The Complete Guide to Buying Property in the South of France

Before beginning your search, it is essential to clearly define your objectives. Is this a primary residence, a holiday home, or an investment property? What is your total budget, including all acquisition costs (typically 7–9% on top of the purchase price)? Will you need financing? If so, have you approached a French or international bank? What are your location and lifestyle priorities — sea view, proximity to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, international schools, golf courses?

France imposes no restrictions on foreign nationals purchasing property. EU citizens, non-EU residents, and non-residents alike may freely buy real estate in France.

In France, real estate agents (agents immobiliers) must hold a professional licence card called the Carte Professionnelle T, issued by the local Chambre de Commerce. This licence guarantees the agent meets legal and financial requirements to operate.

Working with an established agency like John Taylor — present on the Côte d'Azur for decades — gives you access to exclusive off-market properties, multilingual advisors, and deep knowledge of the local market (Valbonne, Mougins, Sophia Antipolis, Antibes, Cannes, and the entire Alpes-Maritimes département).

Agency fees (honoraires d'agence) in France are either paid by the seller or shared between buyer and seller, and must be clearly stated in the listing. They typically range from 5% to 6% of the sale price (VAT included).

Once you have found the right property, you submit a formal written offer to the seller. This document, the offre d'achat, specifies the offered price, any conditions (subject to mortgage approval, subject to survey, etc.), the validity period of the offer (typically 5–10 days), and the proposed timeline for signing.

If the seller accepts your offer in writing, both parties are morally committed — though legal commitment only occurs at the next stage. Your agent manages all negotiation and communication during this phase.

The compromis de vente is the most important document in the French property purchase process. It is a bilateral contract — binding on both buyer and seller — signed approximately 2 to 4 weeks after the offer is accepted. It can be signed either at the notary's office (recommended for complex transactions) or at the agency under supervision of the agent immobilier.

The compromis contains full identification of buyer and seller, complete legal description of the property (cadastral reference, surface area, boundaries), agreed sale price and payment terms, conditions suspensives (conditional clauses — most commonly a mortgage approval clause), estimated completion date, list of mandatory technical diagnostic reports, and any included fixtures and fittings.

Upon signing the compromis, the buyer pays a deposit (séquestre) of 5% to 10% of the purchase price. This sum is held in escrow by the notary and is deducted from the final purchase price at completion.

French law provides the buyer (but not the seller) with a 10-calendar-day cooling-off period (délai de rétractation) after receiving the signed compromis de vente by registered letter. During this period, the buyer may withdraw from the transaction for any reason — without penalty and with full return of the deposit.

After day 10, withdrawal without a valid condition suspensive results in forfeiture of the deposit. This right applies only to buyers of residential property. It does not apply to commercial properties or when the buyer is a corporate entity.

French law requires the seller to provide a comprehensive technical dossier (DDT — Dossier de Diagnostics Techniques), including: energy performance certificate (DPE), asbestos and lead diagnostics (for older properties), termite inspection (in designated risk zones), electrical and gas installation reports, natural and technological risk assessment (ERNMT), and surface area measurement (Loi Carrez — for apartments in co-ownership).

If your purchase is subject to mortgage approval, you typically have 45 to 60 days from the compromis signing date to obtain a formal loan offer from your bank. French banks generally finance up to 80% of the property value for non-residents. Once the bank issues a formal offer (offre de prêt), French law imposes a mandatory 11-day reflection period before you can formally accept it.

In France, all real estate transactions must be authenticated by a notaire — a state-appointed public official and legal specialist. The notaire represents the French state and ensures the transaction is legally valid.

Both buyer and seller may appoint their own notaire — the fees remain the same (split between the two offices). The notaire searches for any mortgages, liens, or legal encumbrances on the property, verifies the seller's ownership title and the property's legal status, and holds the buyer's deposit in escrow throughout the transaction.

You are not obliged to use the seller's notaire. Having your own notaire adds an extra layer of protection and representation at no additional cost to you.

The final step is the signature of the acte authentique de vente — the official deed of sale signed before the notaire. This typically takes place 2 to 3 months after the compromis.

Prior to the appointment, the buyer transfers the full balance of the purchase price (plus notaire fees) to the notaire's escrow account, the notaire prepares the final deed and shares a draft for review, and both parties review and confirm all details.

At the signing appointment, the deed is read aloud, all parties sign, and ownership is immediately transferred. The notaire registers the transaction with the French land registry (Service de la Publicité Foncière). You receive the keys. You are now the legal owner.

If you cannot attend in person, you can grant a power of attorney (procuration) to a trusted representative or your notaire to sign on your behalf.

As a buyer in France, you must budget for acquisition costs on top of the purchase price. Notaire fees (frais de notaire) are 7–8% for resale properties or 2–3% for new builds, and include transfer taxes, registration, and notaire emoluments. Agency fees (honoraires) are typically 5–6% including VAT and may be included in the listed price (FAI). If financing through a bank, mortgage arrangement fees are typically 1–2% of the loan amount.

A property survey is optional but highly recommended for older properties, costing €500–€2,000. Annual property tax (taxe foncière) varies by commune and is paid each autumn. Residence tax (taxe d'habitation) has been abolished for primary residences but may apply to secondary homes.

If your net real estate assets in France exceed €1.3 million, you may be subject to the Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière (IFI) — France's real estate wealth tax. Non-residents are only taxed on their French real estate holdings, not worldwide assets. We strongly recommend consulting a French tax adviser before purchasing.

Many international buyers choose to purchase through a Société Civile Immobilière (SCI) — a French civil real estate company. This structure can offer advantages for estate planning, co-ownership between family members, and inheritance. An SCI requires its own notarial setup and annual accounting.

If you are based abroad and cannot travel to France for every signing, a notarised procuration allows a designated representative to sign legal documents on your behalf. Your notaire can prepare this document in bilingual format.