Buying in France

The Purchase Process

The process of buying a property in France is different from other countries. There are a series of steps to follow, and the entire process takes about 3 months to complete.

1.Property Search - After having identified the area and the type of properties that you are looking for, we will help you find the right property and work with different agents to ensure that you cover the whole market.

2. Offer - Once you have found your ideal property, you will make an offer. This is usually done in writing. This written offer is then presented to the owner so that they can study it and respond. The offer is subject to signing an official “Compromis de Vente” (Promess to purchase).

3. Signing of the initial contract Once the offer is accepted, both the seller and the buyer sign the initial contract or “Compromis de Vente” established by the notary which is a legally binding document. Upon signature of this document an initial payment of 5 to 10% deposit is required.

4. Cooling off period - Once the “Compromis de Vente” is signed, there is a 10 day cooling off period in which time the buyer has the option of pulling out without any penalties or fear of losing the deposit. After the cooling off period the buyer will forfeit the deposit should they pull out of the sale.

5. The conveyancing process - This takes about 3 months to complete and is carried out by the Notaire.

6. Final Payment and Completion - On completion the final payment is made to the Notaire and the deed of sale “Acte de Vente” is signed by both buyer and seller