What international buyers need to know before buying in France: what you may be able to borrow as a non-resident, what the purchase really costs, and how the French buying process works — with free calculators based on the published rules.
Free tools to plan a property purchase in France as a non-resident.
Yes. France places no restrictions on foreign nationals or non-residents buying property, whether it is a main home, a holiday home or an investment. You buy exactly as a French buyer does: through a notaire, the public official who checks the property’s legal history, drafts the deed and registers the sale.
Owning a home in France does not give you the right to live there. Citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland — including UK and US citizens — can stay at most 90 days in any 180-day period without a long-stay visa or residence permit.
Budget for more than the asking price. The buyer pays the so-called “notary fees”, which are mostly transfer taxes collected for the State and local authorities: usually about 7–9% of the price for an existing home (proportionally more for cheaper homes) and about 2–3% for a new build. Our French notary fees calculator breaks them down line by line using the published rates.
Other costs to plan for:
Often, yes. Several French banks lend to non-residents, but conditions are usually stricter than for people living in France and vary from bank to bank:
Living in the UK? Since Brexit, UK residents are generally treated like other non-EU applicants. US citizens find fewer willing lenders. If you earn in another currency, remember that your repayments are in euros: if the euro strengthens, they cost you more in your own currency — check you could still afford them after a 15–20% exchange-rate move. Our non-resident mortgage calculator applies typical lending rules to estimate the price you might afford.
From accepted offer to keys usually takes around three months. You sign a preliminary contract (the compromis de vente), get a legal 10-day cooling-off period, arrange your mortgage, then sign the final deed at the notaire’s office. Read the step-by-step guide to buying property in France for each stage and its deadlines.
Often, yes. Several French banks lend to non-residents. Expect a larger deposit than residents (lenders commonly finance 70–80% of the price, often less for non-EU residents), repayments kept within about 35% of your income, and a term of at most 25 years in most cases. Each bank sets its own criteria.
Plan for at least 20–30% of the price — often more if you live outside the EU — plus the buying costs (about 7–9% of the price for an existing home) and the lender’s costs.
No. You can sign the final deed through a power of attorney prepared by the notaire. Signed abroad, it usually needs to be certified (for example with an apostille), so plan ahead.
No. Non-EU citizens, including UK and US citizens, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period; living in France longer requires a long-stay visa or residence permit.
Typically around three months between signing the preliminary contract (compromis de vente) and the final deed. Allow more time if you need a mortgage as a non-resident.
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