Buying a home in France

The figures below describe listings on europeancribs.com on 6 October 2026 and are asking prices from our own catalogue, not official statistics. The legal and tax information that follows is general, verified in October 2026, and rules can change, so always check current details with a French notary, lawyer or tax advisor before you commit to a purchase.

Can foreigners buy?

Yes. France places no restrictions on foreign ownership of residential property, whatever your nationality. Residency in France is not required to buy a home there, so the purchase process described in this guide applies equally whether you already live in France or are buying from abroad.

Costs and taxes on top of the price

Beyond the advertised price, a French purchase carries the following costs.

• Notary costs (frais de notaire): these include transfer duties and run to around 7.5 to 8.5 percent of the price on existing homes, since most French departments raised transfer duties in 2025. On new-build homes the equivalent cost is lower, around 2 to 3 percent.
• Agent fee: commonly already folded into the advertised price under the FAI (frais d'agence inclus) convention. Where a separate buyer's share applies, around 2 percent is typical.
• Annual ownership taxes: every owner pays taxe fonciere each year, and taxe d'habitation remains payable on second homes.

How the purchase works

A purchase in France begins with the compromis de vente, a preliminary sale contract, signed alongside a deposit of typically 5 to 10 percent of the price. Once the compromis de vente is signed, the buyer has a statutory 10-day cooling-off period during which they can withdraw from the purchase without penalty. If neither party withdraws, the sale is completed with the acte authentique, the final deed, which is signed before a notary around three months after the compromis de vente.

What homes cost in our catalogue

On 6 October 2026, europeancribs.com listed 582 homes for sale across France. The median asking price in the catalogue was 363,000 euros, equal to a median of 4,680 euros per square metre, on a median home size of 83 square metres. The middle half of listings sit between a lower quartile of 209,000 euros and an upper quartile of 590,000 euros, and around 8 percent of listings, 44 homes, are asking under 100,000 euros.

Of the 582 listings, 391 are apartments and 191 are houses.

The six places with the most listings in the catalogue are Nice (77 listings, median asking price 540,000 euros), Bordeaux (76 listings, median 344,000 euros), Cannes (46 listings, median 458,000 euros), Limoges (46 listings, median 119,000 euros), Cahors (45 listings, median 144,000 euros) and Rodez (25 listings, median 174,000 euros).

The table below shows what different budgets typically buy in the catalogue.

Budget	Listings in range	Typical size	Typical bedrooms
100,000 euros	57	77 m2	2
250,000 euros	95	65 m2	2
500,000 euros	115	89 m2	2

Running costs and practicalities

Every owner of a French property pays taxe fonciere annually, regardless of where they live. If the home is a second home rather than a main residence, taxe d'habitation also applies. Succession is worth planning for before you buy: French forced-heirship rules can apply to property located in France, and buyers with children from an earlier relationship should take advice on how this affects who eventually inherits the property.

Before you view

• Decide between an apartment and a house: the catalogue currently carries 391 apartments against 191 houses.
• Check what the advertised price includes. Agent fees are often already folded into the price under the FAI convention, but notary costs and transfer duties, around 7.5 to 8.5 percent on existing homes, are typically added on top.
• Budget for new-build notary costs of around 2 to 3 percent if you are considering a new-build property rather than an existing home.
• Set aside the deposit needed for the compromis de vente, typically 5 to 10 percent of the price, and allow for the roughly three months that usually pass before the acte authentique.
• If you have children from an earlier relationship or any complex succession plans, raise this with a notary before signing, given France's forced-heirship rules.
• Bring in an independent lawyer, notary or tax advisor early so that costs, taxes and deadlines are clear before you commit.

Browse current homes for sale in France, estimate taxes and fees with the buying-costs calculator, or read the latest Journal article on France.

Rules, taxes and fees are general information verified in October 2026 and can change; regional rules may differ. Catalogue figures are asking prices of homes listed in the European Cribs catalogue on 6 October 2026 and are not official statistics. This guide is not legal, tax or investment advice — for an actual purchase, work with a local lawyer, notary or tax advisor. Cover photo: AXP Photography / Pexels.