Our series of useful articles on how to get the best from your gites business.

Running a successful gites business in France.

The Gites Business : What to buy.

Driving distance and accessibility from the ports used to determine to a large extent the length of season you could expect. Providing you buy a small property sleeping up to six within an hours drive of an airport it should balance out. Larger parties still prefer to drive to their destinations because it can still work out cheaper for larger groups. Holidaymakers in general do not want to drive too far if they are only taking a week's holiday or have young children. This is the main reason that properties in Normandy and Brittany can enjoy a longer season than the departments further South. Provence and Languedoc-Rousillon because of their warmer climate and access by air also enjoy a longer season.

Many people make the mistake of buying a property thinking that they can restore it for just a few thousand pounds. Before you sign anything, ask a builder to give you a rough estimate of how much it will cost you to renovate the property. Get him to check out the fosse septique, is it large enough, does it comply with the new regulations and more importantly, is there one servicing the property.

Your Notaire should check to ensure that no one has right of way over your property and check that there are no other restraints on the property. Due to the complex inheritance laws, it is not unusual for a relative to crawl out of the woodwork with a legal claim or title.

If you are buying to let, check out what other property owners are charging for similar properties in the area. It is also important to ascertain the length of letting period you can expect.

New builds are becoming more popular. They tend to work out cheaper than buying a property and then restoring it and they have the added benefits of being able to choose the location and having far less maintenance. People's first choice is normally for properties with private pools. Larger properties that sleep more than eight fill up very early as two or more family groups get organised early. However, demand for larger properties outside of July and August is much lower. If you are looking to restore a large property and want to let the property out of the high season, designthe property so that it can be let as either one or more units. So a property that can sleep 12 in the summer can be let as two properties that sleep six at other times of the year. The extra expense of providing two kitchens can soon be recovered from the additional income generated.