Found a property online? How to organise your purchase in France

You can approach us with a listing from any website: before contacting the selling agent, after an exchange or following a viewing. We start with a conversation about your situation. You do not need a complete dossier or a finished specification.

If your immediate question is the cost of a particular apartment, start with annual charges, taxes and building works. This guide explains how to organise the next actions and which can be prepared without travelling.

What should I send for our first conversation?

The link and what you like or are unsure about are enough to start. Tell us how you intend to use the property and whether you have contacted the agent. We can discuss budget, timing and other circumstances to identify the questions that matter to your decision.

Do not send a passport or bank statement in your first open message. When the bank or notary needs sensitive documents, agree the recipient and an appropriate transfer method. The next action depends on what has already happened: contact, a viewing and signed documents affect the route.

What if I have already contacted the selling agent?

Previous contact does not prevent you from starting a conversation with us. Before approaching anyone on your behalf, however, we need to agree roles and understand existing arrangements.

Tell us straight away if you have made an offer or signed anything. Its legal consequences need to be discussed with the notary; involving another agent does not cancel existing obligations. The next decision is how the parties will work together and be paid.

How are agency cooperation and fees agreed?

We agree the scope of assistance, contact with the selling side and remuneration before the assignment. In a standard FAI transaction, the agency fee is included in the advertised price and the additional buyer agency fee above it is €0. Special cases require advance written agreement. This concerns agency remuneration: taxes and acquisition costs are separate.

The arrangement depends on the listing, mandate and agreement between participants. See the full explanation of our fees. Once roles are clear, the next question is which documents and checks can be organised before your trip.

What can be checked remotely, and what needs an inspection?

Documents and targeted questions help prepare a decision before travelling. Video can show the layout and surroundings but cannot establish the absence of hidden defects.

The result is a list of confirmed facts, outstanding checks and issues affecting the decision. For an apartment, use the guide to condition and costs. Prepare the payment route alongside these checks.

For a villa, check the plot, buildings and permissions; for rental, check whether your intended use is permitted. Use the address comparison guide for daily convenience and comparable transactions to examine the price. Start with the check most likely to affect your decision.

Do I need a French bank account?

First agree with the notary and bank which account will send the funds and how. Do not open another account merely because it appears to be a standard step in every purchase. If you need a mortgage, the lender also determines account and documentation requirements.

Confirm the account holder, country, currency, evidence of the source of funds, transfer limits, conversion and arrival date. Buying without a mortgage does not remove the receiving institution's checks. The route must be confirmed for your circumstances before you commit to a payment date. Then settle the signing arrangements.

Can I sign through a power of attorney?

Yes, if the notary confirms the appropriate form and procedure for your transaction. A representative signs within the authority granted; an ordinary video call with an agent does not provide that authority.

Agree the representative, powers, language and translation, identity checks and requirements from your country of location. A notarised power of attorney can be arranged remotely through the notary's procedure. This does not mean every deed can simply be signed by video call. See the Paris Chamber of Notaries explanation.

Once the signing method is established, agree the contract and payment calendar.

When is the deposit paid, and to whom?

The basis, amount and timing depend on the type and terms of the preliminary contract. Confirm the recipient and bank details with the notary through an established contact channel before transferring money. A request in a listing is not sufficient.

A deposit credited towards the price must not be counted again as an additional cost. Refund rights depend on the applicable withdrawal period, contractual conditions and compliance with them; there is no blanket promise of a refund whenever plans change. Read the purchase process guide for stages and buyer rights, and the budget guide for the cost breakdown.

What determines the timing, and what if someone is slow to reply?

Timing depends on documents, approvals, financing, fund transfers and signing arrangements. For each outstanding issue, identify who is responsible and what result is expected next. Our response and coordination are distinct from the timing of the seller, building manager, bank and notary.

If an answer is delayed, we can discuss whether waiting still fits your plans and which alternatives are available. Another property or a different timetable may change your negotiating position; a suitable alternative and a negotiation outcome cannot be promised in advance.

The next question is which checks your chosen property needs. Send the link and tell us what has already happened: email us or call us. We will identify the next useful action together.

Sources and review date

Reviewed on 22 September 2026. The description of assistance follows IMMO BTC's current terms; transaction requirements must be confirmed by the participants concerned.

• Service Public: preliminary contracts, documents and payments.
• Paris Chamber of Notaries: remote identification and powers of attorney, 21 November 2025.