Finding Your Dream Home in France

For 10 years I have helped hundreds of people from across the world find their dream home in France.

Buying property overseas can be a daunting experience, with international buyers facing regulations and cultural differences that may not make complete sense. But rest assured, the buying process in “la belle France” is straightforward compared with some parts of the globe.

There are, of course, some issues in the buying process that are specific to France and French estate agents that international buyers should be aware of, from making the initial enquiry to the final signing at the notaire’s office.

Here are some of the key questions that the FrenchEntrée Property Services team handle regularly.

The Address of the Property

The main question buyers ask is, once they have spotted a property, how can they find its exact location?

It is common practice in many countries for estate agents to supply the precise address of any property on their books. In France this is not the norm. Most estate agents will refuse to provide such information before meeting the client face-to-face in their office.

There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, there are more private sales in France than in many other countries. With estate agents receiving between 4% and 8% of the sale price in fees, it is vital for them to do all they can to make sure the buyer deals with the agent and does not contact the owner of the property.

It is increasingly common for French estate agents to ask potential buyers to sign a bon de visite; a document proving the buyer was introduced to the property and/or vendor by that agent. A signed bon de visite can be produced as evidence by the estate agents, if a dispute arises relating to fees and how a property was sold.

Secondly, many properties are located in rural France and may be permanently unoccupied. It is a potential security risk for estate agents to reveal the location.

Details and Floor Plans

Another key question relates to the lack of detail, provided by estate agents. When describing a property and its floor plans, French agents are known to be very succinct. Buyers are often presented with no more detail than “Three bedroom stone house with a garden and a pool”.

This may be accurate, but is it enough to warrant a 6,000-mile round trip from the U.S. to visit the property?

There are agents in France who have learnt to provide more detail about a property to international buyers. However, they are in the minority. In the U.K., floor plans are a standard part of the property particulars given to potential buyers at the agent’s office, or available online. Buyers in the U.K. study floor plans to understand the layout of a property before arranging a visit. However, in France floor plans are still rarely available.