Buying in Paris as a foreigner is rarely hard because of who you are. It is hard because the French process has its own order, its own deadlines and its own documents. Here is what I want my clients to know before they make an offer.
Your offer may already commit you
In France, an accepted offer can bind both sides before any contract is signed. Lawyers do not agree on whether the cooling-off period applies to an offer, so the safe rule is simple: treat an accepted offer as a commitment.
The compromis and your ten days
The first real contract is the compromis de vente, a preliminary sales agreement. Once it is notified to you, you have ten days to withdraw, without giving a reason. The period starts the day after you receive the signed document formally.
After those ten days, you can generally only walk away if a condition is not met, such as your financing. A deposit of around 10% of the price is common, and it is at stake if you withdraw without a valid reason. The final deed is then signed before a notaire, the public official who handles property sales, usually two to three months later.
You buy the building, not only the flat
In Paris, almost every flat is part of a co-ownership. Before making an offer, ask for the minutes of the last three general meetings of owners. They show the works that were voted, the disputes and the charges. The état daté adds what the seller owes and the works voted but not yet invoiced, which you would inherit.
This is the part I look at first when I search with a client. A flat can be beautiful and the building can still be a problem.
What it really costs
For an existing property, notary fees are around 7 to 8% of the price. Most of it is not the notary’s pay but taxes collected for the State and the local authorities. Budget for it on top of the price.
Signing from abroad
If you cannot be in Paris on the day, you can sign through a power of attorney. A document signed abroad usually needs an apostille or legalisation and a translation, so allow several weeks. The notaire will also ask where the money comes from, typically with twelve months of bank statements.
Check the surface
The advertised surface follows the Carrez law. If the real surface is more than 5% smaller than stated, you have one year from the final deed to ask for a price reduction. If you plan to rent the flat out, check the energy rating too: G-rated flats can no longer be put on a new long-term lease since 1 January 2025.
Where a property finder helps
I do not replace your notaire. I work before and around the purchase: defining the search with you, visiting flats so you do not have to fly in for each one, reading the building documents, negotiating, and coordinating until you have the keys. My property search services are priced with fixed fees, according to your budget. If you are also settling in Paris, see my services for expats.
Thinking of buying in Paris? Book a free 30-minute call and tell me about your project.