The listing price is a starting point. A purchase decision needs two further figures: the funds required before moving in, and the cost of ownership for the way you plan to use the property.
- Already found an apartment? Start with annual charges and what they include, then check property tax and building works.
- Still exploring a purchase in France? Go to non-resident preparation and financing, then purchase costs. Return to the property's own bills once you have a shortlist.
You can start a conversation with IMMO BTC at either stage, with a listing link or an outline of your plans. You do not need a complete document pack first.
How much are the annual charges and what do they include?
Confirm the amount for this apartment and a stated accounting period. Charges de copropriété are shared building expenses. Ask for the seller's statements for the previous two financial years, the approved current budget and recent appels de fonds — the managing agent's payment demands. Advance instalments may differ from the final costs once the annual accounts are approved.
Check whether heating, water, lifts, a concierge, pool and garden are included. Identify separate electricity, internet and insurance bills, contributions to the works fund and special payments. Compare the same services: lower charges may mean more separate bills. Dividing an annual figure by 12 helps budgeting; it does not change the actual payment schedule. How charges work — Service Public.
After the building costs, add the tax for this property.
How much is the taxe foncière?
Ask for the latest avis de taxe foncière, the property-tax notice. Check its year, address and the property covered, including any parking space. The previous bill is a useful reference, not a guarantee of next year's amount.
The owner on 1 January owes the tax authority the whole year's tax. The sale contract may require the buyer to reimburse a share based on the ownership period. That is a settlement between buyer and seller; it does not change who owes the authority. Confirm the amount and arrangement with the notaire. Official DGFiP explanation.
Even documented annual bills do not settle the question of a major one-off expense. Next, check building works and your share.
Are there any major works planned or already voted by the copropriété?
Distinguish discussion, an approved resolution and a payment demand. A proposal to repair the roof does not establish a confirmed cost or payment date. For approved works, obtain the minutes, price, apartment's share, proposed use of the works fund and payment schedule. Do not automatically subtract the fund balance: allocating it requires the relevant decision.
As a general rule, an expense outside the ordinary budget is payable by whoever owns the property when the payment falls due. A different arrangement between buyer and seller binds them, not the managing agent. “Voted before the sale, so the seller pays everything” is therefore insufficient. Allocation of payments and the works fund.
Use the apartment guide's documents and checks to investigate the building's condition, debts and problems. Carry confirmed figures into the overall budget.
Can I buy as a non-resident and do I need a French bank account?
Living outside France does not itself prevent a purchase. A French employment contract is not a general condition of buying property: a lender's income and employment requirements concern financing. The notaire examines your circumstances, ownership arrangements and source of funds. Buying without a mortgage does not remove those checks. Non-resident purchases — Notaires de France.
Settle the bank-account question as part of payment preparation. Agree with the notaire and bank which account may send the funds, the currency and the required arrival date. A French account may be convenient for later bills; opening one does not replace checks on transfers. Acceptance of any particular overseas account cannot be assumed. Practical explanation from a notarial office.
With a mortgage, obtain terms for your circumstances: deposit/equity, interest, insurance, security and bank fees. Without borrowing, confirm access to the funds and the transfer route. In both cases allow for currency conversion and processing time. Then establish what to add to the price; the buying-process guide explains the transaction stages.
What are the notaire fees and other purchase costs?
Frais de notaire include more than the notaire's remuneration. They cover acquisition taxes, the registration contribution (contribution de sécurité immobilière), document expenses (débours) and regulated remuneration (émoluments). The calculation depends on the property, département, date and purchase circumstances. DGFiP's maximum 6.32% concerns taxe de publicité foncière, one component; it is not a universal total closing-cost rate. Official breakdown — impots.gouv.fr.
Use the ANIL calculator and DGFiP's département rates for preparation, then request a transaction-specific estimate from your notaire. The exception to the temporary tax increase requires checking primo-accédant status, including not having owned a main home during the preceding two years and intended main-home use of the new property. The notaire must confirm the conditions and commitments; a second home does not qualify automatically. Conditions explained — BOFiP.
Check the listing's agency-fee terms too. In a standard FAI transaction, agency remuneration is included in the advertised price: the buyer pays no additional IMMO BTC commission above it (€0). Special cases require prior written agreement. This does not remove acquisition taxes, notarial or other purchase expenses. How our fees work.
Where relevant, add separate lines for borrowing, transfers and exchange, interpretation, a power of attorney, technical inspections, works and furnishing. The next issue is when funds are needed and how the deposit counts.
Is the deposit an extra cost or part of the price?
A deposit credited towards the contractual price does not increase that price. It is deducted from the balance due at completion. Check the amount, recipient, payment date and refund conditions in the preliminary contract; no payment is made simply on acceptance of a purchase offer. Stages and payments — Service Public.
Record the full price once in the budget. In the payment calendar, split it into the amount already paid and the balance. Track any advance for notarial expenses separately and reconcile it later. Confirm payment details and purpose with the notarial office through a known contact before transferring funds.
Completion leaves the running costs to cover. What else belongs in the annual budget?
What other ownership costs should I allow for?
Include costs for your intended use: insurance, utility contracts, equipment maintenance, garden or pool care, inspections and access arrangements while you are away. Do not add services already covered by charges twice. Ask insurers about periods of absence and any letting.
For a second home, check taxe d'habitation and any local surcharge. Separately assess whether IFI, the property wealth tax, applies to your taxable real-estate holdings: the price of one purchase is not the whole assessment. Letting brings management, vacancy periods and taxes under your applicable regime; expected revenue does not establish permission to let or net income.
You can now compare two apartments for the same use.
How can I build a budget and compare two apartments?
An illustrative comparison of two apartments*. The same intended use, purchased without a mortgage; agency fees are included in the listing price.
| Item | Apartment A* | Apartment B* |
|---|---|---|
| Listing price | €520,000 | €550,000 |
| Transaction costs | €40,000 | €42,000 |
| Apartment and building works + contingency | €18,000 | €6,000 |
| Temporary housing before moving in | €3,000 | €0 |
| Purchase and preparation budget | €581,000 | €598,000 |
| When you can move in | Three months after purchase | Immediately after purchase |
| Annual running costs — outside the total | €4,800 | €3,600 |
* All amounts and dates are fictional and chosen solely for this example; these are neither property offers nor a calculation of your budget. B’s minor works do not prevent occupation, and the example assumes no temporary housing is needed — hence €0 for that item.
Works and contingency breakdown (apartment + share of building works + contingency): A — €12,000 + €4,000 + €2,000; B — €3,000 + €1,000 + €2,000.
A requires €17,000 less before use, but you move in later and annual running costs are €1,200 higher. B needs a higher initial budget but can be used immediately. Compare both the money required and your planned move-in date.
In the budget for your property, record the document date beside each figure. A difference in asking price becomes meaningful once material unknowns are checked. Keep uncosted works visible rather than hiding them in an arbitrary average percentage.
What is still missing for your property? Send a listing link and tell us how you intend to use it. We can discuss known payments, identify questions for the seller, managing agent and notaire, and agree the next step. You can contact us after correspondence or a viewing with another agency; we will take that history into account.
Contact us on WhatsApp, by info@immobtc.com or call +33663567065.
Sources and review date
Checked on 22 September 2026 for residential property purchases in France. Sources are linked beside the relevant answers: DGFiP for acquisition expenses and tax in the sale year; Service Public for co-ownership, payments, funds and taxes; ANIL for indicative estimates; notarial sources for non-resident preparation. Property-specific and personal calculations must be confirmed for the transaction date.