Property for Sale France | Real Estate for Sale France - Sotheby's International Realty France (2024)

FAQs

What is the best website to find property in France? ›

Fees and taxes

There are no restrictions for foreign investors buying a house in France, even non-residents. All investors need is a French bank account and a valid ID.

One of the next best reasons to buy in France now is that property here is regarded as a safe investment bet. The French housing market is one of the most stable markets in the world. Due to its high potential rental return alongside strong demand.

The relatively sparsely populated departments in Central France (Creuse, Vienne, Haute Vienne, Indre, Cher, Allier and Loiret) have traditionally been the cheapest places to buy property in France.

SeLoger is France's premier property portal, with an average rating of 4.65 across Google's and Apple's app stores.

The total taxes and fees will depend on the type of property you decide to purchase. Let's say that you purchase an old French property. The taxes and the transfer of ownership costs for the purchase of an already existing real estate are around 7% and 10% of the purchase price, excluding real estate agents' fees.

Once you have bought your dream home in France If you would like to relocate to France or visit for longer than 90 days you will require a visa, which is easy to obtain once you are the owner of a French property. You may wish to apply for a Long stay visa valid for residence (VLS-TS).

The most common visa for retirees is the Long-Stay Visa for Retirement (Visa de Long Séjour pour Retraite). To qualify, you must demonstrate stable financial means, such as a pension, savings, or investment income, to support yourself without working in France.

Depending on your purpose, you will be eligible for a job, study, family reunion, or other French visas. If you're a non-EU citizen and you plan to stay in France for longer than 90 days, you will likely require a Long Stay Visa to be eligible to apply for a temporary residence permit.

Do I need a French bank account to buy a house in France? ›

A French bank account is essential if you plan to buy a property or take out a mortgage in France. It's also useful for everyday living in France if you want to make your purchases in euros, even if you are just on holiday.

You will potentially have to add, for example, estate agent's fees (if the sale is concluded through an agent), Notary fees, land registration fees, possibly exchange rate surcharges, loan fees, and lawyer's fees. Be careful not to pay cash to the seller in order that the seller pays lower taxes.

The lower number of sales has created a buyers' market in many (but not all) areas. The massively reduced number of property sales in 2023 has led to a buyers' market of falling prices in most areas of France, according to a new industry report.

In the end, the decision to rent or buy in France depends on your individual circ*mstances, financial goals and personal preferences. Renting offers flexibility, while buying can provide a sense of stability and investment potential.

Finding a property in France. You can pick up local property magazines or visit local realtors (agents immobiliers) to find properties for sale.

You can normally find lots of adverts for houses to rent on such sites as www.leboncoin.fr or www.seloger.com or in local newspapers or even by seeing publicity notices hung directly on the properties themselves ("A Louer"). The main advantage of this approach is that it is normally quick to arrange the rental.