Selling property in France from the US: Complete guide

If you've inherited real estate or bought an investment property in France, you may now want to sell it. But selling overseas property from the US comes with many important questions, such as:

How do you price and market it right? What paperwork does France require for property sales? And how do you get your money back to the US without losing a big chunk to fees?

Selling French property comes with important considerations and requirements, but it's definitely possible to coordinate a successful deal, as long as you educate yourself on all the nuances.

Here's everything you need to know about how the process works.

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How do I determine how much my property is worth?

Getting the price of your French property right is important because overpricing keeps it sitting on the market, and underpricing leaves money on the table. Both aren't great scenarios.

You can start by researching comparable sales in your area. Real estate websites often show recent sales by neighborhood and property type.

But most sellers eventually request a formal appraisal from a French real estate agent or an independent appraiser (expert immobilier).

To give you an idea, the average price per square foot to buy an apartment in a city center in France is 469 EUR, and apartments outside the center average 310 EUR per square foot.¹

However, these are just averages. Naturally, high-end real estate properties or apartments in sought-after locations can sell for much more.

What to consider when selling a property in France

Selling with an agent vs. selling yourself

Working with a French real estate agent makes the process much simpler, especially if you're trying to handle the sale from abroad. They'll handle all viewings, negotiate with buyers, and manage the paperwork.

You also get to tap into their network, and they'll often have recommendations for real estate lawyers, notaries, and other important professionals you'll likely be using during your French property sale.

However, agent fees typically run 3% to 10% of the sale price, usually paid by the seller but sometimes split with the buyer.²

Selling privately cuts out commission but requires you to handle everything yourself, including marketing, showings, negotiations, and coordinating with the notaire. If you're in the US and don't speak a lot of French, this is usually an unrealistic route.

Overall, most Americans selling from abroad use an agent.

Tax obligations in France and the US

Selling French property triggers tax obligations in both France and the US, which surprises some Americans.

France charges capital gains tax on the profit you make, calculated as the difference between your purchase price and sale price.

The rate is 36.2% total, with 19% capital gains tax plus 17.2% social charges.³

The US also taxes your worldwide income, including gains from selling foreign property. However, there are ways to avoid capital gains tax on foreign property sales, such as claiming a Foreign Tax Credit for the French taxes you paid.

Capital gains tax rules can be quite confusing, especially if you're not French, which is why many Americans decide to work with a real estate lawyer or a tax professional.

Getting the Diagnostique de Performance Énergétique (DPE)

French law requires sellers to do property diagnostics before listing.

The most important is the Diagnostique de Performance Énergétique (DPE), which rates your property's energy efficiency on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient).

You must hire an approved specialist to conduct this assessment.

The results show things like energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, insulation levels, and estimated heating costs, and you'll need to include this information in your listing.

Documents required to sell property in France

All property sales are unique, so there's no one universal list of legal documents that you'll need to complete your transaction.

That said, here's what you'll typically need to prove your ownership and give your buyer full disclosure about the property's condition and legal status:

• Deed of sale to prove that you own the property
• All required property diagnostics
• Property tax statements from recent years
• Building plans and permits for any renovations or additions
• Homeowners' association documents if the property is in a shared building
• Energy bills
• Proof of identity, such as your US passport

If you can't locate your original deed, you can usually request a copy from the notaire who handled your purchase or from the French land registry.

For properties in apartment buildings, you may also need documents from your property manager showing your building's financial health, upcoming major works, and your share of common charges.

The French notaire handling your sale will verify all of these documents and make sure that everything meets legal requirements before the final signing.

How to sell property in France: step-by-step

1. Get your property diagnostics done

Before you can list your property, you need to complete all of the required property tests. Start this early because some tests, such as septic tank inspections, can take a long time to arrange.

These diagnostic surveys typically include tests for lead and asbestos in older properties, electrical and gas safety checks, natural disaster risk assessments, termite inspections, and sewerage compliance. Properties with pools will need security compliance certificates.

For apartments, you'll also often need surface area measurements.

Some of these results are purely informational for buyers, but you may also have to fix certain issues before you can start the selling process.

2. Choose a real estate agent

Once you have your diagnostics underway, select a French real estate agent to represent your property. It's a good idea to interview a few agents who know your area.

When you settle on an agent, you'll sign a sales mandate. This document authorizes them to market your property and specifies their commission, the listing period, and whether the mandate is exclusive.

3. Market the property

Your agent will photograph the property, write descriptions, and list it on French real estate websites and portals. The listing must include your DPE energy rating, and your agent will handle that, too.

If you're in the US, you'll coordinate with your agent on viewings, price adjustments, and buyer questions by email or video call.

If you're doing a private sale, you'll need to handle all of these logistics yourself.

4. Negotiate and accept an offer

When a buyer makes an offer, your agent negotiates on your behalf. French buyers often include conditions like obtaining mortgage approval or completing additional inspections.

Once you agree on terms, both parties sign either a compromis de vente or promesse de vente, which is the preliminary sales contract. The buyer pays a deposit at this stage, but they still have a 10-day cooling-off period to withdraw without penalty.⁴

After that, both sides are legally committed to the sale.

5. Work with the notaire through closing

A notaire (public legal official) handles the final transaction. The buyer usually chooses the notaire, but you can have your own work alongside theirs.

The notaire verifies property ownership, checks for liens or legal issues, calculates taxes, and prepares the final deed. Sometimes this part can take quite a long time.

6. Sign the final deed

The final signing typically happens at the notaire's office in France.

If you can't attend in person, you can usually grant power of attorney to someone to sign on your behalf. However, make sure to take care of this in advance.

7. Receive payment

At the signing, the buyer pays the remaining balance, the* notaire *deducts any taxes and fees, and you receive your proceeds. The property officially transfers to the new owner, and you hand over the keys (or your representative does).

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Is now a good time to sell property in France?

Potentially, yes.

The French real estate market has stabilized after a challenging 2023-2024 period, with conditions improving throughout 2025.

Market projections for 2026 suggest that prices will grow by 2% to 3% nationally.⁵

Big cities with limited housing supply are seeing better prices, but rural areas may still be more flat.

That said, whether you should sell now really comes down to your own situation. For example, if you inherited a house, and the taxes and upkeep are eating into your budget, waiting for a slightly better market won't help much.

At the same time, if you're holding an investment property and can afford to keep it, prices should continue their slow climb over the next few years.

And if you're close to the 22-year ownership mark, waiting a bit could eliminate a big chunk of the capital gains tax.³

How long does it take to sell a property in France?

Most properties take 3 to 4 months from listing to getting an accepted offer and signing the preliminary contract.⁶

That's the national average, but your timeline largely depends on where the property is and how it's priced. For example, a 1-bedroom apartment in a good location in Paris can often sell faster.

Generally speaking, houses typically take longer to sell than apartments, especially small ones. But good pricing and professional photos can make a big difference even for "slower" properties.

Costs of selling property in France

Selling a property in France, like in most countries in the world, comes with costs that cut into your final proceeds.

Many of these are paid from the sale proceeds at closing, so you don't need cash upfront, but you should know what to expect.

Here's a snapshot:

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As a US resident selling property in France worth more than 150,000 EUR, you're legally required to appoint a fiscal representative.⁷