Making an offer on a property – our Guide

Making an offer on a property in France – A Guide

Q: Can I make my offer verbally or does it have to be in writing?

A: In practice you can do either, but we’d recommend putting it in
writing, either via letter or email.

Q: Do I have to offer the asking price?

A: As Agents we’ll put any offer through to the vendors. When we
receive an offer from you, we’ll discuss whether we think there is a
realistic chance of acceptance – this will vary from case to case,
but remember very low offers may well be taken badly by French
vendors – hindering further negotiations

Q: Will we need to place a deposit with you?

A: No, it’s illegal for Agents to take monies at the time of an offer.
You should only pay a deposit over when you sign a reservation
contract or a compromis de vente, and our advice would be to
transfer that directly to your notaries client account.

Q: Why have you asked for proof of ID?

A: As both UK and French licensed Estate Agents, we need to
comply with the money laundering regulations, and so will require
amongst other things, proof of Identification, address and source of
funds.

Q: What happens if the offer is accepted?

A: We’ll notify both notaries of the details, who will then draw up
the initial contract between them – including any specific clauses
(for example for a mortgage or a delayed completion) that you
have stipulated in your offer. Your notary will be on hand to answer
any legal questions you have.

For information only – do not substitute for good legal advice – always check with your notary