I Didn’t Set Out to Be a Hand-Holder… But Here I Am

When I first started working in property, I never imagined that one day, people would turn to me not just for valuations or floorplans, but for guidance. For reassurance. For someone to say, “Yes, this is normal. No, you haven’t missed something. Yes, you’re doing just fine.”

And yet… here I am.

Somewhere along the way, between the compromis signatures and the unglamorous septic tank chats, I became the person nervous buyers confide in. That hesitant sellers call just to “talk it through again.” I’ve been called a hand-holder more than once. The first time, I laughed. Me? I used to be the one clutching someone else’s hand, wondering if I’d ever feel like I belonged in this world of French property and notaire jargon.

I still remember the woman who guided me when I first arrived. She helped me with taxes, forms, and what felt like an ocean of red tape. (She still does my tax returns to this day—because loyalty runs deep.)

So maybe this is just how it works. We begin as the ones needing help, and then—quietly, without ceremony—it becomes our turn to be the steady voice.

And here’s the thing no one tells you: buying the house isn’t the finish line. It’s the beginning.

That first night in your new French home? It’s thrilling, yes—but then come the practical questions:

• Where’s the nearest doctor—and how do I even register with one?
• Why has my French bank set a spending cap on money that’s in my own account?
• How do I apply for a déchetterie card?
• Which health insurance company actually picks up the phone when I need help?
• What’s the best way to open a French electricity account without losing your will to live?

And that’s why this blog exists. Not just to walk with you through the sale, but to help you after the swim. When your toes are on French soil, but your admin life is still floating somewhere between translation apps and closed mairie doors.

So yes—I’ve become a hand-holder. Not because I planned it. But because it turns out, this is the kind of support I wish I’d had. And now I get to offer it—with a bit of heart, a bit of humour, and some hard-won know-how.

If that’s the kind of guidance you’re looking for, welcome. You’re in the right place.

Brick by brick, we’re building not just homes—but new lives.

📌 Coming soon: printable checklists, toolkits, and softly handwritten letters from France to help you with every next step—from your first electricity bill to your first visit to the déchetterie. Watch this space.