A France buyer’s agent,
in your corner.
In France, every listing agent works for the seller. We work only for you: finding the right home, at the right price, on the right terms, and handling the entire purchase in English, from wherever you live.
Picture landing in Bordeaux for a five-day house-hunting trip, jet-lagged, fifteen viewings crammed into a spreadsheet. Every agent you meet works for the seller. Every price you hear leans in the seller’s favour. Yet most international buyers still walk into the French market without anyone in their corner. That imbalance is exactly what a France buyer’s agent, a chasseur immobilier, is built to correct.
One mandate. Yours.
A buyer’s agent represents you and only you. No dual loyalty, no seller commission, no pressure to close on a specific listing. The mandate is simple: the right property, at the right price, on the right terms, for you.
Independent representation, explained simply
In France, the traditional agent is paid by the seller and works for the seller. That is legitimate, but it is not neutral. When you engage a buyer’s agent the relationship flips: you sign a search mandate with us, we work exclusively on your brief, and every recommendation answers one question, is this good for you?
A full-scope search, not a curated listings feed
Public portals show roughly the same properties every international buyer sees. A proper search on the ground includes off-market inventory, private sellers, notaire listings and agency exclusives across several networks, plus word of mouth in the villages where the best homes rarely reach a website.
Handled remotely, in English, from start to finish
You are likely reading this from New York, London, Singapore or Sydney. Our role is to compress the distance: shortlisting, video tours, in-person viewings on your behalf, written reports and clear guidance through every French document. The project runs in English; the work happens on French soil.
→ The FRE insight
In a market with more supply than demand, the buyer who arrives with a professional negotiator, a clean file and local benchmarks almost always closes below asking. That advantage did not exist to the same degree a few years ago.
Five steps, in your corner.
Briefing and search mandate
A long conversation, not a form. What the home is for, who will use it, in which season, near which airport, with what art de vivre in mind. We draft a written brief, agree the search perimeter and sign the mandate.
On-the-ground search
Your brief goes across our network of agents, notaires and private sellers, plus the off-market inventory that never reaches a portal. We pre-screen against your criteria before any property reaches your inbox.
Shortlists, viewings and reports
Curated shortlists with honest commentary, not glossy PDFs. We visit on the ground, film each property and flag concerns before you book a flight. Then one focused trip: five to eight serious viewings, decisions made with clarity.
Offer and negotiation
We build the offer file and negotiate on your behalf, targeting five to twelve percent below asking where the file supports it. Independent price benchmarks back every number.
Compromis, notaire, turnkey
We coordinate the compromis de vente and the final deed with the notaire, every document explained in English. Renovation, design and furnishing continue with the same team if you wish.
The market has tipped toward the buyer.
Inventory has widened, time on market has stretched, and sellers who priced ambitiously are open to serious offers. Placed side by side, the two paths look very different. Figures are indicative and vary by region and profile.
| Dimension | Buying alone | With a France buyer’s agent |
|---|---|---|
| Whose interest is represented | The seller’s, through listing agents | Yours, exclusively |
| Access to inventory | Public portals | Public, off-market, private, notaire |
| Time invested by you | 6 to 18 months, often multiple trips | 3 to 6 months, one or two focused trips |
| Typical negotiation outcome | 0 to 3% off asking | 5 to 12% off asking, often more |
| Language and legal navigation | On you | Handled in English by the team |
| Post-purchase support | To be built from scratch | Renovation, design, furnishing available |
→ Good to know
Ask any buyer’s agent to walk you through three recent transactions with actual before-and-after numbers. If the negotiation delta consistently covers the fee, the economics work.
Everything handled for you.
- A search mandate representing you exclusively
- Access to off-market, private and notaire inventory
- Curated shortlists with floor plans and video walk-throughs
- In-person viewings on your behalf, with written reports
- Independent price benchmarks and valuation cross-check
- Bilingual negotiation of price and terms
- Compromis de vente and notaire deed, explained in English
- Optional renovation, design and furnishing with the same team
No surprises after signature.
Beyond the purchase price, a French acquisition involves notaire fees (roughly 7 to 8 percent for older properties, 2 to 3 percent for new builds), agency fees where applicable, potential works, furniture, taxes and running costs. We put all of it on one page before you commit.
An illustrative budget frame
Take a 600,000 euro stone house in the Luberon needing a light refresh. Notaire fees around 45,000 euros. Cosmetic works and kitchen, 40,000 to 70,000. Furniture and setup, 25,000 to 50,000. All-in, you are closer to 720,000 to 770,000 euros before you sleep the first night. Knowing this from day one changes which properties you even consider.
Not every buyer needs the same level of support, and we are honest about that on the first call. The fit is strongest for:
- International buyers based abroad who cannot travel repeatedly for viewings.
- Busy professionals who value their time more than the do-it-yourself route.
- Buyers targeting rural or off-the-beaten-path regions where local knowledge is decisive.
- Anyone considering a property that will need works, where cost estimation is critical.
- Buyers who want a single English-speaking point of contact through every step.
→ On the ground
The best searches begin with a client who can describe a Sunday morning in the house: the light, the terrace, the drive to the market. From there, we work backward to the property.
France buyer’s agent, answered.
What exactly does a France buyer’s agent do?
A buyer’s agent (chasseur immobilier) represents the buyer, not the seller. We define your brief, search public and off-market inventory, visit and vet properties on the ground, negotiate the price and terms on your behalf, and guide you through the compromis de vente and the notaire deed, all in English.
How is this different from a normal French estate agent?
A traditional French agent is mandated and paid by the seller, so their duty is to the seller. A buyer’s agent works under a search mandate for you alone, with no seller commission and no incentive to push a particular listing.
How much does a buyer’s agent in France cost?
Our fee sits within a range typical of the profession and is transparent from the first call. On most transactions the reduction we negotiate offsets the fee entirely; the off-market access, time saved and legal guidance sit on top.
Can the whole purchase be handled remotely, in English?
Yes. Most of our clients live abroad. We handle shortlisting, video tours, in-person viewings on your behalf, written reports and every French document in English. You typically make one or two focused trips rather than many.
What access do you have beyond the public portals?
Beyond public listings we reach off-market properties, private sellers, notaire listings and agency exclusives across several networks, plus word of mouth in villages where the best homes rarely appear online.
How long does a search usually take?
Most searches run three to six months from signed mandate to signed offer, compared with six to eighteen months for buyers going it alone. A clear brief at the start is the single biggest factor in a fast, calm search.
Tell us what Sunday morning looks like.
Describe the home you have in mind and we will tell you honestly where to find it, what it should cost, and how we would run the search on your behalf.
Book a private call