Buying Process - The Basics
Buying a property for sale in France can be a daunting task but we have sold many properties in France over many years so with Clé France you are in good hands.
Where are you looking to buy? Visit our Region Pages and find out more about each region and narrow down which one suits your needs best.
You may be looking for a Holiday home or a countryside Farmhouse for sale, it may be a building plot or a lake for sale, or indeed you may be looking to buy a 'Maison de Maitre' or a Chateaux, for us they are all the same as is the buying process, with a few tweaks here and there!
You can use our 'Location' box in the Quick Search to narrow your search to Town, Countryside, Village or Coastal as well as selecting No of Bedrooms, Land size and not forgetting of course the Budget.
Alternatively if you are starting from scratch then just send us your criteria and let us do the search for you and we will make suggestions of properties that 'fit your criteria' plus if you see a property that you like on the website then click on "Make and Enquiry" and ask any questions you may have.
Once you have selected some properties to see then we will arrange your viewing appointments, all you have to do is arrive, meet us, view the property and choose the one that suits you best! Then it gets interesting...
- Vendor and Buyer agree on the price and terms of the contract, including any conditional clauses (clauses suspensives) and any furniture to be included in the sale.
- The preliminary sales contract (compromise de vente) is drawn up by the notaire, and signed by both parties. The buyer pays the deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price) to the notaire, and a seven-day cooling off period ensues, during which the buyer can withdraw, but the vendor cannot. After this seven-day period, the contract is legally binding. If the buyer pulls out after this, he forfeits his deposit.
- If you are going to buy with a mortgage now is the time to put in your application. However, it is better to get the mortgage agreed in principle before you start your search, to avoid disappointment later.
- If you are taking out a mortgage, this will be a condition of the preliminary sales contract, giving you the possibility of pulling out, should your application be turned down. Once the offer is confirmed, the notaire will be notified and the contract becomes unconditional.
- The notaire does all the conveyancing, which typically takes around 8-10 weeks. When the paperwork is ready, the notaire confirms the date and time of the final signing of the Acte de vente.
- The buyer must transfer the balance of payment to the notaire in advance of completion day.
- On the day of completion, all parties meet with the notaire (the buyer can appoint a proxy), keys and an attestation de vente are handed over, and ownership is transferred. The final acte de vente papers are then sent out around 3-6 months later.
All our prices are quoted as FAI (agency fees included) unless otherwise stated and 'notaire' fees are around 7% to 8% (on average at 100K purchase price) but feel free to ask us for an exact amount on any particular French property for sale you are interested in.
So there you have it! not so difficult after all to buy a property in France, but make sure you have the best advice along the way, let us take care of all the stress and risk for you and find you your dream home in France.
To contact our Legal services partner simply fill in the 'No Obligation Form' below to make contact, Loic Raboteau is a Qualified Legal Consultant for France and the UK at B&M Law in London, he can help with all Domestic and Cross-Border Legal Advice so as well as buying property in France he can even help with the conveyancing on your UK property for example.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Our Story...
Having spent 15 years living in France ourselves, my husband and I founded Clé France to help other British buyers find their dream home.
One thing we discovered while living in France was that British buyers were often missing out on some of the best French properties simply because they weren’t listed in the UK. So we decided to do something about it.
We set up Clé France to give you as an International buyer exactly the same choice as somebody French walking through the doors of their local high street agent, and at no extra charge.
Over the past two decades we have built Clé France into one of the leading French property websites and have assisted hundreds of International buyers in their search to find their very own French property.
Today we have over 8,000 houses for sale in France ranging from affordable houses, cottages in the countryside, rustic farmhouses, coastal villas, charming townhouses, right up to luxury estates.
Buying through Clé France means that you have full access to our extensive network of French estate agents, often independent operators, who you would otherwise never come across.
Not only are you getting the best that the French market has to offer, but you also have the benefit of our U.K. based enquiry office.
Our bilingual support network combined with our in-depth knowledge of the buying process in France, means that you are in excellent and safe hands.
To discuss your search for property in France, or indeed for any further information you may require on French property sales please call our UK office on +44 (0) 1440 820 358.
Thanks for reading, Sharon Evans (Founder and Owner of Clé France - The French Property Network).
Meet the Team
CLE FRANCE
Sharon is the Founder & Owner of Clé France (founded in 2009). She had the idea of starting the business whilst living in France and working as a translator for local notaires and official government bodies such as the Gendarmerie, and also as a sales agent for a local immobilier.
Having begun her professional life with an early hi-level career in fashion at Harrods and in high street brand management, Sharon changed her focus in the 1990s to education.
She taught Business Studies to adult students, and advised companies on training and staff development. She holds two BA Honours degrees in French and English and a Masters Degree in French/English Translation Studies, using her skills to teach English to secondary school pupils in France, and French to mature students.
A skilled bi-lingual communicator who steers the Clé France business from the front. When not working Sharon enjoys reading, creative writing and travelling around France.
David looks after the day to day running of the website, the Partnership Team, system administration, vendors who are selling property in France and all the Clé France marketing activities.
With a background in Architecture & Design, David trained as a Draughtsman in his early career, then moved to a long stint in top level retail management & recruitment in and around central London before leaving the 'Rat Race' and moving to France in 2001.
With the aim of changing his lifestyle and spending more time with his family, he went on to combine all his professional skills by setting up as a bi-lingual 'Project Manager' overseeing 150+ renovation projects in and around Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Poitou Charentes and Upper & Lower Normandy.
David enjoys helping clients realise their dreams of starting-over in France, just like he did, and when he is not helping to run Clé France he enjoys playing guitar, listening to music and is a keen cyclist and long distance runner.
THE CLE / REGENCY FX - CURRENCY TEAM
Andy is a hugely experienced financial markets professional largely within the Foreign Exchange market space, whilst also covering equity derivatives. Having managed trading floors from London to Cornwall, Andy is the real engine room of the business.
Andy attained a BA (HONS) in International Business as well as currently undertaking a Bachelor of Laws degree.
In his spare time Andy enjoys walks in the countryside with "Charlie" the Cavapoo, and can be found on Sunday mornings at the local football field coaching his son's football team.
Stuart brings a wealth of varied experience to Regency FX. Initially starting as a mechanical engineering draughts person, Stuart moved into sales relatively quickly before moving into multi site retail for 10 years in the late 2000’s where he owned and managed 9 stores of his own.
However his real penchant was for financial services. Having been involved in this space throughout his career in one form or another, Stuart moved into financial trading for the next 10 years.
Bringing vast amounts of experience directly in the currency exchange arena and the overall financial services space results in possibly the most rounded and valuable offering available to future clients.
At Regency FX our mission is to go above and beyond to ensure our client’s expectations are met and surpassed. Along with bank beating exchange rates, our team will ensure all clients experience a smooth customer journey.
Our main focus is a premium level of customer service whilst providing bank beating exchange rates.
We understand that a company is only as great as the people who embody the mission of the organisation. Our team go above and beyond to provide the personal and professional service our customers deserve, they are highly experienced and enthusiastic and we are lucky to have them!.
THE CLE PARTNERSHIP TEAM
With many years experience you can rely on Rob's knowledge of the international mortgage market to find the most suitable solution for your needs.
Buying a property overseas can often be a complicated process, facing challenges in a different language, legal system and processes. The honest, reliable and efficient help of our advisor Rob can take a lot of the stress off your shoulders when buying a home abroad.
With access to market leading mortgage rates from over 30 different mortgage providers, if you are looking to buy a property abroad as a main residence, second home or investment, we can help.
We are proud to work in partnership with HERTS Financial Services. The team at Herts FS are your specialists to contact in this British owned and managed company.
Whether you have found the perfect French home for sale or still looking at the options for buying French property Cle France and the team at HERTS Financial Services can help you to find the best solution to make it happen.
For those of you who live in the UK and also already own a property within the UK, dealing with the team at 'HERTS Financial Services' may be a much more attractive option than a French mortgage.
Yes it is me again, from starting Cle France Ltd with Sharon Evans in October 2009 I have taken on many responsibilities.
I maintain the website content including all the property listings as well as the many Articles, Information Pages, Blog Posts, Social Media Output as well as the partnership liaison of all the partners you see on this page na d more.
It is important to me and to all of our clients and visitors to the website that we only refer and recommend the best in the business, our clients can be rest assured that Cle France Partners are experts in their field.
For more than 12 years, Bastien has worked in the insurance field and will be, with his team, your contact with your chosen insurers. Using his skills, experience and understanding of the market, he will be able to find the offer that best meets your needs.
He offers you his knowledge of insurance, his experience and his understanding of the market to find the offer that will best meet your needs. He can therefore support you and assist you in easily detecting the risks to be taken care of.
We will be your helping hand at every step.
Loic Raboteau is a French national and legal consultant specialised in advising private clients on cross-border legal issues between UK, France and North Africa.
A real estate specialist with experience advising on international estate planning and tax issues, Loic provides legal assistance to British clients requiring legal advice in French speaking jurisdictions and a corresponding service to French clients living in the UK who require a French-speaking legal consultant.
Loic moved to the UK in 2002, but has maintained a foot in France by remaining engaged with the French community in London. He is a member of the Association of Franco-British Lawyers.
Matthew is internationally renowned for his expertise in French law, he advises on Buying and Selling French property, French inheritance matters, Taxation and Wills.
Matthew regularly appears on radio and television programmes and is a contributor to Living France, French Property News and France magazine on the legal implications of buying, selling and owning property in France.
He has acted for many clients on multi-million Euro property deals. He has lectured in French and English on cross-border legal issues and is a member of the Franco-British Lawyers Society.
James is a French general insurance agent with his own agency branch so can deal with the day to day insurance needs of his local community but also being part of a large national group he can cover your insurance needs where ever you buy in France.
A fluent English speaker, James does attract a lot of British and International clients who find his energy to help get the correct insurance cover set up for his clients and his professional knowledge invaluable.
Before starting his Insurance agency James worked as an Immobilier / Estate Agent so he has a wealth of skills to bring to the Cle France team.
Shabir has worked in different countries and different languages, in small and large organisations, in chartered accountant practices in Paris, London and Genva, in accounting, finance and auditing. He is a Certified Public Accountant.
Shabir speaks 6 languages and has been a Senior International Auditor in Europe for Swiss and US multinational companies, more importantly perhaps he has thee skill set to help and advice people setting up a business in France as well as many other aspects of Taxation and advice.
At Euro Accounting Ltd, Shabir the team are dedicated to offering a first class service to all clients in line with all the Cle France team.
At Hamiltons we understand the need to offer an efficient and cost effective service whilst maintaining a personal touch.
Through our years of experience in the removal industry, we have developed our service to make the moving process run smoothly and expertly thus creating a successful moving experience.
We tailor make each and every move down to the finest of details. We understand that, in order to give you the best service possible, we need to have completely
discussed and understood your requirements from the very beginning.
Andy is a hugely experienced financial markets professional largely within the Foreign Exchange market space, whilst also covering equity derivatives. Having managed trading floors from London to Cornwall, Andy is the real engine room of the business.
Andy attained a BA (HONS) in International Business as well as currently undertaking a Bachelor of Laws degree.
In his spare time Andy enjoys walks in the countryside with "Charlie" the Cavapoo, and can be found on Sunday mornings at the local football field coaching his son's football team.
Michael has extensive knowledge and experience in all manner of groundworks. Starting from an early age (12), he would observe his father whilst sitting on their digger. By the time Michael was 19 he was up and running his own business in the north of England.
Michael decided to move his company to France in 2013 as he realised there was a very important service missing for the British community. Michael set up a company to help install new sanitation systems [Septic Tank Installations] to the many thousands of British property buyers every year.
Michael’s honest and trustworthy approach ensures his company gets recommended for future jobs by existing satisfied customers.
Simon is responsible for the website and the database of property details and user information, and basically handles all the deeply technical issues which are part & parcel of running a popular and regularly updated site.
He enjoys peace and quiet above all else, not that it's easy to find. He has been visiting France at least once a year since being a teenager, mainly for the variety and beauty of the countryside plus of course the food - nothing beats a morning cafe au lait and fresh croissant.
Property for sale in Aquitaine - click here
Aquitaine
This region stretches up the west coast of France from its border with Spain up to the mouth of the Bordeaux river. It has a long coastline but also sweeps inland a long way and include part of the Pyrenees mountain range.
In the Middle Ages, Aquitaine was allied with the Plantagenet kings of England, so the region has many historic connections with the United Kingdom, most notably through the wine trade. You will recognise a lot of the town names from the wine bottles on your local supermarket shelves like Saint-Emilion, Bergerac and Bordeaux.
Pau is the departmental capital and it is an elegant city, one of our favourites, that was very popular with the British in the nineteenth century as a thermal spa resort, it even boasted at one time a full on English hunt, complete with hounds and redcoats but that may have been banned by now I guess?
The Aquitaine region consists of 5 departments:
Dordogne (24), Lot-et-Garonne (47), Landes (40), Pyrenees-Atlantique (64) and Gironde (33).
Weather
Transport
By train: TGV from Paris Gare Montparnasse, or from Lille; train from Toulouse or Marseille.
By car : motorway from the Channel ports via Rouen and Tours, or from Paris.
By air : to airports at Bordeaux, Bergerac, Pau and Biarritz - or (peripheral) Toulouse.
Food
Aquitaine is famous for many regional products such as Perigord Truffles and Bayonne Ham, also many mouth watering dishes known of the world over like Foie Gras and Duck Confit. The Aquitaine gastronomy is appreciated for a combination of fine French produce and recipes handed down over the years, these of course all go to complement the outstanding Bordeaux wine and together they produce a fantastic dining experience.
Leisure
Coastal Aquitaine can offer fishing trips, relaxation, spa therapy centres, cycling tracks and golf courses usually in the shade of pine trees.
Inland Aquitaine also has rolling fairways, walks, horse rides or bike rides, and canoeing.
Pyrenean Aquitaine is ideal for fishing, white-water canoeing, visiting spa towns and hiking through stunning scenery.
Don't forget theme parks and Zoos.
Property
Aquitaine houses tend to be larger and more elegant than the standard farmhouse of neighbouring regions and are often called a Mas. normally square or rectangular in shape, the houses often have almost flat roofs and walls made of stone and covered with render or whitewashed.
The "Bastides stlye" tend to have really well thought out and practical layout, like traditional Maisons de Maitre. The name "bastide" itself originates from the name given to a fortified mediaeval town built in the 13th and 14th centuries in south west France.
Click here to see all of our properties in Aquitaine
CONTACT US to discuss your search for property in Aquitaine or any area of France, or indeed for any further information you may require on buying French property, moving to France, living in France etc. just give us a call or send us an email, we will be happy to help!
Property Finding Service: We will do a property search for you to match you criteria but also you can try our Advanced Search: including saving your favourites and getting updates of new properties for sale in France and price reductions direct into your inbox, and you can also add your comments to our blog pages - simply sign up for your own account here.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Club Clé France: Admin and Translation services
We are very pleased to offer further support, hand-holding services, administration and translation services in North-West France to our clients beyond that of the basic buying process, we fully recommend the expert and friendly help of Emilien Daveau..
We find that Emilien can be invaluable to people when they are 'settling-in' to life in France, sorting out various issues of administration from working out what your Electric bill says to re-registering your car and organising an internet connection.
Searching for property for sale in France need not be a chore and although we ensure our property details are in English you may need translation support further into the process, clients find Emilien invaluable when finding out about all the day-to-day, nitty-gritty details about living in France, from learning the language to re-completing an income tax return or even insuring your pet parrot!
"Talk4Me Admin & Translation Services"
Emilien and his partner Lucie are dedicated to helping the English-speaking community navigate their way through French paperwork and the French language and can take care of formalities, translate by phone or on-site, go with you to an appointment, make a call for you as well as help you learn French with lessons and conversation groups.
The formalities can be done either remotely (you would send all scanned documents to us along with all information we need to complete the form online on your behalf) or as a home visit (for no extra charge 10km around Saint-Calais-du-Désert, Mayenne, travel fees will apply above to a maximum of 40km around Pré-en-Pail 53140).
Hand-holding type services include, one-off phone calls, help with Carte de Séjour or visas, obtaining a French driving licence, vehicle registration, Business set up, Income Tax returns, document translation and much more.
Emilien and Lucie are a French couple who have lived in the UK for nearly four years, so they know first hand how challenging it can be to be abroad as they lived and worked in the UK before moving back to North Mayenne (53), France a few years ago.
Since returning they have met a lot of English people who are either living in France or are enjoying a relaxing stay in their holiday home, who’ve once in a while needed a hand with their French formalities and translating.
Being naturally proactive, Emilien and Lucie were able to help them quickly and efficiently which ensured they delivered the best service. They quickly found that they really enjoyed helping and sorting things out for people so Emilien and Lucie decided to make it their main occupation.
Emilien explains - "We are offering hand-holding services for all formalities which seem too overwhelming to do by yourself for now. We also offer French lessons and conversation groups to empower you in your daily life".
Emilien explains his commitment to his clients as, "Your satisfaction is our priority. We will answer your emails in 48hr (working days) and make sure you know where we are in the process as frequently as needed. We comply with the CNIL rules about data protection (GDPR) and follow a strict confidentiality procedure".
To discuss Talk4Me admin & translation services contact Emilien using the form above, so he can start helping you with your enquiry and give you an accurate quote.
Should you have a specific interpreting need you would like to discuss, we would advise you to Contact Us, so we may best assist you.
The information that you give and that we obtain through you using this website may be used by this Company and by our partner companies only for purposes in connection with your use of this website and for marketing activities of this Company and partner companies. By using this site you confirm your consent to this. If you do not want to receive any marketing information from this Company and/or our partner companies then please notify us.
For everything you need to know about French property for sale visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Club Clé France: Architect services
In your initial search for a property for sale in France we will help you understand the rules and regulations for just about every eventuality but if you are considering a full renovation project for your French Property or modifying the facade of a property to any extent then you will need to have the correct permissions in place. If the project is to be carried out by artisans then a set of plans will be essential and you may be best advised to seek a professional architect.
Finding a renovation project for sale in France should be easy, having the right advice and guidance on how to make a ruin into a beautiful French home is essential and we want you to have the best possible advice on renovating and buying a house in France there is.
As part of our Club Cle France preferred partners scheme we are pleased to be able to recommend...
Timothy Bowman : Brittany Architectural Services.
Working with Cle France - The French Property Network.
- Providers of Architectural Design and Planning services to the English in France since 1985.
- Professional RIBA and Ordre des Architectes registered Architect providing a complete service to anyone building or renovating property.
Projects undertaken in Brittany, Normandy, Pays de la Loire and further afield.
From a simple Déclaration Préalable to a full design and supervised package it is ensured that the service is tailored to your requirements.
Every Client and every project have their own individual requirements - listening to these and doing as much or as little as you require is the key to a successful project.
You tell us what you want and we will turn it into reality. Projects are carried out on a fixed, agreed fee basis from the start so no nasty surprises !
We have, to date ,worked on hundreds of successful projects from a Stable to a Medieval Manoir.
The information that you give and that we obtain through you using this website may be used by this Company and by our partner companies only for purposes in connection with your use of this website and for marketing activities of this Company and partner companies. By using this site you confirm your consent to this. If you do not want to receive any marketing information from this Company and/or our partner companies then please notify us.
For everything you need to know about French property for sale visit www.clefrance.co.uk
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