Property In France

There is generally no shortage of property to buy in France, of all types and sizes and in any state from totally derelict, dilapidated but habitable, partly or completely restored, modern apartments, vacant building plots etc. and it should be quite easy to locate a selection of properties for consideration.

Ways of finding French properties include: consulting the French Property Register which can be accessed from the UK using Minitel Research Services, subscribing to a French property publication or using the services of a UK estate agent with associates in France. If you choose one with a wide network you will be able to cover a wide choice of areas from one source.

It is currently possible to find and buy French property both from within and from outside another country. In fact, you could buy French property without ever actually having visited France. Although buying a property unseen is not recommended, you can certainly track down possible properties and make a shortlist before making a visit and the final decision to buy.

There are various ways to find a property other than by visiting an estate agent. In France, just as elsewhere, some people decide to sell their property privately, rather than by using an agent, perhaps by placing a notice on the property that it is for sale (a vendre) or by press advertisement.

Some people take a few weeks holiday in France and combine it with a search for a suitable property. Apart from travelling around the chosen area, the best sources of reference are the Property sections of newspapers. Both the national and regional French newspapers carry such sections. It is possible to obtain these in most European countries either at city newsstands or by special order with a newsagent.