How can a foreigner buy a house or any kind of properties in France?

Answer 1

I searched on google books and had a lot of results:

http://books.google.com/books?q=property+buy+France&btnG=Search+Books&as_brr=0

ry your search on NYTimes, ReviewScout, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble, Blackwells


Buying a Property in France - Page 58
by Clive Kristen - Law - 2002
There are no parallels in English property transactions, though some housing ...
If he then decides to buy, this amount is, in effect, deducted from the ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book

The Complete Guide to Buying Property in France: Buying, Renting, Letting and Selling
by Charles Davey - 2004 - 256 pages
Transfer of the property You may be asked by an estate agent to sign an offre
d'achat (an offer to buy). This states the purchase price that you are ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book

The French Property Buyer's Handbook: Everything You Need to Known About Buying a House and...
by Natalie Avella - 2004 - 250 pages
Many people decide to move to France after spending years holidaying or ...
seen enough of it to know for certain which part you'd like to buy a property. ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book



The Grown-Up's Guide to Living in France - Page 73
by Rosanne Knorr - Travel - 2000 - 224 pages
As with rental properties you can search for properties to buy directly through
English-language or French sources. French Property News is a British-based ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book

How to Make Money from Property - Page 2
by Adam Walker - Law - 2000
Buying a House A step-by-step guide to buying your ideal home Buy to Let ...
Where to buy property and how to let it for profit Buy to Let in France How to ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book

International Real Estate: A Comparative Approach - Page 133
by Mark Lee Levine - Business & Economics - 2004 - 450 pages
The distinctions between real and personal property in France are similar ...
The promise to sell or buy is considered void if it is not registered at the ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book

Going to Live in France - Page 150
by Alan Hart - Travel - 2003 - 240 pages
Buying a property in France, especially in a rural area, is normally a lot ...
Problems with buying a property en division If you and your spouse buy a ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book

Going to Live in Paris: How to Live and Work in France's Great Capital
by Alan Hart - 2005 - 425 pages
This book shows you exactly how to buy the right property in the right place and
set it up so that you can let it for maximum return. Buy to Let in France ...
Limited preview - Table of Contents - Index - About this book

Answer 2

Hi

This website is for foreigners living in France. It has a lot of information and links about buying property and living in France.

The buying process : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/property

Expat information : http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/expat

Peter

Answer 3

France is blessed with a rich and varied countryside that incorporates stunning beaches and coastline on its Mediterranean and Atlantic seaboards, spectacular mountain scenery in the Alps, Pyrenees and Massif Central, and a mainly temperate climate in which to enjoy such diverse splendours.

Good lifestyle: The French have a strong appreciation of the good things in life, and are considered (and consider themselves) to be amongst the most cultured of people. Good food and fine wine are held to be their right, and a relaxed pace that affords them time to enjoy such fruits of life fully is sacrosanct.

Price: The price of experiencing life in a more measured and relaxed manner is cheaper than in the UK, but not as inexpensive as it was a decade ago. France has seen average property price increases of 80 per cent since 1997, and prices in some areas continue to appreciate by approximately 10 per cent annually.The possibility of picking up a stone house - the very epitome of France - in a rural location, overlooking sun-kissed, rolling hills, for £30,000 is getting more remote all the time. Increased interest in lifestyle properties overseas from UK buyers, as well as more competition from French people looking for a rural retreat make the dream gem of a property to renovate in the countryside harder to find. This is not to say these properties no longer exist, but you will have to search harder to find them. It may well require an additional £70,000 of work to make it habitable.France, of all nations, really does have the lot: cultured cities, great beaches, awe-inspiring mountains, rolling hills and meandering rivers. Broadly speaking, the northwest regions of Brittany and Normandy are remote, with rocky bluffs and windswept beaches, while the Cote d'Azur, on the Mediterranean south coast, is incredibly beautiful, with golden sand beaches, ritzy restaurants and million-pound marinas.France's legal system is very different from the British one, and it is essential to use the services of an independent, English-speaking solicitor. The notary (notaire) is a mandatory part of the purchase process.
The notary is a government official and works for the state, not the buyer or the vendor, although, confusingly, notaries often act as estate agents as well.
Once a sale has been negotiated, an initial legal contract, the compromis de vente, is prepared by the notary and signed by both parties. On signing, the buyer pays a 10 per cent deposit, with the balance due on completion. By law, there is then a seven-day cooling-off period, during which the buyer may withdraw from the purchase if he wishes.
There follows a period of generally 10-12 weeks in which the searches are carried out. At the end of this period, the final contract, the acte de vente, is signed in front of the notary, and the property passes to the purchaser. The various fees and taxes, including transfer tax and the notary's fees, become due for payment at this point, after which the deed of sale is registered at the Land Registry.
Several fees and taxes are payable when buying property. Budget to pay 9-13 per cent of the purchase price, excluding a buying fee, payable to the estate agent, which may be applicable in some cases - ask before you proceed. Costs may include:
Transfer fees: 6-7.5 per cent (less for a new build property)
Notary fees: 1-1.5 per cent
Legal fees: 1-1.5 per cent (for the appointment of a solicitor)
Property registration fee: 0.6 per cent for properties less than five years old, 1 per cent for others
Surveyor's fee (optional)
Mortgage fees (if applicable)
Foreign exchange costs (if applicable)
Estate agent's fees of up to 10 per cent may be applicable when buying
Finally, don't forget that there will be costs for registration, VAT, land registry and stamp duty.
French residents are taxed in France if their main income arises in the country, their principal activity is in France, or if France is the country where most of their substantial assets reside. As at 2006, annual income of less than 5,515 euros (approximately £3,748)) is not taxable. Income of 5,516 euros (approximately £3,749) to 65,559 euros (approximately £44,544) is taxed in bands of from 5.5 to 30 per cent. Above £44,545, 40 per cent is payable.