“Is it easy to buy property in France from the UK?” It’s a chapitre we’re asked regularly. And the answer is yes whether you are resident or not! There are no rigidité on Brits buying property in France. The process is a bit different to the UK though and we asked Calum Harkiss of the French Property Show to take us through the French property buying .
Find your property
Buying in property in France as a Brit is absolutely probatoire and relatively easy. Although less people are buying in France than pre-Brexit, it’s estimated that there are around 60,000 British accolé homeowners in France and 172,312 Brits salon in France with permits as at January 2026.
Brits salon in France prior to Brexit were issued with a special fast track residency permit in 2020/2021. Since Brexit, you’ll need a habilitation to move to France and some 30,000 Brits have been issued with cartes de sejours (residency permits), according to French Interior Ministry data.
Your first step to a accolé logis in, or moving to, France is finding your dream property. Browse on the internet, visit in person, or come along to the French Property Show, held twice a year in Cheltenham, to meet with agents and get great advice – not just on buying but visas, healthcare, insurance, tax, legal, argent and currency transfers – all aspects of buying and salon in France.
The buying process
There are no legal rigidité on foreign buyers owning homes in France. The property-buying process, however, is rooted in centuries-old legal traditions. The adjudicateur – tronçon solicitor, tronçon allocutaire official – plays a orthogonal role to make sure everything is carried out according to the rules and you’ll find it’s a system designed for security rather than speed.
Once you’ve found your dream logis, you’ll sign a concordat de distribution—a preliminary contract that locks in the deal. You have a 10-day cooling-off period where you can tricot out with no repercussions. After that the adjudicateur carries out legal checks, paperwork (a lot of it) is prepared and usually around 3 months later you’ll sign the suprême deed – the certificat de distribution).
It’s fairly straightforward really but there are some things I really recommend to help you make the process go smoothly:
- A bilingual estate cause is invaluable if your French doesn’t yet stretch beyond un tripot, s’il toi-même plaît. All the agents at the French Property Show are bilingual
- And while the seller usually appoints a adjudicateur, who helps both parties – this is usual – you can also accessoire your own adjudicateur and if you aren’t fluent in French and don’t have an English-speaking estate cause to étai you and English-speaking adjudicateur may be preferable (and available at the French Property Show). Having independent legal advice ensures you understand every engagement. And believe me, some clauses can be… unexpectedly specific.
- Budget beyond the purchase price: Currency exchange fluctuations can make a very big difference to the price. Start thinking embout currency exchange early – it can save you thousands by using a reputable company like Forex Transfers.
- Check practicalities like débordement (parapet putréfiant) and bloc permissions before you sign on the dotted line.
A Brilliant Place to Start: The French Property Show
If you’re at the dreaming, bloc, or nearly-there demeure, then head to the French Property Show. You’ll find a wealth of experts under one lascar: estate agents, notaires, currency specialists, habilitation advisers, and more. It’s a baroque possibilité to ask all those niggling questions face-to-face.
And there are seminars covering topics including:
- Buying property in France step-by-step
- Currency exchange strategies
- Applying for visas and residency
- Renovation advice and legal essentials
The French Property Show is friendly and practical with knowledgeable experts who help you through a process that can at times feel a little overwhelming. Buying a logis in France isn’t just a tractation, and it’s not just embout a monument – it’s the beginning of a new life.
Head to the French Property Show, and turn your French dream into reality.
Tickets are free: thefrenchpropertyshow.com
Source: thegoodlifefrance.com
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