Buying Property in France as a Non-Resident: The Complete Process

There is good news up front: France places no legal restrictions on foreign nationals buying residential property. Non-residents have exactly the same ownership rights as French citizens, regardless of nationality or country of residence. The process, however, has its own logic — and it is slower and more formal than what buyers from the US, UK, or Gulf markets typically expect.

The real cost: notary fees are mostly tax, not a fee

Budget 7–8% of the purchase price for an existing property (2–3% for new builds) in what is commonly called "frais de notaire." The name is misleading — the bulk of this amount (roughly 5.8%–6.3%) is a property transfer tax that goes to the state, not to the notaire. The notaire's own fee is a smaller, sliding-scale amount on top. This is not negotiable in the way a buyer's agent fee might be elsewhere.

The process and timeline

The French purchase process is centered on the notaire — a state-appointed legal officer who handles the transaction on behalf of both parties (not just the seller, as in some other markets). A typical timeline runs 8 to 12 weeks from signing the preliminary contract (compromis de vente) to final completion (acte authentique). This includes a statutory cooling-off period for the buyer and time for the notaire to complete legal and title checks that are considerably more thorough than in many other countries.

You do not need to be in France to buy

It is entirely legal to purchase property in France remotely, using a notarial power of attorney. The notaire can arrange this even when the buyer never sets foot in the country during the process — useful for buyers managing the purchase around work or family commitments abroad, but it requires paperwork to be prepared correctly and in advance, not improvised at the last minute.

Financing as a non-resident

Non-resident mortgages exist and are workable, though lenders typically require a larger deposit — commonly in the 20–40% range — reflecting the higher perceived risk of lending to a borrower without French tax residency or local income. Rates for non-resident profiles have remained competitive by international standards, but approval criteria and required documentation differ meaningfully from a standard French resident mortgage application.

What we see go wrong

The most common mistake is not legal — it is sequencing. Buyers who line up financing, tax structuring (property purchased personally vs. through an SCI holding structure), and the notaire relationship in the wrong order routinely lose their preferred property to a buyer who was simply ready to move faster.

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