Selling a house in France follows a logical, well-regulated process — but it works differently from the UK in several important respects. Whether you are selling a property you have owned for years or acting on behalf of an estate, understanding the process before you instruct an agent will save time and avoid surprises.

Quick answer: Selling in France follows these steps: a verbal valuation, mandatory diagnostics, the mandat de vente, the offer and compromis, then completion. French capital gains tax can apply on the sale of some property, so take advice before committing to a timeline.

Step 1: Get a Verbal Valuation

Before appointing an estate agent, it is worth getting a verbal valuation from one or more local agents who know the market in your area. A French agent will assess your property against recent comparable sales (they have access to the notaire database of completed transactions, which is more comprehensive than anything publicly available). A verbal valuation costs nothing and gives you a realistic price anchor before any marketing begins.

Be realistic about price. The French property market in the regions where we operate — Charente, Dordogne, Ariège — is not characterised by rapid turnover. Properties priced accurately for the market sell; properties priced optimistically sit. A property that has been on the market for 12 months at the wrong price is significantly harder to sell than a fresh instruction at the right price.

Step 2: Mandatory Diagnostics

Before your property can be marketed in France, you are legally required to obtain a dossier de diagnostic technique (DDT) — a bundle of technical surveys carried out by a certified diagnostician. The DDT typically includes:

  • DPE (Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique) — the energy efficiency rating. The rating is shown in property adverts and is part of the seller's diagnostic file.
  • Amiante (asbestos survey) — mandatory for properties built before 1997.
  • Plomb (lead paint) — mandatory for properties built before 1949.
  • Électricité and Gaz — installation condition reports for properties where the installations are more than 15 years old.
  • Termites — required in designated risk zones (which cover much of south-west France).
  • État des Risques — a government document covering flood risk, seismic risk, and other natural and technological hazards.
  • Assainissement — for properties not connected to the mains drains, a condition report on the fosse septique (septic tank).

The cost of the DDT varies but typically runs €300–€600 for a standard rural property. Allow 2–3 weeks to get this organised before marketing begins.

Step 3: The Mandat de Vente

To instruct a French estate agent, you sign a mandat de vente — a mandate to sell. There are two types: an exclusif (exclusive mandate, giving one agent sole selling rights for a fixed period, usually 3 months) and a simple (non-exclusive, allowing you to instruct multiple agents simultaneously). Exclusive mandates typically result in more focused marketing effort; non-exclusive mandates give wider market coverage but can lead to confusion if multiple agents are showing the same property.

Agency commission in France is paid by the seller (or, in some cases, shared — always clarify in the mandat) and is typically 5–8% of the sale price including VAT. The commission is only due on a completed sale.

Step 4: Offer and Compromis

When a buyer makes an acceptable offer, both parties sign a compromis de vente (or promesse de vente). This is the legally binding preliminary contract. As the seller, you are committed from the moment you sign — there is no equivalent of the buyer's 10-day cooling-off period for sellers. The buyer pays a deposit (typically 10%) into the notaire's client account.

The compromis will include any conditions precedent — a common one being a mortgage condition (if the buyer is financing). If the buyer fails to obtain their mortgage within the specified period, the compromis is cancelled and the deposit is returned.

Step 5: Completion

Completion takes place at the notaire's office, typically 10–12 weeks after the compromis (longer if a mortgage is involved). The notaire prepares the acte authentique de vente, verifies that all funds are in place, and both parties sign. The balance of the sale price is transferred to you on the day of completion, minus agency commission and notaire fees.

Tax on the Sale

French capital gains tax (plus-value immobilière) can apply on the sale of some French property. The rules depend on individual circumstances, so take advice from a French-qualified tax professional or notaire before committing to a sale timeline.

To see how similar properties are listed, browse country houses, maisons de maître and properties under €250,000.

If you would like a verbal valuation of your French property, or to discuss the selling process in more detail, please contact us. We have been selling property in south-west France since 2008.