Brittany Higgins, David Sharaz’s new luxe life in the south of France
Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz could be set to call a “beautiful village” in the south of France home – where properties have been selling for a fraction of what it costs in Australia.
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An hour north of the Mediterranean, surrounded by antiquated architecture and a picture postcard backdrop, Lunas in the south of France is an idyllic spot for Brittany Higgins and David Sharaz to rebuild their life together.
After receiving a $2.4 million taxpayer funded payout in 2022 following claims her political career was destroyed in the wake of an alleged rape at Parliament House in 2019, 29-year-old Higgins and her 32-year-old fiancé have reportedly bought a house in the tiny township of just over 600 people.
Bruce Lehrmann had pleaded not guilty to a single charge of engaging in sexual intercourse without consent.
The trial was aborted due to juror misconduct and the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions declined to pursue a retrial over concerns for Ms Higgins’ mental health, dropping the charge against Mr Lehrmann.
Mr Lehrmann has strenuously denied the allegation or of ever having sex with Ms Higgins.
He is currently suing Channel 10 and Lisa Wilkinson for defamation for a report which aired Ms Higgins’ allegation.
Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz, who have previously posted a request on Facebook for a local French language tutor and gardener, likely paid just a fraction of what they would have to secure a property in Australia.
French real estate statistics portal Immodata, recorded just two house sales in Lunas during 2023, and only nine in 2022.
Houses in Lunas have recently sold between 50,000 and 154,000 euros (AUD$72,000 and AUD$220,000).
A commune in the historic Herault department dating back to Roman times, Lunas is 68km from the French Riviera city of Montpellier and 710 km south of Paris.
The sleepy settlement along the Gravezon River is best known for its rambling stone houses and picturesque surrounding countryside.
Local real estate agent, Loan Chabrier of Pierres au Soleil agency, said the town’s laid back outdoor lifestyle is a major drawcard with plenty of opportunity for trekking, kayaking, and bike riding.
He said buyers are also attracted by its affordability.
“Obviously prices depend on the type of house,” Mr Chabrier said.
“You can buy little home in the village centre for less 100,000 euros, but then you’ve got larger villas out of town selling for around 250,000 to 300,000 euros,” he said, adding that values and demand in Lunas had skyrocketed in the wake of Covid.
“Buyers were coming from Paris, Montpellier, and any number of other big cities. People were so tired of being locked down, they were selling their city apartments for as much as 300,000 euros and could easily buy a big house here,” he said.
“I work with my father who’s been selling property for more than 25 years and in his whole career he’d never seen anything like it.”
Mr Chabrier said buyers had thinned out, but French city slickers and foreigners were still migrating to Lunas and its surrounds.
“I know of several anglophones moving to the area, but I haven’t specifically heard of any Australians buying here. If there are, it can’t be many,” he said.
Gaelle Lahoual of Optimhome agreed that Lunas doesn’t have an active Australian community.
“There are some Irish, English, Dutch and plenty of French in the region, but as for Australians, I couldn’t say,” Ms Lahoual said.
“Mostly it’s locals who buy in Lunas, people who grew up here and want to stay in the area or have a secondary home.
“Lunas is a very beautiful village that’s fairly remote and quiet with pretty discrete villagers. There also aren’t too many annual sales because people tend to keep hold of their family homes. If there are 10 sales in a year that’s a lot”.
There are no foreign buyer restrictions for Australians buying real estate in France. Joanna Leggett, a UK expat in France and head of marketing for agency Leggett Immobilier, said France welcomes overseas property buyers.
“They just love it, particularly for properties in need of renovation because there are so many of these beautiful old buildings which are crumbling. It brings life into the villages and keeps schools open. So Australians can buy a property here and just pay the local taxes like everyone else. The only difference for non-EU citizens is the visa situation,” she explained.
Australians buying real estate in France must take into consideration their long stay visa requirements if they are not an EU passport holder. Those visiting on a tourist visa must leave the country after 90 days and cannot renter for another 90 days. Alternatively they must apply for an extended visa before leaving Australia.
All Australian nationals domiciled in France are taxed on their worldwide income. Non-French residents can get a local mortgage, however the borrowing criteria is stricter and the choice of lenders is smaller. Any foreign buyer purchasing a home worth more than 1.3 million euros will need to pay the impot sur la fortune immobiliere (wealth tax).
Higgins and Sharaz jetted off for France from Brisbane on Monday evening after she posted on Instagram “No matter how far or wide I roam, I still call Australia home.”
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