I searched further and found one site that is in English but the place names are almost impossible to pronounce and I guess the thing Iceland has against it in terms of selling is that it is grey, a grey country and all the properties look grey.
I found one red house but it was pretty awful. It has those metal windows that remind me of a bygone era or of Communist Blok style building. Looking at the description it says – building material: concrete. Inside the bedroom cupboards resemble grey school lockers and there is a washing machine inside the bathroom which is just off the dining room.
I thought Iceland must have some Scandanavian charm, some nice pine houses that are rustic with open wood fires. So I looked under what is described as summer houses. The first one I looked at was nothing more than a little chalet type thing that you might put at the bottom of your garden for the children to play in. It sat alongside other little chalet things in a gloomy landscapes that was – yes grey.
The next one was a slightly bigger chalet thing, so was the next. I eventually found one that looked more like a traditional Scandanavian style house with lots of pine inside but it was still a bit small. Maybe Iceland house builders were predicting the credit crunch and decided to build small properties in anticipation of people being unable to afford expensive heating bills.
And I don't think much of the Icelandic taste in terms of interiors. Frilly, over the top curtains don't really go with all that pine, neither does a kind of indoor shutter that looks as if it is made from twigs.
I am afraid my first foray into looking at the Icelandic property market wasn't impressive. The prices aren't cheaper either and with the falling Krone, they might become cheaper for outsiders, but then if the market is weak, it will be harder to rent out an investment property anyway.
Luxury property in France
Living in France I keep a keen eye on what the property market here is doing. Like many people I love going on to the sites of major estate agents to see what is available and I have found my dream property. It has 12 bedrooms, several receptions, a library, a ballroom and substantial gardens in the heart of Paris.
Described as one of Paris's most magnificent 18th century houses, L'Hôtel de Soyecourt on the Parisian left bank is an opulent reminder of France's hedonistic past before the French Revolution. Built in 1707 it was once owned by Count Fernand Nunez, friend of Marie-Antoinette, before it was confiscated during the Revolution.
It is likely to be bought by an overseas buyer. 'Buyers at the top of the market tend to be from overseas,' said Nathalie Garcin of Parisian property agency Emile Garcin that is selling L'Hôtel de Soyecourt. 'The market is completely stable with rapid transactions at high prices for the best quality properties,' she added. 'It is a specialized market with demanding clients and a really exceptional property always sells well.'
So she is confident it will find the right buyer. There is of course one slight problem for me – the asking price is €100,000,000.
Property quote of the week
And here's my quote of the week from a would be property investor in the US: 'No need to buy in Florida, it will all be underwater in 50 years once the ice caps are gone.'
