Property buying procedure

What you need to know

Once your offer has been accepted, the compromis signed and the 10 days of reflection is finished then the notaire takes over the organisation. They undertake various searches such as:

• Confirmation that the seller is the legal owner (previously verified by the agency)
• Confirmation that the seller has all the necessary permissions to sell the property
• In the case of new properties, or properties that have been the subject of recent work, research on all necessary planning authorizations will be carried out.
• Confirmation of the boundaries of the property (contradictory demarcation if necessary).
• Sign off of the right of preemption from the town hall

In the case where the buyer requests a credit, the notary will be in contact with the bank to ensure the availability of funds covering the acquisition.

Once all this is done, the notary will send a copy of the document to the seller and the buyer with a date of signature appropriate to the parties. It will also detail the final account of the acquisition. These funds must be in the possession of the notary before the signing of the deed.  Please note that they will often ask for more money than the previous quote to ensure that they have a contingency should there be extra costs at the last minute.  This money will be returned to you but it can take a while.

Once the authentic deed has been signed, the purchaser receives a provisional title of ownership pending the various publications and registration necessary for the receipt of the official title of ownership. The process can last up to 6 months and a certified copy will be sent to you by the notary who will have the obligation to keep the original for 100 years.