 €. And stone houses - known as “Dauphinoises” - cost around 300,000 € or more.” As illustrated by a renovated stone property of 330 m2 near Saint-Donat with a 2-bedroomed apartment of over 80 m2 in approx. 2,200 m2 of grounds with a pool, priced at 525,000 €. “Over the past five or six years, prices have dropped by almost 10 %. Though the financial crisis somewhat spared Romans, compared to Valence, for example, which has had a tougher time.” Paul Clappe doesn’t have any particular customer profile. “Though just recently, we have noticed an encouraging new phenomenon : a growing number of younger clients, aged around 25, are taking the plunge and acquiring their first homes. A new generation of buyers ?”...

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