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Pierre Guillery
Nov 7, 20172 min read
Acte authentique
Local authority & title searches Once the compromis is signed, the notaire begins the legal process which includes the searches on the...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 7, 20172 min read
Understand French real estate agents
They are regulated by law - and licensed Property professionals are strictly regulated in France. Individuals or companies who are...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 7, 20171 min read
What do you require, how much can you spend?
Make a list of your criteria The list could relate to criteria such as: minimizing travel time to the property, minimum price, preferred...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 7, 20172 min read
Agents’ fees
Listing agent The traditional agent’s commission: By law, offered prices must include the selling agent’s fee: the offered price should...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 6, 20173 min read
A suggested valuation method
Or you can embark on your own valuation. This is how we do it. The approach is analytical at first: Surfaces: Ask for a floor plan, or...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 6, 20172 min read
Major differences between foreign and French real estate markets
There are no true multiple listing services (MLSs) Currently, there is no completely unified MLS service in France. There are some small...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 6, 20171 min read
Ownership and tax structure
Once you have decided to buy, you must decide which ownership structure is suitable for you. This can be decided on between contract and...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 6, 20171 min read
Listing agents and property finders are 2 distinct roles
Property buyers should be aware that by law the French estate agent is an intermediary (“commerçant”) who will bring together two parties...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 6, 20171 min read
Start the exploration process
Organise your virtual exploration The Web will enable you to begin to get a general feel for what sort of prices you should be paying...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 6, 20172 min read
Can you lose your house to overbidding?
You may have heard about people having their dream property snatched away by a competitor with a higher bid, just before exchange of...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 5, 20171 min read
How solid is that house?
Diagnostics as a starting point At the time of the sale, as required by law, the lead, asbestos, termites, gas, electricity and energy...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 5, 20171 min read
What about translation?
All the documents you will be asked to sign will be in French, and often contain legal terms that you may be unfamiliar with. You may...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 5, 20171 min read
The role of listing agents
Whether carte holders or agents commerciaux, and however they define their roles, they are hired by the vendor to market their property...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 5, 20172 min read
Get familiar with the French context
Administrative France As prospective home owners, you probably need to know a bit about the French administrative structure: The commune...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 5, 20171 min read
Purchase tax – aka “frais de notaire”
“Notaire’s fee” (“frais de notaire”) is a global term used to describe the legal costs of the purchase, which include taxes to be paid on...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 4, 20173 min read
FAQ about the legal process
What are the specifics of French law? The French legal system is based on civil law – meaning that it is codified, and it originates from...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 4, 20171 min read
Tips about working with listing agents
A few things to keep in mind if you decide to work on your own, with listing agents: Remember that by law the listing agent’s fees are...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 4, 20172 min read
Organize your viewing trip
Contact local agents If you are going to handle your search on your own, decide which listing estate agents you would like to work with....
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 4, 20172 min read
Getting your money across - safely
Transfer of funds At the time of the compromis de vente, you need to arrange transfer of funds to pay the deposit of (usually) 10% of the...
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Pierre Guillery
Nov 3, 20172 min read
Protection against hidden defects
Vices cachés are hidden or “latent” defects of which the buyer was unaware when he agreed to buy, and which affect the anticipated use of...
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