Fergus couple takes money from selling home to buy castle in France

You know housing is expensive in Ontario when people can buy an actual castle in France for the same price.

That’s what Sara and Stephen Cole did two years ago, when they sold their home in Fergus to move into a château in Saint Germain des Prés, a small town in the south west of France. The château has 11 bedrooms with parts of the structure being over 500 years old. While not going into detail, they said they broke even on selling their home and moving overseas.

Speaking on the Mike Farwell Show on Monday, the couple said the housing markets are very different in France compared to Canada. One difference includes having stricter policies when it comes to borrowing and not allowing multiple offers on a home.

“It’s two very different housing markets,” said Sara. “Not just in terms of the actual pricing, but the systems they work with. France is more of a socialist country than Canada is.”

The couple operate a YouTube channel called Manor and Maker, where they show the two sides of owning a château. On one side, they show the upkeep required for a building that age, and the other is the business side of renting it out for retreats and workshops.