Buying, step by step
How long it takes to buy a house in France.
Count about three months from the accepted offer to the keys, sometimes four. Here is where the time goes.
Contents
A French purchase is not fast, but it is predictable. Each delay has a reason, and most of them can be planned, even from abroad.
The steps and their usual delays
- Offer and acceptance: a few days.
- Compromis: one to three weeks, the time to gather the surveys and, for an apartment, the copropriété documents.
- Cooling-off period: ten days after the signed contract is delivered to you.
- Mortgage: a few weeks, set in the compromis.
- Pre-emption: the commune has two months to answer the notaire.
- Final deed: usually two to three months after the compromis.
What slows a purchase down
- A mortgage file sent late, or a bank that asks for more documents.
- A power of attorney signed abroad at the last minute.
- A missing document: a permit for past works, a copropriété paper, an inheritance not settled.
- Holidays, especially in August.
What can make it faster
Buying without a mortgage, a complete file from the start, and a power of attorney prepared as soon as the compromis is signed. The commune's two months remain, unless it answers sooner.
Planning from abroad
Most of my buyers abroad travel once, to see the property before the compromis or before the deed. I give them a timetable with dates as soon as the offer is accepted, and I tell them early if something slips. I work in English and French every day. I also speak Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi fluently, Persian (Farsi) very well, and good Greek and Arabic.
Frequently asked questions
How long from offer to keys in France?
About three months in most cases, sometimes four.
Can a purchase be faster without a mortgage?
Yes, a little, but the pre-emption delay of the commune and the preparation of the deed remain.
When do I get the keys?
The day of the final deed, once the money has reached the notaire.
Do I have to be in France for the signing?
No, a power of attorney can be used.