Finding a property in France
The French property market is incredibly diverse. The variety of properties ranges from charming village homes to grand maisons de maître with a vast amount of land. There are also coastal villas, city apartments, country longères… the list goes on. But when the market is so diverse, how do you find your dream property?
Online property portals are a great place to start for undecided buyers. There, you can explore a range of home styles and locations to gauge what suits you best. Then, should you find one you like, you can reach out to the estate agent in France for more information.
Here are a few property portals with French homes for sale to get you started:
Searching for a French property online
If you’re not currently in France, the first step in searching for properties for sale in France is to visit online property portals. It helps if you know where you want to buy in France, but if you don’t, you can find a range of different area guides on France Property Guides which might help you come to a decision. Your Overseas Home lists over 4,400 properties for sale in France, across the length and breadth of the country.
A good place to start with any property portal is to search for an area and then filter the results by budget. It’s worth noting that some online portals list the French names for regions, e.g. Normandie as well as Normandy, so search for both spellings if you’re not finding any homes in your desired area.
You can often add additional filters to your online property search if you know what you’re looking for, such as property type or key features like number of bedrooms, whether it has a sea view, etc.
When you’ve found some properties you like, we recommend you do a quick internet search on the surrounding area(s) before enquiring with the estate agent. This will help to give you a feel for the location. Once you make an enquiry with an estate agent they will usually get back to you within two to three working days and will share more details about the property and supply more photographs if available. Make sure you ask lots of questions about the property, its features and the location.
Working with local agents
If you know where you’d like to buy a property in France, be that a region, department or even commune, it can pay off to work with a local agent rather than a national agency.
Local agents are a fountain of knowledge, and you should take advantage of this and ask them all the questions you might have. After all, they are local experts and while you might be set on one location, they might know of another nearby that better suits your requirements.
As always, be vigilant in choosing a reputable estate agent. Only employ those with a Carte Professionelle (‘professional card’). If you can’t find evidence of one, ask the agent to see theirs for your own peace of mind.
Planning your property viewings in France
A viewing trip is an essential step when buying a property in France. You can only see so much about a property from behind a computer screen, and seeing the property up close will help you identify any flaws or issues that didn’t show up in the photos.
Here are a few things to consider while planning your property viewing trip:
Timing: Properties are available year-round, but most buyers prefer booking viewing trips during spring or autumn. These seasons will usually offer more pleasant weather, without the summer heat or winter cold to contend with. However, you may be missing some great properties that have come onto the market if you restrict yourself too much.
Duration and itinerary: Tailor your viewing trip based on the number of agents and properties you intend to see. Allocate time for your own area research alongside scheduled visits with estate agents. After all, you could be in your future hometown, so set aside some time to explore if you’ve not visited the area before. Remember that some resale properties may still be occupied, so allow a few weeks for agents to coordinate access.
Peak rental season insights: Exploring the area during peak season can provide valuable insights, especially if the area hosts big annual events or festivals. This can be useful if you intend to rent out your property in France. You’ll witness the vibrancy of towns and streets, understand local amenities, and gain perspective on the property’s appeal to potential renters.
Making the most of property viewings in France
Here are a few things you can do to make the most of your property viewings in France.
Experience a typical day in your chosen area: It’s often a good idea to rent a property in the area, rather than stay in a local hotel. This gives a more realistic experience of the area, as you will need to navigate the local stores to get groceries and can get an idea of the cost of living in France. You’ll see what it’s like to live in France and not just holiday there.
Spend as much time as possible with your estate agent: One of the best ways to view properties on your trip is to be shuttled around the area by your estate agent. This will give you time in the car with them which you can use this to ask more questions, get more details about the property and the location and raise any concerns that you might have.
Take lots of photos of each property: It’s also important to take pictures of each property you look at — this is often forgotten but is certainly helpful to ensure you remember the benefits of each one. Take a large notepad, camera, tape measure, pen and map. You may think you will remember everything about every property you see but after two or three viewings, you would be surprised at how things tend to merge into each other. Be especially careful to take pictures of any flaws, like cracks in the walls, for later reference. It will be useful in any price negotiations.
