Top Tips for Your Property Hunt from a French Estate Agent

So, you’re ready for your big property adventure in France, but turning your dream into reality takes a little work. Lots of people like the idea of owning a home in an idyllic French hamlet but aren’t sure how to make it happen.

I’m a professional estate agent in France covering the Dordogne and Lot et Garonne regions, and I run residential masterclasses at our gites every June and September. If you can’t wait that long, here are five of my top tips to get you started now.

1. Get to know how the French system works

The market functions very differently in France than in the UK, and the better informed you are, the more quickly you can respond to the perfect opportunity when it arises. The three official buying stages include l’offre d’achat (an agreement between buyer and seller), compromis de vente (a legally binding agreement to buy – similar to exchange of contracts in England) and the acte de vente (equivalent to completion in England). You have to lodge 10% of the purchase funds with the notaire at the second stage and, unlike England, you will often have to wait for around three months from that point to complete the purchase because certain organisations may have a pre-emptive right to purchase.

2. Narrow your search criteria

It is all too common to get a wish list from a client that includes fifteen possible regions with way too many different possibilities. Town or country? Traditional or modern? Lots of outdoor space or lock-up-and-leave? You will find it hard to focus your search until you really know what you want. Try to be precise about your budget and your timescales too.

3. Do you really have the appetite for a ‘project’?

People often think that doing up a ruin is romantic and profitable. The reality is that it can be hard work and cost you more than the property will be worth in the end. If you can take on roofing, carpentry, plumbing and electrics yourself, it may be worth a go, but even then, you might be surprised at how much things cost in France. You will also need to understand the planning system and get to know your local Maire and the ins and outs of French capital gains tax to be sure it’s worth your while.

4. Get help with your property hunt

If you have limited search time in France, consider taking on a buying agent with a mandat de recherche. It’s a little-known concept but ideal for overseas buyers. The great thing is that it won’t cost you more because the selling agent shares their commission with the buying agent.

5. Spend some time improving your French

You certainly don’t need to be fluent to have a very enjoyable life here but the reason you want to live in France probably has something to do with enjoying the culture and lifestyle. You can only come to appreciate this fully if you can communicate with your French neighbours. You will almost certainly be made very welcome, but you will make more friends if you are prepared to have a go at speaking French. A little goes a long way too.

Learn more with our French property masterclass

If you are ready to jump into your search, why not book a week at one of our Dordogne gites in June or September and take part in a masterclass? As well as tutorials and one-to-one advice, there’s time to get to know the region and view properties.

Tony and his wife Lisa came to live in France in 2020 and now run Au Coin Des Arbres, four gites in the Dordogne countryside. Find out how they did it and learn how to do it yourself with their masterclasses

Find out more at aucoindesarbres.com