The Guide of Buying Property in France

Step 1. Visit the Property

Lots of agencies offer their clients a presentation tours to inspect property themselves. And even though companies have to pay extra, they don’t charge for such tours. Expenses are included in the broker’s commission.

The tour includes selection and viewing of a property, getting legal information regarding it, etc. As a rule, you have to pay for travelling tickets and accommodation.

We recommend to visit the country beforehand anyway, because this is the only way to get a full picture. 

When the selection is done, together with seller you sign a preliminary contract (Compromis de Vente or Promesse de Vente). However, the seller must provide documents about the technical condition of the property to the buyer before signing anything. And of course, you need to open an account in a local bank in order to conduct financial transactions.

Properties for Sale in France

535 000 €

Apartment in Cannes, France

85 m² 2 1

Under price offer : Located in the sought-after Montrose district of Cannes, just a 20-minute walk from the Croisette, this 85 sqm 2-bedroom apartment is set on the garden level of an attractive secure residence with spacious landscaped grounds and a pleasant pool area. - In good overall condition, the apartment offers a practical layout...

SERVICEAZUR

Price on request

Villa in Eze, France

256 m² 5 5

Modern villa in California style, with an area of 256 sq.m. Conveniently located on the hills of Eze on the Cote d'Azur of France, near Monaco. A large terrace running around the perimeter of the second floor, with panoramic sea views. Inside is a lot of open space, windows and daylight. Light shades are used in the decor.

SERVICEAZUR

4 980 000 €

Villa in Biot, France

400 m² 5 4

Situated in absolute calm and privacy, just 5 minutes drive from the picturesque village of Biot, this modern villa is nestled in the prestigious Golden Triangle formed by Mougins, Biot, and Valbonne. Mougins British International School is only 15 minutes drive (10 km). - Built with high-end materials, the villa offers about 400 m² of living...

SERVICEAZUR

798 000 €

Apartment in Nice, France

135 m² 4 3 2

Nice Sea View - LARGE 4-ROOM APARTMENT ON THE TOP FLOOR. 4-room apartment with an area of about 115 m2 + 2 balconies, located on the top floor with an elevator in a symbolic building on the Promenade des Anglais, in a former palace. This apartment features large volumes, original solid wood parquet floors and high ceilings decorated with...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

489 000 €

Apartment in Cannes, France

75 m² 2 1 1

Cannes. Located in the lower part of the Croix des Gardes, this magnificent one-bedroom apartment of 57 m² + terrace of 18 m2 is located on a high floor with an elevator. It offers breathtaking sea views as well as southern exposure, providing beautiful light all day long. This apartment in very good condition includes an entrance hall, a...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

262 000 €

Apartment in Lyon, France

52 m² 2 1

Rental property

Lyon. The modern building is located in the 7th block, in a park area The complex offers a connection between the city and the new inhabited park, fragmented in its 7- and 11-storey verticality and offering an exquisite architectural uniqueness, a combination of concrete, metal and wood combined with the surrounding nature. The residence is an...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

322 000 €

Apartment in Lyon, France

71 m² 3 2 1

Lyon is the perfect place in Lyon to live or invest. Discover the first new residential complex located in the 8th arrondissement of Lyon! Comfortable environment for living, combining the dynamics of the city and the atmosphere of comfort. Located in the eastern part of Lyon, the 8th arrondissement attracts with a harmonious combination of...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

285 000 €

Apartment in Evian-les-Bains, France

73 m² 2 1 1

Evian-les-Bains. A beautiful 2-room apartment with a neat finish of 56 m2 + a terrace of 10 m2 + a balcony of 7 m2, with panoramic views of Lake Geneva. Located on the second floor, elevated (elevator). Breathtaking views of Lake Geneva and the small port. The apartment consists of a living room and a bedroom. Impeccable interior condition /...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

249 900 €

Apartment in Cannes, France

83 m² 3 2 1

A three-room bright apartment for sale in Mougins Comfort in the heart of a prestigious area. Located on the 3rd and last floor of a small gated building, this three-room apartment will captivate you with its volume, brightness and environment. The spacious living room of 21 m², facing east and onto a pleasant terrace of 10.4 m², is ideal for...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

413 000 €

Apartment in Nice, France

68 m² 2 1 1

Nice. Discover this magnificent two-room apartment, ideally located in a new luxury building in Nice. With an area of ​​56 m2 + terrace of 12 m2. This bright apartment offers optimal spaces. It includes: large living room, kitchen, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 toilet. 1 private parking space included. An excellent location close to shops and all...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

395 900 €

Apartment in Paris, France

55 m² 2 1

PUTEAUX, a suburb of Paris, 5 minutes from the La Déffense quarter. Located in the heart of the eco-friendly Berger district, Victoria's Village is an elite project signed by John Simpson Architects and Parisian classical architecture by Raymond Loic Chan, reimagining a French skyscraper with elegance and modernity. The hotel is ideally...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

975 000 €

Apartment in Cannes, France

183 m² 5 4 4

Cannes-Near Cannes 4-room penthouse of 103 m2 with a private terrace of 78 m² The penthouse is located in an 1885 villa in Golfe-Juan near Cannes (6 minutes) and renovated in 2022. We now offer the entire 3rd and top floor (no elevator), consisting of a three-room apartment, a separate studio and a private terrace of 78 m² with panoramic sea...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

895 000 €

Apartment in Cannes, France

130 m² 4 3 3

Cannes-CROIX DES GARDES - Large four-room apartment with high ceilings, bourgeois style, beautiful panoramic views In the heart of a luxurious palace in the Belle Epoque style. there is a beautiful four-room bourgeois apartment of 130 m² with a magnificent view of the sea and palm park. The apartment is located on the 3rd floor with an elevator,...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

848 000 €

Villa in Cannes, France

145 m² 5 3 3

Cannes — In the charming area of ​​Petit Juas, close to shops, come visit this beautiful 2-storey townhouse of 145 m2 + plot of 270 m2. It consists of a large kitchen with access to a beautiful living room and terrace, three bedrooms: one with dressing room and shower room, one toilet. Large laundry room. On the garden level of the house...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

655 000 €

Apartment in Cannes, France

97 m² 3 2 2

Cannes – Croix des Gardes | Résidence de standing avec piscine et tennis Situé au cœur du prestigieux quartier résidentiel de la Croix des Gardes, dans un domaine sécurisé et très recherché, découvrez ce bel appartement 3 pièces d’environ 65m²+terras 32 m2,...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

249 000 €

Apartment in Nice, France

31 m² 2 1 1

Nice. BEAUTIFUL TWO-ROOM APARTMENT WITH A BALCONY IN THE HEART OF THE MUSICIAN QUARTER Charming two-room apartment of 31 m², located on the 4th floor of a beautiful Art Deco building with elevator and concierge, in the heart of the Musiciens district of Nice. Ceilings are 3 meters high, original parquet floors and molding — all this in a...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

235 000 €

Apartment in Nice, France

53 m² 2 1 1

Nice. Magnificent one-bedroom apartment with an area of 37 m2 + a terrace of 12 m2 is located in the prestigious quiet quarter of Lower Fabron, near the sea in a condominium with a very good status in Nice West, in the lower part of the Avenue LANTERNE area. Very bright, this apartment will amaze you with its neat interiors and spacious terrace...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

250 000 €

Apartment in Nice, France

73 m² 2 1 1

Nice. The quarter of Sainte Marguerite. Located in a small side street in absolute tranquility, this charming one-bedroom apartment of about 41 m2 offers a privileged atmosphere in a green area. On the upper floor there is a living room with cupboards, extended by a beautiful terrace of about 15 m2, and a veranda of about 17 m2 with an open view...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

388 000 €

Apartment in Nice, France

57 m² 3 2 1

NICE. Located in a former bourgeois palace, in the heart of the elite Musicians Quarter, this 3-room apartment on the penultimate floor with elevator. A completely renovated apartment, it combines the sophistication of the old and the charm of modern comfort. From the entrance to the apartment, beautiful volumes and a harmonious distribution...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

747 000 €

Villa in Nice, France

160 m² 5 4 2

Nice – Saint-Pierre de Féric | Renovated family house | 4 bedrooms | Tranquility and greenery Located in the popular and residential area of Saint-Pierre-de-Féric, this house of approximately 160 m² has been completely tastefully restored and designed with family life in mind. As soon as you enter from the garden level,...

IMMOPS, Groupe AVS

See more 496 similar properties

Step 2. Check the Property

The checking include several diagnostic tests. For instance, the floor area is measured for compliance with the declared information, presence of termites is examined, presence of lead and asbestos in the construction.

Asbestos was banned in France in 1996, after it was found to be the cause of many diseases. Before that it was used as insulation. Sellers must provide buyers with a certificate for the absence of asbestos for houses built before July 1, 1997. But it is worth noting that the document is issued only for the apartment, and not for the total area (stairs, corridors, etc.).

It is not very likely to find lead among other materials. Lead dyes were used in buildings before 1948. But if it was find, the seller must remove it. 

Every examinations is carried out by individual experts. They grant documents to the seller after carrying out necessary procedures. The price is included into the final cost of a property. 

You can sign a preliminary contract without results of the examination. But in this case it has to include a clause that the seller is going to obtain necessary documentation by the time the main sale contract is signed. Otherwise the buyer has the right to cancel the transaction without any obligations.

Step 3. Make a Preliminary Contract

The preliminary agreement is a guarantee for both sides of a real estate deal: it reserves the chosen property and doesn’t let any side to change their mind without penalties. 

You don’t need to notarize this contract. At the same time you have to pay a deposit to a notary’s trust account. The amount of a deposit is about 10% from the total cost of a property (5% when buying a property under construction).

After conclusion you legally have 7 days to cancel further transactions and return your deposit (unless the contract specifies other conditions for termination of the transaction). 

Another way to get the deposit back is when a bank denies you a loan or examination for asbestos gives negative indicators. Although, the preliminary contract needs to have appropriate conditions for such situations. 

If the deal is disrupted by the seller's fault, they return the deposit to the buyer in a double amount.

Be prepared for special aspects of the French legislation. The mayor's office of each city has the right to purchase a property at the price specified in the preliminary agreement, instead of the buyer (droit de preemption). In this case, you get the deposit back, but at what cost?.. 

Normally, the contract is valid for 3 months. During that period of time a notary performs due diligence:

1. In relation to the state. Since municipality can purchase a property instead of you, the notary sends a request with a declaration of the deal. They also check whether the property is located in a risk zone (for example, in close proximity to industrial enterprises) or a special zone such as a historical one. These imposes special obligations on the owner.
2. In relation to individuals. The notary requests a mortgage bureau, whether the object has unpaid debts and whether all owners of this property agree to sell it. The notary is responsible for calculating all additional transaction costs and verifying the buyer's passport data.

During validation you have time to bond a mortgage. After receiving permission from the bank as well as conducting all necessary checks, you conclude the main sale contract. 

Market specialists strongly recommend to visit France at least once to check out real estate on your own,  because personal inspection can get you a complete picture a property.

Step 4. Conclude a Contract

Both parties meet at a notary’s office to conclude the contract. The notary is an official representative of interests for the buyer and state. They are professionally responsible for the safety of a sale deal, which is guaranteed by their insurance company.

You can have two notaries for each side of the contract. The seller's notary performs a legal check of the property, the buyer's notary performs calculations on the transaction and concludes the main contract. 

At the office you will be required to submit the following documents:

• your foreign passport or ID
• a copy of your visa or residence permit
• birth, marriage and divorce certificates

Here you also sing the act of sale (Acte de Vente). By that moment you have to transfer money to the notary's account. Ownership is transferred at the signing of the contract, you receive keys nd a special certificate of ownership. Then the notary transfers money to the seller’s account. And finally, you pay for the notary's service.

The new owner must necessarily insure the property. This is monitored by a notary.

Step 5. Register the Deal

The notary is obliged to register the new owner in the storage of mortgages (Conservation des hypothèques) within a few days. This institution registers all acts of sale, exchange, donation of real estate, as well as mortgage registration.

Usually state registration takes 2-3 months. And after that you receive the final document which is a certificate of ownership.

Quoting conditions of Prianproperty.com materials