Selling a property in France can seem complicated, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. This guide breaks the process down into clear, manageable steps, so you know exactly what to expect.
From your first enquiry to handing over the keys, one of our local Beaux Villages property consultants will be by your side. Combining in-depth market knowledge with personal experience of buying and selling in France, they ensure your property is prepared, marketed, and sold as smoothly as possible.
Ready to sell your property?
Start with a free, no-obligation market appraisal from our local experts.
Ready to sell your property?
Start with a free, no-obligation market appraisal from our local experts.
The steps to selling your property
Our team has outlined the key steps in selling your property in France, from preparing and marketing your home to completing the legal checks with the notaire and finalising the Acte de Vente.
Book your free market appraisal
To begin, book your free market appraisal. A local property consultant can then visit your property to provide an informed view of its likely value and guide you through the sales process and required documentation.
Book your free market appraisal
Get your property ready for market
If you decide to sell, you will then agree on the asking price, and choose the type of mandate.
You’ll need to provide certain documents so we can prepare the relevant paperwork:
- Your title deeds (titre de propriété/acte de vente)
- Cadastral information
- A copy of your DPE (energy efficiency) report
Sign your mandate and Fiche Contractuelle
You will need to sign these two documents in order to put your property on the market.
- The mandate is a legal and officially registered document, which gives a description of your property with your cadastral references and the price you have agreed to sell your property at.
- The fiche contractuelle is a document which states that all of the information you have provided is true and accurate.
Sign your mandate and Fiche Contractuelle
Market your property
Once your paperwork has been signed, our marketing will start. Your property will firstly go onto our website, quickly followed by our suite of promotional activities.
Get regular updates
We will respond to all enquiries and book visits as agreed with you. If you have any questions or queries, please contact your local property consultant. Also, don’t forget to regularly check your dedicated extranet account.
Get regular updates
Accept an offer
As soon as a potential buyer makes an offer, your local property consultant will put it forward to you and act as a negotiator between both parties.
Once an offer is agreed, both parties will sign a letter of intent (LOI) which confirms the agreed purchase price. At this point, the buyer will need to provide proof of funds.
If you haven’t done so already, you will need to commission full diagnostic reports on your property, which will form part of the sales contract. Your local property consultant can help with this, along with other paperwork and checks such as the drainage report.
Sign the Compromis de Vente (CDV)
This Compromis de Vente (CDV) is a legally binding document that sets out all of the details of the sale including the purchase price, finance details and any conditions of sale (clause suspensive) such as planning applications or a mortgage.
Once signed, a 10-day cooling-off period starts. This allows the buyer (but not the seller) the opportunity to cancel the contract for any reason without penalty. After this period, the contract can only be cancelled if one of the conditional clauses is not met. Within the 10 days, a deposit is payable by the buyer – this is normally 10% of the purchase price on behalf of one or both parties as necessary.
Sign the Compromis de Vente (CDV)
Sign the Acte de Vente (ADV)
By this time, you will need to have arranged your removals and left your property in the condition in which it was viewed. Before signing this final contract, your property consultant and the buyers will come to reinspect the property and read the meters.
On average it takes about 4 months from the accepted offer for a property to complete. This is less for a cash purchase. The final part is to sign the Acte de Vente (ADV) with the notaire. This can be completed by power of attorney or in person, where a BVI team member will be happy to attend.
The property sale is complete
The sale is finalised at the signing of the Acte de Vente, after which ownership transfers and the notaire releases the sale proceeds to you.
The property sale is complete
Key legal and property terms for sellers
An estimate of your property’s market value, based on location, condition, and recent comparable sales. Book your free market appraisal here.
Book your free market appraisal
Share your details and one of our local experts will be in touch to arrange your free, no-obligation market appraisal.