Buying French Property

Sourcing Property…

There are two options to choose from when searching for property to buy…

Private Sale
Buying a property directly from the owner ( Vendor )

Estate Agent
Buying a property using the services of an Estate Agent ( Immoblier )

Buying From the Owner…
( No estate agents involved ) The vendor will place a “For Sale” sign with a telephone contact number on the actual property. They may also advertise in the local newspapers or on the Internet.

Many properties in France are sold privately, this can be beneficial for the buyer as no commission fees are charged..

Buying Through an Estate Agent…
Estate Agents place their company “For Sale” sign on the property and also advertise in their shopfront windows, local newspapers, brochures, colourful monthly magazines and web-sites.

The vendor can use one or as many estate agents as they wish when selling their property. If only one estate agent is involved, the word “Exclusive” will appear on the advertisement for the property, which basically means you wont see it advertised with another estate agent.
If the vendor chooses to have numerous estate agents, the asking price for the property can vary depending on the estate agents commission fees ( 3% – 10% ).

If you ask an estate agent to show you a property, he may ask you to sign a form which will prohibit you from buying the property (should you see it advertised at a lower price ) with another estate agent. So if the advertisement is not marked “Exclusive” check out all the estate agents in the area before you set up an appointment to view the property, it can save you a lot of money.

Some useful French words…

A Vendre…For Sale
Pour la Vente Privee…For Sale Privately
Prix…Price
Ou Plus Proche Offre…Or Nearest Offer
Prix Negociable…Price Negotiable
Immoblier…Estate Agent
Exclusive…Only One Estate Agent Selling Property
Vendeur…Seller
Acheteur…Buyer

Post by BJK © The South of France Guide