Hi, it's Malte. Thank you for signing up. This is the first issue of Houses for a Song.
Every Friday I send you cheap houses you can live in. Each one is for sale at a small local agency, and each one comes with the full cost to buy. I only share a house when the agency says yes.
This week no agency has said yes yet. So the first issue is about one place: Haute-Saône, in the east of France.
Number of the week: 331
In 2025, 331 houses in Haute-Saône sold for under €50,000. That is 15% of all house sales there, about 1 in 7. In mainland France it was 4.5%.
What the middle house looks like
Take all 331 houses and line them up by price. The one in the middle cost €34,000. It had 80 m² of living space and 680 m² of land. That is more space and more garden than the French middle value.
Tax and the notary's fee add about €2,902. So the full cost to buy was close to €37,000.
Where to look
The sales were spread over 180 towns and villages. Three stand out:
Champlitte: 10 sales, middle price €30,000.
Jussey: 10 sales, middle price €33,500, with 99 m² of living space.
Saint-Loup-sur-Semouse: 8 sales, middle price €17,500. The cheapest town with 5 or more sales.
Number 9 on the list is Ronchamp. It has a chapel by Le Corbusier on the hill above the town.
Source: DVF 2025, the French state's open record of property sales (Licence Ouverte 2.0). Our own count of single houses with 40 m² or more, sold for €5,000 to €50,000. Tax: DGFiP rates of 1 June 2026. Notary: Service-Public.fr.
Buying tip: the notary costs the same everywhere
In France, the notary's fee is fixed by law. It is the same with every notary, so you do not need to shop around. On a €40,000 house it is about €797 with VAT, plus some costs for documents.
One question for you
Which country should I look at next? Hit reply and tell me. I read every answer.
Until next Friday,
Malte
All-in costs are our estimate from public tax and fee tables. Check them with the notary or the agency. Reply to this email if a link is dead.