peterkine

We have sold our house in France, and are due to sign the Acte de Vente in December 3 days after our buyers sign their contract so sell their house. My query is that our buyers owners have asked to move in to our House (after we have moved out early with a pre contract contract) in the period between them selling their house and signing with us. We have been told this is not unusual but we have many reservations - Insurance - delay in the signing of the Acte de Vente etc. Has anybody heard of or experience of this situation?, and have any advice? Thanks

EuroTrash

Certainly it does happen, and usually there are no problems but occasionally there are.

I wouldn't be keen myself.

In this day and age of electronic transfers, couldn't your notaire arrange for both transactions to go through on the same day?

Otherwise, unless I had a lot of confidence in the buyers, I think I'd be hardline. I would say that I had everything arranged around the original signing date and it isn't convenient to change the dates at this stage and clear out my remaining possessions any earlier. The buyers will have to let the removals company look after their possessions for 3 days while they stay with friends or in a hotel for 3 nights. It won't kill them and if they've already signed the compromis they can't change their minds.

Friends of mine (English) had to stay in a hotel for two weeks AFTER they'd signed the Acte de Vente and paid over the money, because the (French) owners hadn't moved out! Eventually the estate agent had to more or less kick them out.

peterkine

Thank you for your comments, I must admit I have been uneasy about doing this especially if something goes wrong at the last minute.

Chatter Static

We moved into two of our houses early, personally I don't see an issue with it.

EuroTrash

My fear would be same as the OP says, that the buyers would move in and their own sale would fall through or get delayed at the last minute. But I know people do it.

Chatter Static

Should the buyers rely on the sale of their house then there should be a clause in the Compromis on the new house "The Op's house" to cover this which would delay the purchase unless the seller wishes the sale to be nullified in the event of a non sale of the buyers house. It's surprising what clauses you can have added and it is where understanding the language is vital.

But ultimately all the OP needs is to get the buyers to sign a short term holiday let contract for the in-between period which as I see it gives them zero rights to remain in the property if their sale falls through.

But should you feel uncomfortable with something from the outset it pretty much answers the question imho.

MillieF

I did it, in August 2012. I was moving to Canada, and the French buyers knew it as did the Notaire and all of the town and village. I let them have the house two weeks early. I liked the buyers, I trusted them, and all went well. They had poked around my house and knew my tastes and sent me a big bottle of Guerlin perfume when I arrived...which I thought showed style.

I sold an earlier house a few years before and I wanted to wait at least a few weeks after the ink was signed on the agreement...I didn't feel confident even when the money was banked!

Go with your feelings, if they are trustworthy

Novocastrian

With the greatest of respect Millie, Guerlin is only marginally acceptable.

MillieF

Couldn't agree more...but oddly enough it's the only brand that doesn't disappear without a sniff on me within a second, strange, but true

Novocastrian

I'll have to pop upstairs to see what I've been buying the OH for decades.

She writes it down for me and I just show the note to the duty free stall.

MillieF

How well organised! My husband often gets up close and personal with (I suspect the loveliest) sales team member and I get whatever she's wearing!

Blackladder

Millie...
giss a whiff!

Tweedpipe

If Millie looks or smells anything like THIS one, put me down for a whiff too!

elie bekaert

<snipped>

How did you managed to sell your house ? Did you worked together with a immo office ?

thx