If you’re considering selling your property in France then here are a few pointers as to how to go about it in an efficient and methodical way.
What is the best way to sell a house in France
There is often a lot of competition out there, so the preparation and marketing of your French property will be key to making it stand out from the crowd:
1. The first step is to make any simple upgrades to the property (painting, decorating, gardening etc). It goes without saying that the better the property looks the higher the likelihood of achieving a better price.
2. Once the property looks as good as it can, take some photographs (inside and out), preferably on a sunny day. Check out our tips and ideas on how to sell your house in France
3. Have the property valued. If possible, get a couple of different agents to provide a valuation and, generally speaking, it's best to go for a price somewhere in the middle of your range of valuations. Do also put yourself in the position of a buyer by looking at the price of similar properties in your area and see how your property would compare. Obviously it goes without saying that keenly priced properties will sell much quicker..
4. What documents do I need to sell a house in France? It is a legal obligation for the vendor to have the diagnostic surveys done in advance of selling the property. There are lots of companies that provide this service so a quick Google search normally provides a comprehensive list of local companies. These surveys normally cost about 450 Euros.
5. A useful exercise is then to locate all of the relevant sales documentation from when you originally purchased the property. The Notaire will need copies of these once a buyer has been found but these documents may also include pertinent information for any potential buyer.
6. The raw materials for the marketing of the property should then be pulled together and the advert produced. Once you as the seller are happy with the advert the property can be advertised. Again, a good estate agent will provide this service.
7. Enquiries will then convert to viewings and viewings should then result in offers being made.
8. The negotiation stage is probably the most stressful and precarious part of the process. A good estate agent really comes into their own at this point.
How long does it take to sell a house in France?
Once a price is agreed between buyer and seller, the transfer of ownership takes about 3 months. When buying and selling property in France, the main events in the process are:
9. Once an offer has been accepted a Notaire (conveyancing solicitor) is appointed and he/she will then begin drafting the initial sales contract (Compromis/Promesse de Vente).
10. Once both parties have signed the initial contract the buyer has a 10-day cooling-off period, during which they can withdraw from the purchase. Towards the end of the 10-day cooling-off period, the buyer pays a 10% deposit to the Notaire. Once the 10 days have expired, the deposit is non-refundable (unless one of the conditions in the sales contract is not met/fulfilled).
11. The notaires’ office will then run various checks against the property to ensure that it is prepared for the change of ownership. When selling a house in France, the notaires’ fees are paid by the buyer.
12. The next major milestone is transferring of the balance of funds from the buyer to the Notaire. If you plan to convert the proceeds of the sale from Euros to another currency, the best solution for transferring large sums of money is to use a currency broker (we recommend Smart Currency).
13. The final piece in the jigsaw when selling your house in France is to sign the final contract (Acte de Vente). At this point the funds are transferred from the Notaire to the seller and the property formally changes hands.
The buying process (steps 8-12) usually takes about 3 months.
We have outlined the main steps involved if you wish to sell your property in France. If you’d like particular advice on how to sell French property from the UK, do get in touch.
