What is your notaire – What do we aim to do for you

Here is a very broad summary of the conveyancing process

Your notaire serves as your property specialist in France, possessing the legal authority to negotiate contracts on your behalf, ensuring transactions are conducted legally. The process of buying a home in France involves several key steps:

1. Finding a Property:

Real estate agents assist in finding properties and receiving purchase offers. Once a property is found, the notaire becomes involved.

2. The Pre-Contract (Compromis de Vente):

This contract, drawn up either by the real estate agent or the notaire, legally binds both buyer and seller. A downpayment, typically 5/10% of the purchase price, is required. Certain conditions may allow cancellation of the agreement, such as a refusal of a loan by the buyer’s bank or discovery of significant property issues.

3. Preparation for Closing:

After the pre-contract is signed, the notaire orders parcel-specific disclosures and conducts legal searches. The buyer is not necessarily informed of any step and is often not even contacted until a closing date is arranged, during which finalizations of ownership structure and tax decisions are made.

4. The Sale:

The deed of sale must be “witnessed” (we prefer to use the word “authentified in France” by a notaire). All funds, including the purchase price, fees, and deposit, pass through the notaire’s secured account. A Power of Attorney may be used if the buyer is unable to be present at signing (this is more and more of practice using electronic POA).
Upon completion, funds are disbursed and title is registered with the appropriate land registry.

5. Tax and Fees:

Real estate acquisition costs consist mainly of taxes, expenses, and notaire remuneration. Taxes are collected by the notaire and paid to the equivalent of the UK Inland Revenue. Expenses cover various documents required for ownership transfer, while notaire remuneration is determined by law and on a national level according to the sale price.

For further inquiries,
you can contact our International team at any time in our main
+33 (0)4 7924 6222

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