{"id":257,"date":"2024-07-03T14:55:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T12:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/\/?page_id=257"},"modified":"2026-02-03T09:25:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T08:25:31","slug":"buying-process","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/buying-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Buying process"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Buying process<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 10 Essential Steps to Buy a House in France (for International Buyers)<\/span><\/span><\/h3>

Over the course of the last two decades our expertise at Selection Habitat has assisted thousands of clients in discovering their ideal home in France. While the purchasing procedure is relatively uncomplicated, we prioritise our clients by providing peace of mind with the invaluable support of our local seasoned agents that will help and advise you. This assures that you are guided seamlessly throughout the entire buying process from your first visit to the final signature.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Define Your Goals and Budget<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Start by clarifying what you\u2019re looking for. A holiday home, investment property, or permanent residence.<\/span>\u00a0
Consider:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

  • Location (region, lifestyle, proximity to amenities)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
    • Property type (village house, ch\u00e2teau, apartment, farmhouse)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
      • Budget, including <\/span>notaire\u2019s fees<\/span><\/b> (8-10% for older properties), agency fees, and renovation costs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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        Research the Market and Regions<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

        \u00a0<\/p>

        France has very different markets. From affordable countryside areas to luxury coastal or alpine regions.<\/span>\u00a0
        Do your homework on:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

        • Price per square metre in your target area<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
          • Local taxes (taxe fonci\u00e8re, taxe d\u2019habitation) primary or secondary residence<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
            • Accessibility (transport links, healthcare, schools)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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              Arrange Financing (If Needed) <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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              Non-residents can usually get a <\/span>French mortgage<\/span><\/b>, though banks often require:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

              • A 20\u201330% deposit<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                • Proof of income and tax returns<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                  • A debt-to-income ratio under 35%<\/span>\u00a0
                    Pre-approval strengthens your position when making an offer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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                    Find a Registered Real Estate Agent <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

                    \u00a0<\/p>

                    Choose a <\/span>licensed French estate agent (agent immobilier)<\/span><\/b> with a valid <\/span>carte professionnelle<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\u00a0
                    They can:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

                    • Help shortlist suitable properties<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                      • Liaise with sellers and notaires<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                        • Provide bilingual support for international buyers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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                          Make an Offer (\u201cOffre d\u2019Achat\u201d) <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                          Once <\/span>you\u2019ve<\/span> found the right property, <\/span>submit<\/span> a <\/span><\/span>written offer<\/span><\/span> to the seller.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
                          <\/span> If accepted, this is not yet legally binding, but it leads to the first contract stage.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                          Sign the Preliminary Contract<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                          Two main types exist:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

                          • Compromis de vente<\/span><\/b> \u2013 most common; both sides are committed once signed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                            • Promesse de vente<\/span><\/b> \u2013 gives the buyer the exclusive right to buy for a set period.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>

                              You\u2019ll pay a <\/span>deposit (usually 5\u201310%)<\/span><\/b>, which is held by the notaire or agent.<\/span>\u00a0
                              You then have a <\/span>10-day cooling-off period<\/span><\/b> to withdraw without penalty.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                              The Notaire\u2019s Role <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                              A <\/span>notaire<\/span><\/b> is a government-appointed legal officer who ensures the transaction is lawful.<\/span>\u00a0
                              They:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

                              • Conduct title searches<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                                • Verify ownership and property boundaries<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                                  • Handle tax and registration paperwork<\/span>\u00a0
                                    Both buyer and seller may have their own notaire (at no extra cost).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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                                    Finalise the Mortgage and Legal Checks <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                                    During the <\/span>2\u20133 months<\/span><\/b> between contracts, the notaire gathers all legal documents and your lender finalises the mortgage.<\/span>\u00a0
                                    You\u2019ll need:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

                                    • Proof of identity and address<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                                      • Bank details for fund transfer<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                                        • Building survey (optional but recommended<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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                                          Sign the Final Deed (\u201cActe de Vente\u201d) <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                                          You\u2019ll<\/span> meet at the <\/span>notaire\u2019s<\/span> office (or sign via power of attorney).<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
                                          <\/span> The <\/span>notaire<\/span> reads the document aloud, funds are transferred, and keys are handed over \u2014 <\/span><\/span>you are now the legal owner<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                                          After the Purchase <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

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                                          Don\u2019t forget to:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

                                          • Transfer utilities (water, electricity, gas)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                                            • Register for local taxes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                                              • Consider home insurance and property management services<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>
                                                • Update your will or estate plan if needed (French inheritance law can differ from your home country)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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                                                  It\u2019s important to note that the process may vary depending on the specific circumstances and any legal requirements at the time of purchase. It is recommended to seek professional advice from a notary or real estate expert to ensure a smooth transaction. An average property purchase takes approximately 3 months.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                                  The Buying process \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 10 Essential Steps to Buy a House in France (for International Buyers) Over the course of the last two decades our expertise at Selection Habitat has assisted thousands of clients in discovering their ideal home in France. While the purchasing procedure is relatively uncomplicated, we prioritise our clients by providing peace […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-257","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=257"}],"version-history":[{"count":76,"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1175,"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/257\/revisions\/1175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.movetofrance.selectionhabitat.fr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}