Sud'Arrange.

Under French law, if you offer the asking price without any suspensive conditions, the seller is generally obliged to sell the property to you and cannot promise it to someone else.

Overbidding is therefore usually pointless in France.

You can submit a lower offer, but there are no standard percentages or customary amounts, as it depends on many factors. Be careful — if your offer is too low, French sellers may decide to withdraw entirely!

The Compromis de Vente is the preliminary contract and triggers a number of checks. The notary verifies that the property hasn’t been promised to someone else, that there are no high mortgages on the property, that pre-emption rights are addressed, and that no easements apply.

The acte authentique (final deed) is then mostly a formality, confirming that everything is in order and that you, as the buyer, still wish to proceed with the purchase.

After an offer is accepted, a Promesse de Vente is usually drawn up and signed within 30 days.

After signing, you have a 10-day cooling-off period during which you can withdraw without any cost. At the same time, the first pre-emption right is exercised — usually by the municipality — which takes about 1 month. For rural properties, the agricultural pre-emption right (SAFER) also applies, typically taking an additional 2 months, though this can be reduced to 1 month.

So, you can generally expect the process to take around 4 months from the moment your offer is accepted.

A French notary is the only professional authorized to draw up an acte authentique (final deed) in France and register it with the land registry.

The notary acts as a neutral party, ensuring that the process complies with the law. However, because of this neutral role, they do not represent the interests of either the buyer or the seller. It is therefore advisable to have a buyer’s agent assist you to oversee the procedure and protect your interests.