The comprehensive guide to FSBO listings in France - How to find and contact French FSBO and save thousands in the process!!
What American buyers and international investors really need to know about French FSBO / “For Sale By Owner" properties in France
Are you dreaming of owning a slice of French paradise? Whether it's a cozy apartment in Paris, a rustic farmhouse in Provence, or a charming cottage in the Loire Valley, purchasing property in France can be both exciting and daunting. We get it! We’ve been there!! We’ve helped many American buyers with this exciting but sometimes overwhelming dream!
One way to seriously improve your purchasing power for your dream French property might surprise you! No, it’s not just currency conversion from the dollar to the euro (although that helps!). And no, it’s not just your negotiating prowess…
One sometimes overlooked but really powerful way to save potentially tens of thousands of dollars on your property purchase in France is… going direct! Bypassing the real estate agent, broker or realtor altogether and contacting the seller direct for an FSBO listing.
You might be wondering - Do French FSBO listings or “For Sale By Owner” properties even exist in France?
“Our expert answer - A resounding YES! FSBO listings in France exist and are more common than you might think!! They can be a good way to maximize your budget for your French property, BUT, they do mean that the buyers need to be even more educated and knowledgeable on the pitfalls, common mistakes, and surprises they could face! Read on for our full explanation!”
WHEN IT COMES TO FSBO LISTINGS IN FRANCE, YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING HOW IT ALL WORKS! DO ANY OF THE TYPICAL AMERICAN BUYER QUESTIONS BELOW SOUND FAMILIAR? ARE THEY YOU?:
Do FSBO listings exist in France?
What are FSBO listings called in France? Or in French?
Where do I find French FSBO listings?
Do “For Sale By Owner” listings exist in France?
Where can I find French For Sale By Owner properties?
I want to find direct seller properties in France!
What is the best website to find French seller-direct listings?
Where is the best place to find French homes for sale by owner?
Are FSBO purchases in France common? Or legal?
Are any of those questions * YOUR QUESTIONS * ?
If yes, THEN YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE! Read on for our * EXPERT ADVICE* !
What are FSBOs in France and why should American buyers Care? The answer? Real savings! Maximizing your French property purchase budget!
Let’s remind ourselves of the basics. In the US, FSBO (For Sale By Owner) properties are sometimes referred to as "direct seller properties," "owner-sold properties," "seller-direct listings," or "homes for sale by owner" in American real estate terminology. They are all saying the same thing - these are properties that sold directly by the owner without the involvement of a real estate agency.
With real estate agency / broker / realtor fees in the US being on average about 6%, purchasing an FSBO property can equate to substantial savings for the buyers. You might even have purchased an FSBO property in the US previously and feeling confident about approaching a seller direct in France. Or, you might have always used the services of a real estate agent in the past for your US property purchases, but for your French property purchase, you might be wondering how to maximize your budget and your purchasing power for your dream French property. Well, this approach can help!
What are FSBOs in France even called and are they popular?
So, the first question is do FSBO listings even exist in France? After all, France has a reputation for being very bureaucratic and very paperwork driven. Would French sellers even be open to selling property directly without the involvement of a real estate agent, broker or realtor?
Well, here's the truth that may surprise you!
“OUR EXPERT INSIGHT - 40% OF ALL PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS IN FRANCE DON’T INVOLVE A REAL ESTATE AGENT AND ARE THEREFORE FSBO.
Surprised? Most American buyers in France are!!”
That's right! While most American buyers automatically turn to real estate agency listings when it comes time to search for their dream property, you might be missing a trick! And most importantly, you might be paying tens of thousands of euros more than you need to for your prefect French property!
By comparison, in the USA, According to the NAR (National Association of Realtors) in the USA, FSBOs account for about only 6% of all property purchases in America! That’s certainly a significant difference!
As indeed, in France, a significant amount of all French property sales are private sales between buyer and seller without any real estate agency involvement at all – they are the equivalent of FSBO purchases. In fact, an estimated 40% of French property happen directly between buyer and seller directly (with the obligatory involvement of at least one French notaire), bypassing agency fees entirely.
In France, FSBO properties are sometimes referred to as “particulier à particulier” sales or “entre particuliers” or a sale that is “sans agence” and if you actually know where to look (more on that later!), there are lots of FSBO properties that are quite interesting, from the budget friendly to the serious budgets and even prestige properties!
Do we have your attention yet? Surprised just how common private property transactions are in France? Most international buyers are!
But let’s get to the figures! What savings could you benefit from if you successfully purchase an FSBO listing in France?
With private sales / FSBO transactions in France being so common, what does this mean for YOU as a buyer in France?
Let’s talk numbers and real savings!
The financial advantage of FSBO in France: Breaking down the numbers and potential savings!
Let's talk savings. What could this actually mean in terms of extra money in your pocket. Or, as most of our clients feel, making sure that your budget for your dream French property can be stretched that much further!
Real estate agency fees in France vary widely! They tend to be higher (as a percentage) the lower the price of the property. On some property values, the real estate agency fees are about what many American buyers are used to - about 6%. For others, they can be substantially higher (for example 10% on some of the lower budget properties), which can certainly come as a surprise.
There’s often the question also about who actually pays the real estate agency fees – buyer or seller, which can feel like a particularly important point especially with recent changes in the US and court rulings with NAR. The bottom line is that in France, when a real estate agency is involved, the money to pay the full agency fee comes from the same source – the buyer. Sometimes, the buyer pays directly for the full fee of the real estate agency (always via the notaire) and sometimes the full fee is deducted from the funds that ultimately are released to the seller (again via the notaire).
So, really, for most transactions in France, the full real estate agency fee comes from the funds from the buyer and ultimately reduces the net seller amount that the seller gets as part of selling their property. So, what could that mean for you? Our detailed savings chart (see below) illustrates just how significant these savings can be!
FRENCH FSBO DEALS DIRECT SALE PROPERTY PURCHASES IN FRANCE: POTENTIAL SAVINGS FOR BUYERS - AN EXAMPLE TO CONSIDER
That’s a lot of numbers to digest, so let’s point out a few specific examples and what this could mean for your budget for your French property purchase as an American buyer.
Properties under €200,000: Agency fees typically range from 8-9%
On a €150,000 property: Save €12,000-14,000
Properties around €200,000: Agency fees average 7%
Save approximately €14,000
Properties around €300,000: Agency fees drop to about 6%
Save approximately €18,000
€500,000 properties:
Save potentially €30,000
Properties at €1 million+:
Even with lower percentage fees, savings could reach €50,000
“With those sorts of potential savings if you purchase an FSBO property in France, maybe you could afford to change the kitchen, put in an additional bathroom, or even install that dream swimming pool! This is the main reason why so many transactions in France are private / direct! ”
Why many American and international buyers miss out on FSBO opportunities in France
Despite the significant financial benefits, many American and international buyers never consider FSBO properties in France. Even if US buyers have had previous experience purchasing property in the USA working with a real estate agency or with an FSBO listing, most American buyers might feel a bit nervous about pursuing FSBO listings in France despite the obvious financial advantages.
Some common reasons why some American buyers don’t bother researching FSBO listings in France include:
Discovery challenges: Uncertainty about where to find direct-seller listings
Language barriers: French FSBO websites look unfamiliar and require language skills, translation apps aren’t perfect!
Communication hurdles: Hesitation about contacting French sellers directly
Process concerns: Questions about how viewings and transactions work without an agent
Confidence issues: Feeling intimidated by navigating a foreign system independently
Risk: It may feel like a big risk to choose to contact a seller direct and ultimately not work with a real estate agent for a French property search.
There are legitimate reasons why pursuing an FSBO purchase as an American or international buyer can seen intimidating! Even impossible!
But it is doable!
You just need the right tools and knowledge!
Let’s address an obvious question - The information gap: Why FSBOs aren't promoted to American and international buyers
First things first, ever wonder why you don't hear much about FSBO opportunities when researching French property purchases online? If FSBO and private sales are so popular in France (a whopping 40% of all real estate transactions in France in any given year), then why don’t you see more about those opportunities online? If you really can benefit from substantial savings on your property purchase by pursing a direct sale / FSBO transaction in France, then why does nobody talk about this option online when giving advice…. Well… nobody BUT US!!
WHY? BECAUSE, Sometimes, the most simple and obvious explanation is the correct one!
“None of the real estate agents, brokers, realtors, property hunters, and buyers agents working in France trying to sell you one of their property listings is going to help you educate yourself so that you feel confident, knowledgeable and empowered enough to ultimately purchase a property without their involvement (an FSBO transaction). They will not give you the tools and knowledge to purchase a property where they don’t get their commission or fees at closing! It is not good business practice for them! ”
If you’ve done some basic online research for purchasing property in France, particularly if you’re looking for English language advice, guides, or materials, you might have noticed a common theme. What is that commonality? Most online resources, buyer guides, and so called "helpful" articles about buying property in France come from real estate agencies or affiliated services. These sources have little incentive to educate you about options that might make their involvement (and their commission) obsolete! It’s normal. It’s business!
Even French notaires (the legal professionals who handle property transactions and are an absolutely necessary part of any legal French property purchase) won't typically invest time educating you until you've had an offer accepted. That is a fact!
As one client told us and we can confirm first hand "The notaires aren't really going to be interested in speaking with you until you've had an offer accepted, so that doesn't really help either." We agree!
This is indeed the case! By the time you're working with a notaire, it's too late to benefit from FSBO savings you might have been able to make if you were able to contact the seller direct and view a property and negotiate a deal without the involvement of a real estate agent. In reality, you need proper education and tools much earlier than the notaire involvement – you need expert insight as soon as you start looking for French properties, and certainly in order to contact sellers direct!
You might think that notaires get paid serious money for property purchases if you look at the notaire fees for French property transactions! But remember, that a substantial majority of those “notaire” fees are actually government taxes and the real notaire fees are regulated by the government and relatively minimal.
As an anecdote, a notaire shared with us in a recent transaction for a property purchase of 1 million euros, that the fees that they (and their clerks and office) actually got paid was about 5k! The rest was government taxes and other department and legal fees! In France, notaires not only handle property transactions but all sorts of other tasks of a legal nature including wills, inheritance and so forth!
Empowering yourself with the right tools and expert knowledge: The key to FSBO success in France
Here's the truth that many players in the French real estate market don't want you to know: with the right education and resources, any American buyer can confidently navigate the French FSBO market. Regardless of your level of French language skills or expertise with purchasing property in the US or France!
But this is the key bit, the solution to capitalize on these potential savings is clear – it is YOU!
“You need to empower yourself! You need to invest in yourself to obtain the tools and knowledge to get confident and be able to move forward with an FSBO French property purchase confident that you are not putting yourself or your financial investment at risk! ”
The path forward: Becoming FSBO-Ready to take advantage of the potential cost savings for your French property purchase!
At French Property Focus, we combine experience in both American and French real estate markets to provide you with specialized knowledge about the French property landscape. Our mission is to help American buyers get knowledgeable, confident and above all, EMPOWERED to move forward with a successful property purchase in France!
We share a variety of free resources, as well as offer online courses, downloadable guides, and personalized live calls for those buyers who are ready to get serious about their French property search and invest in themselves!
“If you’re interested in investing in yourself and finally getting the tools and knowledge you need to move forward with an FSBO property purchase in France, then our online courses could be right for you! We also can schedule a 1-hour personalized live call to clarify any questions regarding FSBOs. ”
Your next steps: Option 1 – Learn how to find FSBO properties in France with our online course "How to Optimize Your French Property Search”
Ready to leverage our years of French real estate expertise combined with our unique cultural insight to FINALLY find your Dream French property while saving serious money and maximizing your budget?
Want our expert advice on how to successfully find FSBO properties, ask the right questions, make contact with the sellers and even a template on how to contact French sellers to get the best response?
We even share our industry insight on how to hunt down the right information to turn a normal property listing into an FSBO listing!
We've developed an online course specifically focused on helping American property hunters in France get a handle on the main differences, and learn our expert strategies to find your dream property in France!
Your next steps: Option 2 – Get knowledgeable about the costs, fees, expenses and contingency plans for your FSBO property purchase with our Online Course "The Complete Cost Guide to French Property”!
Do your homework on this important financial decision! Invest in yourself and your own knowledge and confidence!
We've developed an online course specifically focused on helping American property hunters in France get a handle on costs, fees and expenses for purchasing and maintaining your dream French property! Including special considerations and contingencies for FSBO purchases!
From the obvious, to the hidden and surprising, we cover all the necessary and optional costs related to your French property purchase! Learn our expert strategies to avoid overpaying for your French property, going over your purchase budget, face hidden fees and nasty surprises! Get clear and know your budget and costs! Move forward with your French property purchase WITH CONFIDENCE!
Your Next Steps: Option 3 – Book your 1 hour personalized FSBO live consultation expert call!
We have a limited number of time slots available for a 1 hour live calls with buyers focusing specifically on FSBO opportunities - For Sale by Owner (seller direct opportunities).
During these calls, you can ask us anything related to the French property search focusing on FSBO - no question is too big or small!
Whether it’s the big questions about where to start and how to find FSBO properties in France, or a specific question about negotiating an offer with a seller/ owner direct, what pitfalls to avoid with your FSBO purchase, we can help!
If you want a truly independent unbiased professional opinion on a specific situation you’re facing related to looking for and purchasing FSBO / seller direct properties, then we can help!
Your next steps: Option 4 – Apply for free personalized advice to answer your questions (and no… it’s not AI, it’s us! Real people with expert insight giving you free valuable advice!)
Every American buyer in France is different with their own unique search criteria, challenges and questions! No two French property searches are ever the same!
Want to get some FREE personalized expert advice? You’re in the right place! No obligation, no catch, just genuinely useful actionable expert advice for your French property search! Apply here!
Learn more and move forward with your French property search!
The potential savings from purchasing a FSBO property in France can be substantial. These savings can often be tens of thousands of euros that could stretch your purchase budget for your French property, help you budget for future renovations, or quite simply reduce your overall investment.
We’ve helped many clients successfully find and purchase FSBO properties in France and we’re confident we can do the same for you – we’d love to help you get the tools and knowledge to pursue your dream French property purchase!
Ready to Get Empowered?
Have questions about whether our courses would be right for you? Get in touch! Send us an email and we’ll respond! If you’d like to schedule a complementary 15 minute call to clarify whether this course is right for you, just let us know! Zoom or Whatsapp is best! Lastly, if you think we can help, but your questions about purchasing French property are beyond our current online course, not to worry! We can book your own 1 hour custom tailored call during which you can ask us any question (big or small) for your French property search!
We'd love to hear from you! Contact us directly and take the first step toward your confident, informed French property purchase. You can reach us at info@frenchpropertyfocus.com or via French mobile / Whatsapp at give number at +33(0)635906852.
Want more expert advice?
If you are ready to get serious about your French property search and invest in yourself – your knowledge, your confidence, your understanding of how to find and purchase your dream French property at the best price possible and with the least amount of stress and most joy, then trust us. We’ve worked with hundreds of buyers just like you! We can help!
Contact us at info@frenchpropertyfocus.com or via French mobile / Whatsapp at give number at +33(0)635906852.
“Our mission is to educate and empower American buyers property hunting in France! Our goal is to help you get the knowledge and confidence to finally move forward with finding and buying your dream French property with more joy and less stress!”
We are a small team of experts in French real estate whose mission it is to educate, assist and EMPOWER Americans looking to buy in France.
Follow us as we share our expertise with you! We will be sharing free advice, behind the scenes insights, real estate secrets, and the ultimate 100% only useful info guides, e-books and online courses / digital courses helping you get the insight, knowledge and confident to purchase in France.
