France Guide: Property

Buying property isn't easy anywhere, but it gets even more complicated if you have to deal with an unknown property market and legal restrictions of a foreign country. Read our property guide to get a good start – and to avoid mistakes you might later regret.

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  Research

  How to find your dream property in France

  A successful property purchase in France is much more likely if you thoroughly investigate the various regions, the types of property available, prices and relative values, and the procedure for buying property in France.

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  Legal Advice

  Don't buy a home without it

  The vast majority of people who buy homes in France don’t obtain independent legal advice, and most of those who experience problems have taken no precautions whatsoever.

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  Estate Agents

  How to deal with French property agents

  Only some 50 per cent of property sales in France are handled by estate agents (agent immobilier). However, where foreign buyers are concerned, the vast majority of sales are made through agents or handled by notaires.

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  Contracts

  Contracts for buying property in France

  The first stage in buying a home in France is the signing of a preliminary contract. The notaire is responsible for ensuring that the contract is drawn up correctly and that the purchase price is paid to the vendor.

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  Mortgages

  What you should know about mortgages in France

  Mortgages or home loans (hypothèque) are available from all major French banks (for both residents and non-residents) and many foreign banks. The French post office also offers mortgages, but you must have been contributing to a plan or compte d’épargne logement for at least 18 months to qualify.

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  Conveyancing

  Transferring ownership of a property in France

  Conveyancing (the legal term is conveyance, but conveyancing is more commonly used) is the processing of paperwork involved in buying and selling property and transferring the deeds of ownership.

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  Property Fees

  Additional costs on your property purchase

  A variety of fees (also called closing or completion costs) are payable when you buy a property in France. These vary considerably according to the price and age of the property, whether you’re buying through an agent (as opposed to buying direct from the vendor), whether you’ve employed a lawyer and surveyor and whether you have a French or foreign mortgage.

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