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...

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....

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...

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...

When I die, how can I ensure my French property goes to the person/people I want it to go to? For many, the greatest worry about death is...

Buyers often think that vendor agents are their only option in France and that each agent has access to the entire market. But not any...

Be ready to come back Not everybody is ready to make a purchase decision after the first viewing trip. In our experience, only 30% to 50%...

In our experience, most foreign property buyers in Uzège pay cash. It is possible that try and arrange a mortgage with their high-street...

A property finder is the buyers’ agent; he has total liberty to search out property from any source, and will take a totally independent...

Taxe d’habitation It is a residence tax. You have to pay this tax if you own a property and live in it yourself (or have it available for...

What's the cost? Property finders charge a consultancy fee to their customers, often negotiated in advance as a flat fee. The fee can be ...

Wealth tax In 2017 (for 2018 budget), the wealth tax as we know it has been repealed and replaced by a tax on real estate. Paradoxically,...

Understanding real estate portals Some online-only agencies call themselves “home finders” or “house hunters.” They are primarily aimed...

If your reason for buying a house in France is to move there permanently, you may wish to compare the costs of services, utilities and...

Is there a “best time in the year” to search for a house? Not really. It is true that some unclear reasons some sellers will take their...

What about private sales? It is said that some 50% of property transactions are made in France via private sales, although foreign buyers...

Which type of renovation? Full blow renovation projects are still possible to find around Uzès, but you should be careful about which...

An increasing number of foreign buyers come to realise that the cost of maintaining their French house is not unsubstantive, and that the...

Obviously, you will need to hire dedicated professionals to organize the rental logistics on your behalf. Those professionals are...

Does it make sense to negotiate on my own?Negotiation is not for the faint hearted. Especially when it is done in a foreign language, via...