Property purchases in France are conducted through a notaire — a public official rather than a private solicitor — and follow a sequence that is fixed by law. The buyer and seller may use the same notaire (common and perfectly legal in France), or each may appoint their own. Either way, the notaire represents the transaction rather than either party. If you want someone in your corner, hire a lawyer separately.

The vocabulary below follows the process in order.

Finding and Offering

Agence immobilière — estate agency. In France, agencies work on a mandate (mandat) from the seller, and their fees are typically paid by the seller — though this varies, and you should check.

Offre d'achat — a written offer to purchase, stating the price you're offering. In France, a written offre d'achat accepted by the seller creates a preliminary obligation, though the legal weight varies. Many agents will ask for one before proceeding. Read what you're signing.

Prix FAI — Frais d'Agence Inclus, meaning the listed price includes agency fees. Some listings show a price hors honoraires (excluding fees). Know which you're looking at.

The Preliminary Contract

Compromis de vente — the bilateral preliminary sale agreement. The most common form of preliminary contract, signed by both buyer and seller, agreeing to complete the transaction at the stated price and conditions. Both parties are bound — with one important exception.

Promesse unilatérale de vente — a unilateral promise to sell. The seller commits to selling; the buyer has an option to buy, within a defined period, in exchange for a small option fee. Less common for standard residential purchases but used in some situations.

Droit de rétractation — the buyer's ten-day cooling-off period, established by the SRU law. After signing the compromis and receiving it by registered post, the buyer has ten calendar days to withdraw, without penalty and with full return of any deposit paid. The seller has no equivalent right. If you receive the compromis and have doubts, you have ten days to act on them.

Dépôt de garantie — the deposit paid at signing of the compromis, typically 5–10% of the purchase price. Held by the notaire in a client account until completion. If the sale completes, it is deducted from the final price. If the buyer withdraws outside the cooling-off period without a legitimate conditional clause (condition suspensive), this is generally forfeited.

Condition suspensive — a conditional clause that allows either party to withdraw without penalty if the condition is not met. The most important is the condition suspensive d'obtention de prêt — if you need a mortgage and the bank refuses it, you can withdraw and recover your deposit. This protection is mandatory in French law for most purchases. Others may include planning permission, absence of pre-emption rights, or satisfactory survey results.

The Diagnostics

Between the compromis and the final signing, the seller must provide a Dossier de Diagnostics Techniques (DDT) — a set of mandatory property surveys. These must be disclosed at the time of signing the compromis.

DPE — Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique. The energy performance certificate, now prominently displayed in all listings. Under current French law, properties rated F or G (passoires thermiques — energy sieves) face restrictions on rent increases and will eventually face mandatory renovation requirements for landlords. For buyers, a low DPE rating affects financing, resale value, and future renovation costs.

Amiante — asbestos survey, mandatory for buildings with a building permit issued before July 1997.

Plomb — lead survey, mandatory for buildings built before January 1949.

Loi Carrez — for apartments in copropriété, the seller must declare the exact private floor area, measured according to a specific method. Any discrepancy of more than 5% between the declared area and the actual measured area entitles the buyer to a proportional price reduction.

ERP — État des Risques et Pollutions, a declaration of natural, mining, and technological risks affecting the property. Mandatory in designated risk zones (flood, earthquake, industrial hazard, etc.).

Termites — termite survey, mandatory in designated risk zones across France.

The Final Signing

Acte authentique de vente — the final notarised deed of sale, signed before the notaire. This is the moment ownership transfers. Unlike the compromis, which is often signed at the agency, the acte authentique is always signed at the notaire's office, in the presence of both buyer and seller (or their representatives).

Frais de notaire — the notary's fees. Despite the name, these consist mainly of taxes and registration fees paid to the French state, with only a small portion going to the notaire as remuneration. On older properties, the total runs to approximately 7–8% of the purchase price. On new builds, approximately 2–3%. Budget for this from the start.

Taxe foncière — the annual property tax, paid by the owner. The amount varies significantly by commune. Ask for the seller's most recent taxe foncière bill as part of your due diligence.

Taxe d'habitation — the residence tax, historically paid by whoever occupied the property on January 1st. Abolished for primary residences as of 2023 but may still apply to secondary homes in some circumstances.

If You're Buying Through a Structure

SCI — Société Civile Immobilière. A French property holding company, commonly used by families or business partners to co-own property in a way that simplifies inheritance, avoids indivision (forced co-ownership), or reduces certain tax exposures. Not necessary for most individual purchases, but worth understanding if a seller or advisor mentions one.

Plus-value immobilière — capital gains on property sale. In France, gains on the sale of a primary residence are exempt from tax. Gains on secondary residences or investment properties are subject to income tax (19%) and social charges (17.2%), reduced by an abatement that increases with the number of years owned. After 22 years, income tax drops to zero; after 30 years, all liability disappears.

After Completion

Inscription hypothécaire — registration of a mortgage lien at the bureau des hypothèques (now part of the service de la publicité foncière). Your notaire handles this.

Titre de propriété — the title deed, sent to you by the notaire a few months after completion. Keep this document indefinitely.

One Thing to Know About the Notaire

The notaire in France is a public official bound by neutrality — they do not advise either party, they simply authenticate. If you're buying in France for the first time, having a lawyer or bilingual property advisor alongside the process is worth the cost. They will ask the questions the notaire cannot ask on your behalf.

Property purchase vocabulary is one of the most consequential sets of words you'll ever learn in a foreign language. A compromis you didn't fully understand is still a legal commitment. A condition suspensive you didn't include cannot be added after signing. The words matter.

Buying property in France? Vokabulo helps you build the vocabulary for high-stakes situations — from the compromis de vente to the acte authentique. Available on iPhone and iPad.