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Buying Property in France

Welcome to our Guide to Buying a Property in France, your comprehensive on-line resource to the legal process of buying French property. If you are looking for a house in France, whether a holiday home in France, for retirement, or merely to move to France, we take you through the French property laws, from the purchase contract to the acte authentique. Whilst the formalities are highly regulated, with obligatory use of an independent French notaire, you would be well advised to make sure you understand how it all works, and the terms that are used.

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1. Top Tips

2. Offer to Buy

3. Sale and Purchase Contract

3.1. Types of Sale & Purchase Contract 3.2. Signing the Contract 3.3. Role of French Notaires 3.4. Use of Legal Advisors 3.5. Pre-Contract Enquiries

4. Contract Conditions

4.1. Conditional Clauses 4.2. Cooling Off Period 4.3. Options to Buy 4.4. Deposit 4.5. Statutory Disclosures 4.6. Local Rates 4.7. Fixtures/Fittings

5. Surveys

5.1. Statutory Surveys 5.2. Building Survey 5.3. Land Survey

6. Local Search

6.1. Capacity of the Parties 6.2. Title 6.3. Pre-emption Rights 6.4. Planning Enquiries

7. Sole Ownership

7.1. Married Couple 7.2. Living Together 7.3. Subsequent Marriage

8. Joint Ownership

8.1. Ownership 'En Indivision' 8.2. Ownership 'En Tontine'

9. Company Ownership

9.1. What is an SCI? 9.2. Advantages 9.3. Disadvantages

10. Ownership Structures - Conclusion

10.1. Inheritance Taxes 10.2. Inheritance Rights 10.3. Summary

11. Completion Formalities

11.1. Transfer of Funds 11.2. Completion Date 11.3. Condition of Property 11.4. Signature of Deed of Sale 11.5. Certificate of Purchase

12. Fees and Taxes

12.1. Notaire Fees 12.2. House Buying Taxes 12.3. Calculating Costs 12.4. Reducing Costs

Annex: Pre-Contract Enquiries

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