Buying Property in France

Buying a house in France is a well-regulated exercise that rewards careful preparation. The property purchase process in France has several unique aspects worth noting before beginning the process.

Tips for buying a house in France

• The process becomes legally binding quickly, so don’t rush into signing anything.
• The total costs of buying a house are high. These include notaire’s fees (approximately 1-1.33 percent of the property price), taxes, stamp duty, agent’s fees, and other administrative costs. For a second-hand property, you can usually add an estimated 7-8 percent of the asking price for these total transaction costs.
• Homebuyers’ surveys are not normally carried out in France, but if you want one, you can usually find English-speaking surveyors working in France through the internet.
• You shouldn’t expect state-of-the-art appliances, floor layouts, or conveniences. Part of the charm of traditional French buildings is their age, and this generally applies to the kitchens and plumbing as well.

How and where to buy property in France

If you wish to begin your property search in France from abroad, you’ll be able to either appoint an agent or research accommodation options on the internet. One advantage of using an agent is that they can often speak both English and French and will be able to guide you through each step of the process.

If you’re already in France, you can purchase property through a notary or an estate agent. You should check that all intermediary agents are members of a professional body such as FNAIM, SNPI or UNPI. Remember that the properties presented to you may be relatively more expensive, especially if they are marketed specifically to foreigners.

Buying property in Paris and other cities

Buying a property in Paris or another city is somewhat different from the rest of France. You should walk the streets to find an area you like, then hunt down some agencies that look promising. Listings and estate agents can be found in various magazines, newspapers, and the internet. There is relatively little new construction in Paris, and you’ll most likely be looking to purchase an apartment rather than a formal house.

Listings are posted as À Louer (For Rent) and À Vendre (To Buy). They will also indicate which arrondissement the property is in. Perhaps most importantly, they will state the size in square metres and the number of rooms. Most apartments in Paris are small. Studios are 100 to 200 square feet (9.5–19m²), some smaller. Three-bedroom apartments are frequently under 1,000 square feet (93m²).

Americans should remember that the French follow the European convention of counting the first floor as the ground floor (Rez-de-Chauseé or RdC); the second floor in American terminology would be the first floor in Europe. Generally speaking, the higher the floor, the more expensive the property.

More often than not, an apartment is sold with an empty kitchen. Some shops will help design and install a customised kitchen, ranging from pre-fabricated cabinets at IKEA to a kitchen created by cuisinistes. It’s worthwhile to get at least three estimates and to collect references from friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Kitchen installations typically cost over EUR 10,000, including appliances, materials, and labour.

It is also important to decide whether you’re purchasing a car. Parking in Paris is difficult, and having a parking spot can greatly increase the resale value of a property. That said, car ownership in Paris has been declining steadily as many residents use the extensive public transport system instead.

The Paris property market has seen some price declines in recent years, with average price decreases between 0.9 and 1.8 percent in the most recent periods. The 4th arrondissement remains popular with foreign buyers, while areas like Vaugirard, Javel, and even the previously overlooked 19th arrondissement are gaining interest among expats for their value and improving amenities.

Accommodation in Paris

Buying land in France

French land prices are generally quite expensive, particularly in agricultural or wine-growing regions. Buying land can often be more complicated than buying a house, as the French tend to be attached to their land, and sometimes there are rights of way and other precedents pertaining to the use of land which have never been recorded but which are legally binding nevertheless.

If you’re interested in purchasing agricultural land, be aware that the SAFER system (Sociétés d’Aménagement Foncier et d’Etablissement Rural) controls rural land sales in France, and they have significant oversight of agricultural property transactions. For building plots, check with local authorities about any applicable tax allowances or incentives that may be available.

Prices of property in France

In France, there is a substantial local market which exists alongside the formal market. Some local properties, especially in the countryside, may be advertised through informal channels. Approximately 50 percent of property sales in France are handled by estate agents, with the remainder usually directly between buyer and seller.

The French property market has cooled significantly, with prices falling by around 4 percent on average in 2024. House sales have notably declined in recent years, creating more favourable conditions for buyers. While property prices are decreasing nationally, there are some regional variations – some areas are seeing price increases despite the overall downward trend. Buyers can often negotiate price reductions on sale prices for existing properties, making this a potentially good time for cash buyers to enter the market.

The most expensive areas remain in the Ile-de-France region, while international buyers continue to show strong interest in regions like Alpes-Maritimes, Provence, and Paris. British buyers lead foreign purchases (representing about 28 percent of foreign-owned second homes), with Americans accounting for approximately 3 percent of foreign buyers. Regional performance varies considerably, with cities like Marseille, Montpellier, and Paris offering higher rental yields compared to cities like Toulouse.

Making the purchase

By law, the notaire is the only person permitted to handle conveyancing in France. The notaire does not represent any one party’s interest and is merely engaged to ensure that the transaction is carried out in the correct legal manner. Therefore, it is common that the same notaire handles both the vendor’s and the buyer’s transactions. The notaire’s actual fee is typically around 1–1.33 percent of the property price. These total costs vary depending on the property value, location, and whether you have a mortgage.

Many property experts now suggest using your own notaire rather than sharing with the seller, despite the notaire’s formal level of independence. This won’t increase your costs, as the fees are split between the notaires if two are involved in the same transaction.

Making an offer – compromis de vente

Once you’ve found a property and are interested in making an offer, you should ask to see the plans for the property and its land. These are held by the local mairie, or prefecture, and are known as the plan cadastres.

Once a verbal offer has been made and accepted by the estate agent and the vendor, a preliminary contract known as the compromis de vente is drawn up. Although it is only the preliminary contract, it is legally binding, and therefore you should ensure that all verbal agreements are included in writing. The contract usually contains the following:

• Your personal details and the seller’s
• A description of the property
• The price
• The date by which completion must take place
• Clauses suspensives

The deposit, stamp duty and registration fees are paid at this point. The usual amount expected for a deposit is 5 to 10 percent, but it may be possible to negotiate for less. When purchasing an apartment, you automatically become a co-owner of the building and will have rights and responsibilities pertaining to its upkeep and regulations.

Be aware of regional differences in how property sale agreements are handled in France. North of the Loire, the promesse de vente unilatérale (a unilateral promise to sell) is often used, while in the south, the compromis de vente (sales agreement) is generally preferred. The key difference lies in the level of commitment – in a compromis de vente, both parties agree to sell and purchase upon the fulfilment of the conditions.

Clauses suspensives

Make sure all major conditions for purchase are included in your contract as clauses suspensives to avoid penalties if the purchase is not completed. The loss of the deposit is usually the penalty for the buyer if you do not complete the sale. If the seller does not complete it, they will normally refund the deposit and pay the same amount again to you as a penalty. In this way, the deposit protects both the buyer and the seller from the other party backing out of the contract.

The most common clause suspensive is the finance clause, stating that you will only proceed if successful in obtaining a mortgage for the property. Other common conditions may relate to planning consent, the purchase of adjoining land, or easements over the property. For international buyers, including clauses that safeguard against unforeseen issues is particularly important.

If the conditions outlined in the clauses suspensives are not met, the contract becomes void, and your deposit should be returned. The time limit for signing the final deed may need to be extended to fulfil these conditions, but the seller must agree to this extension.

Cooling-off period

Once both you and the seller have signed the compromis, there is a ten-day cooling-off period. During this time, the buyer can still withdraw from the sale without incurring a penalty, but the seller cannot. The period begins the day after you receive the contract, and this timing is strictly enforced. Once the cooling-off period is over, the contract becomes legally binding for both parties.

This cooling-off period, known in French as the délai de rétractation, applies only to individual buyers and not to companies or other legal entities purchasing property. You don’t need to provide any reason for withdrawing during this period, giving you valuable time to reconsider this significant investment.

Reports and searches

Once the cooling-off period expires, the notaire begins the process of the searches on the property. These include the land registry, rights to ownership, boundaries and rights of way. In France, the searches do not include investigating private planning applications. As such, you should always ask for plans for the greater area. These are held by the local mairie, or prefecture, and are known as the plan communale.

Lead, asbestos, termites, gas, electricity and energy reports are grouped together in a single report known as the Technical Diagnostic File (Dossier de Diagnostic Technique) or DDT. The reports are all required by law, and the vendor must ensure that up-to-date reports are attached to the compromis de vente.

Note that any asbestos diagnostics carried out before 1 April 2013 must be renewed, although those made after this date have unlimited validity when no trace of asbestos was detected. Termite reports are only necessary for some areas of France. Property vendors with swimming pools are obliged to commission a report on the safety features of the pool.

As a property owner in France, you’ll also need to complete a mandatory property declaration (Biens Immobiliers). You’ll need to submit this declaration electronically through your private account on the French tax authority website.

Acte de Vente and taking possession

It takes about three to four months before the final Acte de Vente is signed. Traditionally, both buyer and seller are present to sign it, but if you’re not yet in the country, you can arrange a power of attorney. To set up a power of attorney, you’ll need to have your identity verified remotely by a certifying officer and create a qualified electronic signature. The documents and transaction details will be exchanged through a secure digital platform.

Before taking possession, you must transfer the final payment to the notaire’s account. Funds must be transferred directly to the notaire’s client account. After the Acte de Vente has been signed, the notaire pays all taxes, settles all accounts of the purchase/sale, and registers the deeds and mortgage.

If you’re a foreign buyer, you’ll need to provide original birth, marriage, and divorce certificates at this stage.

Vices cachés

Finally, the vendor must disclose any major problems with any parts of the property, such as problems with the pool, if a particular wall is unsound, etc. If, after the purchase, a major flaw that the vendor did not disclose but must have known about is found, you have protection, as these are hidden defects, or vice cachés, which are not allowed under French law.

Under Article 1641 of the French Civil Code, if you discover a hidden defect that makes the property unfit for its intended use or significantly reduces its value such that you wouldn’t have purchased it at that price, you can seek either financial compensation or cancellation of the transaction. You have two years from discovering the defect to take legal action, within a maximum of 20 years from the date of purchase. Common hidden defects include damp walls, improperly functioning heating systems, and structural issues with foundations or roofing.

This is not a comprehensive guide, and you should take appropriate professional advice before purchasing any property in a foreign country.