kazz4662

We Hadn't though about buying private before has anyone done this was it hard any advice please ?

EuroTrash

I am just thinking that unless your French is already up to speed, it could be difficult dealing with a French private seller unless they happen to speak very good English, which not many French people do. Things like arranging an appointment to view, asking questions, raising any concerns, negotiating a price, understanding the diagnostics.
Whereas most estate agents are geared up for dealing with anglophone buyers.
Maybe there is a website that private English sellers use, I don't know. Otherwise, if you are limited to English speaking sellers how would you know in advance whether the seller speaks English?

G-J-B

After I purchased my house some years ago, I discovered it as a private listing (i.e. minus the agent fees) about two months afterwards - I wasn't very happy as you can imagine, and kicked myself for not finding it before.
As far as I know everything goes through a notaire so there will be all the normal due diligence minus the agency fees added to the cost.

dmu

Have to agree that if the property-seeker doesn't speak/read/write adequate French, it would be nigh-on impossible to sort out the diagnostics and other issues, without a professional Agent as a hopefully impartial go-between. The impartial Notaire doesn't touch such issues....

Listen Very Carefully

Concur with everyone To buy privately you need to understand the buying process and be able to understand all the documentation If the notaire is not happy that your French is good enough to know what you are signing and all the related paperwork you will be required to employ a translator at your own expense Furthermore a good agent will also help with utilities etc
This site may help https://www.notaires.fr/en

kazz4662

Thank you all and any information is appreciated

kazz4662

Thank you for your reply if we found somewhere as a private sale do we just go to the notaire =/- translator ( guess they may have one ? ) to arrange the paperwork ?

EuroTrash

Normally you would discuss this with the seller. It's usual for buyer and seller to use the same notaire. Although you don't have to.

graham.miln

When you have found somewhere you are interested in, sign nothing*, and go to a notaire. The notaire is impartial but do not expect them to proactively protect you or the seller. You can ask a notaire to make an offer on your behalf.

Our notaire recommended a translator but I expect you could provide your own, assuming they had the appropriate qualifications set out by the notaire.

You can use different notaires and the notaires need not be local to the property.

*Really, nothing. Sign nothing at all.

Chatter Static

Use Google images I noticed images getting reused across different sites but they can lead you to one of the many private listing web sites. Google image searches is a resource that most folk overlook.

Not to mention if you work out the location of the house/land with street view you can match it to it's parcel number and ask at the cadastral offices for the owners details.

KJMW

Bought an apartment several years ago privately. There is little or no difference between private or through an estate agent; over than the agent gets a fee. Buying private you should still engage a solicitor.

dmu

Was this before the Diagnostics requirements were created?
Solicitor in the sense of an Avocat? Whether buying privately or via an estate agent, a Notaire is the only competent lawman for conveyancing. Two different professionals....

KJMW

In answer to your question: No

I used the word solicitor as this term is readily understood by a Brit. When these people eventually reach the point of buying then it will be pointed out to them that a Notaire does the work. My wife is a solicitor so I'm aware of the difference.

EuroTrash

The purchase process is the same whether you use an estate agent or not but the difference as I see it is, the estate agent is your point of contact. Which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the situation but wouldn't agree that it makes little or no difference on a day to day basis, because the way you communicate and get your information can make quite a big difference.
I didn't use an estate agent because I had read so many comments about how poor some French estate agents are, and in any case I am a bit of a control freak and I preferred to deal with the seller and notaire myself as it seemed to me that having an extra party involved just risked muddying the waters and causing delays and misunderstandings, plus I didn't see any point in paying an estate agent's fee when I didn't see what they could usefully contribute.
BUT I can understand why that liaison/hand holding service might be worth paying for for a newbie to France who may need help with communication and also understanding the processes.
Might also be worth mentioning that notaires sometimes also act as estate agents in that they have a list of properties that they advertise and market on behalf of the seller. Maybe you can shed more light on exactly how this works KJMW if that is something your wife does? I guess that the notaire would be the single point of contact for the buyer, I don't know how the fee works - do they charge a lower fee than estate agents? I don't suppose they charge no fee at all for the service.

dmu

Fair enough, but my comment was really intended for potential expats coming from the UK - often they don't know that the concept of solicitor, as known in the UK, doesn't exist in France. IMO always best to avoid confusion and use the French terms...
(And well done for dealing with the Diagnostics on your own!)