Selling

Employing an agent

Make sure you carry out lots of research before deciding which agent/s you want to sell your property. If you know little about the sales process in France, or if your grasp of the language isn’t great, it is best to speak to an English-speaking expert. The Winkworth international homes department is staffed by Anglo-French staff, who have been working in the French property market for many years and they will be able to advise you at all stages.

When you decide to instruct an agent, you will need to sign a sale mandate.

There are two types of sale mandate: there’s ‘exclusive’ (mandat exclusive), which is the same as sole agency in England and ‘non-exclusive’ (mandat simple), which is similar to a joint agency agreement in England.

The fees an estate agent charges in France are the same, whichever mandate you choose. Winkworth agents and associates charge 5% + TVA (VAT) of the final sale price. The minimum sale mandate term is three months, although some agents ask for six or nine months.

The mandate is a legally binding document, which must be signed by the seller and the agent. Once signed, the agreement is registered, giving the agent authority to start marketing the property to attract buyers and achieve the best possible price.

Accepting an offer

When you have accepted an offer, the buyer will employ a notary, or ‘notaire’, who often acts for both the buyer and seller and is a neutral individual. The buyer pays the notary’s fees. Some sellers choose to instruct their own notary, too, who will assist the buyer’s notary and share the fee. The notary is not a conveyancer, or lawyer, as in England, they are government officials.