Hi! I'm Margarete Isherwood.  I set up Jacwood Estates in December 1989 (prior to giving up a 10 year French teaching career!).

We offer the benefit of many years' experience in all matters relating to the French property market, including French property search, areas of France, finance, purchase, ownership, renovation, settling in France, generating rental income, running a gite complex, living/working in France and re-sale.

Brantôme (Dordogne)

We sell all types of property in many areas of France, and we are experts in the sale of gite complexes.

Our clients tell us that our website is streets ahead of many of our competitors.

"Have been looking for a while at various websites  ........... your site is absolutely wonderful, quick - easy to navigate - clear - precise info.  Could not be better."  Mrs W. who was looking to buy a gite complex.

Brantôme (Dordogne)

About our services

Our services include:-

- locating suitable properties for you and advising on areas, climate, distances, life in France, etc.

- sending you property details

- arranging viewing appointments with our English speaking agents in SW France, or sometimes with vendors direct.

- sending confirmation of appointments, directions, etc.

- negotiating the best purchase price for you.

- assistance with arranging finance if required.

- guidance/bi-lingual assistance throughout the purchasing procedure to ensure a trouble free completion.

The above services are free to you when you purchase a property through Jacwood Estates, as we share a sales commission with our network of French agents.

It costs you no more to purchase your French property through Jacwood Estates than with a French agent directly.

Even if you don't buy a property through us we can also offer you assistance with the following ....

Translation/interpretation/advisory services

Our bi-lingual team can assist with translation of letters, phone calls, contracts, attendance at notaire's offices, banks, etc. with you. Benefit from our 15 years experience in the French property market. Rates for these services on request.

Property rental services

If you plan to rent out your French property to maximise rental income and make it pay for itself, ask about our rental services. We get the bookings for you. You sit back & wait for the rental cheque to arrive.

About Margarete and John Isherwood

Margarete Isherwood B.A. (Hons) P.G.C.E. fell in love with all things French, especially the language, at around age 15 after listening to the romantic songs of Georges Moustaki, brought over from France by a penfriend.  Margarete had a ten year French teaching career in UK/France and since then has been the owner/manager of Jacwood Estates French Properties (est. 1989).  Margarete has also written a course (due to popular demand) on "How to buy & manage a gite complex in France" and has presented it many times since its inception in 2001.

John Isherwood (RIP Aug 2005) was a construction engineer with over 30 years of experience in construction worldwide, and owner/manager of s.a.r.l. Laurier (est. 1991), French property developers of gite complexes and general French properties. He too presented a course, on "Renovating property in France".  John was an accomplished watercolour painter, with many subjects drawn from the French countryside and waterside locations from Honfleur to Collioure. In recent years he had also written two novels.

Margarete and the late John Isherwood have divided their time between homes in UK and France for many years and have also managed holiday property/gite rentals in SW France since 1992.