Independent Buyer's Agent
Property Finder France
Your Independent Buyer's Agent for French Real Estate
Rooted in France. Devoted to your interests.
You are looking to buy property in France. Not because it is simple, but because it is worth it. The architecture, the land, the legal permanence, the art of living. France offers all of this. What it does not offer, by default, is someone in your corner.
Maison Arboris is an independent property finder and buyer's agent operating exclusively on behalf of international buyers in France. We hold no seller mandates. We accept no referral commissions from third parties. Our only mandate is yours.
Whether you are acquiring a Haussmann apartment in Paris, a mas in the Luberon, a villa on the Côte d'Azur, or a wine estate in Bordeaux, we navigate the French market for you, from the first search to the final signature.
36,000+
Municipalities in France
Each with unique rules
30–40%
Off-market transactions
In the prestige segment
100%
Buyer-side only
No seller mandates, ever
The Reality
Why International Buyers Need a Property Finder in France
The French Market Is Designed for Sellers, Not Buyers
The French real estate market is fragmented by design. There is no centralised MLS. Listings are spread across thousands of independent agencies, notarial offices, private networks, and word-of-mouth channels. France has over 36,000 municipalities, each with its own urban planning rules, local dynamics, and pricing logic.
The agents you encounter in that market, however courteous, represent the seller. Their legal obligation is to the party paying their commission. That party is not you.
Beyond fragmentation, the process itself is technically demanding:
- The compromis de vente (preliminary sale agreement) is legally binding and contains clauses that must be negotiated before signature, not after
- The notaire is a public officer, neutral by definition, not an advocate for either party
- Up to 30–40% of prestige transactions occur entirely off-market, never listed publicly
- Diagnostic reports, PLU zoning, co-ownership regulations (règlement de copropriété), and structural assessments all require expert interpretation
For a buyer operating from London, Dubai, New York, or Geneva, navigating this alone is not a risk, it is an unnecessary one.
What a Buyer's Agent in France Actually Does
A chasseur immobilier, a property finder or buyer's agent, holds an exclusive mandate from the buyer. This is a fundamental distinction from a traditional estate agent.
In practice, this means:
We search on your behalf. Access to listed properties, off-market inventory, pre-market opportunities, and our private network of notaires, architects, and developers. If a property matches your criteria and it exists in France, we will find it.
We evaluate with full transparency. Every shortlisted property is delivered with a detailed advisory note: pricing relative to market comparables, structural observations, legal status, renovation cost estimates where relevant, and our honest assessment.
We negotiate for your interests alone. Buyers without representation consistently overpay, not because sellers are dishonest, but because price anchoring and negotiation dynamics inherently favour the informed party. We are that party.
We coordinate the legal process. From compromis de vente clause structuring to acte de vente coordination, we work alongside your notaire to protect your position at every step.
We manage the process remotely if needed. International buyers regularly complete acquisitions with Maison Arboris without travelling to France before the final signature. Video viewings, digital documentation, and power of attorney make this fully achievable.
Our Practice
Maison Arboris: Private Real Estate Advisory for International Buyers
We Represent Buyers. Only Buyers. Always.
Maison Arboris was built on a single structural decision: no seller mandates, ever.
This is not a marketing position. It is an operational one. The moment an advisory firm accepts seller mandates, conflicts of interest become structurally inevitable, regardless of intention. We chose to eliminate that possibility entirely.
Our fee is paid by the buyer, upon successful acquisition only. No purchase means no fee. No hidden commissions, no referral arrangements with agencies or developers, no financial interest in which property you choose.
Your advisor's incentive must be aligned with your outcome. Not with a transaction. Not with a commission. With the quality and integrity of your acquisition.
Built for the International Buyer
France is not a difficult country to buy property in. It is a country where the process rewards those who understand it, and penalises those who do not.
We bridge that gap.
Sarah and Sabine, co-founders of Maison Arboris, work in English, French, and Arabic. They have guided buyers from the United Kingdom, the United States, the Gulf, and across Europe through acquisitions ranging from city apartments to estate properties. The cultural intelligence this requires is not incidental, it is central to the work.
Sarah
Co-founder
Sabine
Co-founder
An American buyer and a buyer from the UAE approach risk, timeline, and negotiation differently. French sellers and notaires operate within their own professional and cultural norms. Our role is to translate, not just linguistically, but contextually, so that your acquisition proceeds with clarity on all sides.
Independent Advisory
EN / FR / AR
Private Practice
The Process
How Our Property Search Service Works
Buying property in France with Maison Arboris follows a structured five-stage process. Every stage is designed to protect your interests, maintain your oversight, and compress the timeline without compromising quality.
Step 1
Discovery & Mandate
We begin with a confidential briefing call, typically 30 to 45 minutes. We listen. We ask the questions that most agents skip: not just budget and location, but your timeline, your intended use, your appetite for renovation, your tax situation, and your vision for the asset over the next ten to twenty years.
From this, we define your acquisition criteria and formalise our engagement through an exclusive buyer's mandate. From this point, your interests are legally represented by Maison Arboris.
Step 2
Search & Off-Market Sourcing
We activate our search across all channels simultaneously: listed properties, agency networks, and our proprietary off-market sources, notarial offices, private sellers, developers, and our network of local contacts built over years of practice in each region.
You receive regular shortlists, each accompanied by a full advisory note. We do not send you unfiltered listings. We send you properties we would genuinely recommend you visit.
Step 3
Evaluation & Due Diligence
For each property you wish to pursue, we conduct a thorough evaluation:
- Physical visit with HD video report for remote buyers
- Price benchmarking against comparable sales in the area
- PLU (urban planning) and buildability verification
- Review of available diagnostics and identification of those requiring commission
- Co-ownership documentation review where applicable
- Legal title status with our trusted notarial partners
We present findings clearly. We give you our assessment, not just the facts, but what we think they mean for your acquisition.
Step 4
Negotiation & Offer
We handle price negotiation on your behalf, drawing on current market data, the property's time on market, the seller's position, and comparable transactions. Buyers without professional representation systematically overpay, our mandate is to prevent that.
Once terms are agreed, we work with your notaire on compromis de vente clause structuring: suspensive conditions, deposit levels, timelines, and any property-specific protections.
You have ten days to withdraw from a compromis without penalty once signed. We use this period strategically.
Step 5
From Signing to Keys
Between the compromis and the acte de vente (typically two to three months), we coordinate the full process: notaire liaisons, mortgage broker introductions if required, currency exchange timing guidance, and technical follow-ups.
At the final signing, your acquisition is complete. We remain available for post-purchase introductions: trusted architects, interior designers, property managers, and tax advisors, whatever the asset requires next.
From Paris to the Côte d'Azur, we search where you wish to live.
Coverage
Where We Search: French Regions We Cover
Paris & Île-de-France
The Paris market operates at a different pace and density than the rest of France. As of early 2026, average prices across the city range between €9,700 and €10,700/m², with premium arrondissements (6th, 7th, 8th) regularly exceeding €14,000/m². After two years of moderate correction, the market is stabilising, creating well-timed conditions for buyers who move with clarity. Competition for quality assets remains consistent. Loi Carrez measurements, co-ownership charges, and renovation permissions under historic building regulations require careful navigation. We operate with a network of Paris-specialist notaires and sourcers.
Provence & the Luberon
The Provence market is driven by a mix of French secondary residence buyers, Northern European expats, and international UHNW buyers seeking lifestyle assets. Mas, bastides, and farmhouses with land remain in high demand. Off-market transactions dominate at the top end. We have deep roots in this region.
French Riviera & Côte d'Azur
Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Saint-Tropez, and the surrounding hills represent one of France's most internationally contested real estate markets. In 2026, average prices range from €6,000 to €9,000/m² for standard prestige assets, with exceptional trophy properties, seafront villas, La Croisette addresses, reaching well above €15,000/m². International ownership structures, SCI, holding companies, are common and require specific legal and tax coordination. We advise on structuring options alongside specialist counsel.
Bordeaux & South-West France
Bordeaux and the Gironde experienced significant appreciation over the previous decade, followed by a meaningful correction between 2023 and 2025 under the pressure of tighter credit conditions. As of early 2026, prices have stabilised around €4,600/m² in the city, representing a more rational entry point than at the peak, with gross rental yields now averaging approximately 4%. The region also offers a distinct category: wine estates and agricultural properties with appellation land, assets that combine lifestyle, heritage, and investment logic. We work with specialist estate evaluators for these mandates.
Other Regions on Mandate
Loire Valley, Normandy, Alsace, Languedoc-Roussillon, if you have a region in mind, we have the network and the capacity to operate there. Our approach does not change: rigorous, buyer-first, and entirely on your behalf.
Market Snapshot, Q1 2026
| Region | Avg. Price (€/m²) | Gross Yield |
|---|---|---|
| Paris (central) | €9,700 – €10,700 | ~2.5–3% |
| Côte d'Azur | €6,000 – €9,000+ | ~2.8% |
| Bordeaux | ~€4,600 | ~4% |
| Montpellier | ~€3,400 | ~5.2% |
Figures sourced from MeilleursAgents and Meilleurtaux, March 2026. All data is indicative and varies significantly by property type, location, condition, and segment. We provide property-specific benchmarking as part of our advisory process.
Transparency
What Does a Property Finder in France Cost?
Our Fee Structure
Maison Arboris operates on a success-only fee model. Our fee is due exclusively upon the successful completion of your acquisition, when the acte de vente is signed and the property is yours.
2–3%
Advisory fee on acquisition price
Success-only. No retainer.
~7–8%
Notaire fees (state-regulated)
~3% for new-build properties
Our fee is typically 2 to 3% of the acquisition price, agreed in advance and stated clearly in your mandate. There are no retainer fees, no search deposits, and no referral arrangements with any third party.
Notaire fees, which are regulated by the French state, represent an additional ~7 to 8% of the purchase price for existing properties (~3% for new builds). These are separate from our advisory fee and are payable directly to the notarial office.
The Real Cost of Proceeding Without Representation
We are transparent about this because it matters: buyers who negotiate without professional representation in France consistently pay more than those who are advised.
Pricing in French prestige real estate is rarely transparent. Asking prices are starting points. The gap between listed price and transaction price, and the clauses written into the compromis, are where the real negotiation occurs. Without a professional who understands both the market and the process, that gap closes in the seller's favour.
Beyond price: unreviewed compromis clauses have exposed buyers to significant legal and financial liability. Surveys we were not engaged to commission have later revealed structural issues. Timelines have stretched to twelve months or longer without professional coordination.
Our fee is not a cost. It is a risk-adjusted investment in the quality of your acquisition.
Knowledge
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. France imposes no legal restrictions on foreign ownership of real estate. No residency permit, visa, or prior authorisation is required. Non-residents, whether from the EU, the UK, the United States, or the Gulf, may acquire property freely. Ownership does not, however, automatically grant residency rights. If residency is part of your objective, we recommend coordinating with an immigration advisor from the outset.
Yes, and we manage this regularly for our clients. A combination of HD video property visits, digital document transmission, and acte de vente via power of attorney makes it entirely possible to complete a French acquisition without travelling until after closing, or not at all. We do not recommend purchasing any property without a thorough physical evaluation. We conduct that evaluation on your behalf and present findings with the depth required to make a confident decision.
A traditional agent immobilier represents the seller. Their commission is paid by the seller. Their legal and professional obligation is to the seller's interests. This is structural, not personal. A chasseur immobilier (property finder or buyer's agent) holds an exclusive mandate from the buyer. Their fee is paid by the buyer. Their sole obligation is to the buyer's interests. Maison Arboris is a chasseur immobilier. We never hold seller mandates.
From signed mandate to acte de vente, the process typically takes two to four months. The compromis de vente is signed first, followed by a legal and administrative period of approximately two to three months before the final deed. With Maison Arboris coordinating the search, shortlisting, due diligence, and legal process in parallel, timelines are optimised without compromising rigour.
Yes. French banks do lend to non-residents, though underwriting criteria are stricter and the documentation requirements are more demanding than for French residents. Loan-to-value ratios are typically lower, and proof of income and assets must be translated and certified. We connect our clients with specialist mortgage brokers experienced in non-resident lending. Currency risk, where income is in GBP, USD, or AED and the mortgage is in EUR, should also be managed proactively. We can introduce currency specialists as part of our post-mandate network.
For existing properties (built more than five years ago), droits de mutation (transfer taxes) represent approximately 5.8% of the purchase price. Combined with notaire fees and administrative costs, total acquisition costs are typically 7 to 8% of the purchase price on top of the agreed sale price. For new-build properties, acquisition costs reduce to approximately 2 to 3%, as VAT is already incorporated into the price. We provide a full cost model at the outset of each mandate so that your budget is calculated on the total acquisition figure, not just the asking price.
Next Step
Begin Your French Property Search
Your First Conversation Is Confidential
A 30-minute discovery call. No obligation. No sales process.
We will ask about your project. We will tell you honestly whether we are the right partner for it. If we are, we will explain exactly how we work and what you can expect from us.
The call takes place in English, French, or Arabic, whichever you prefer.
Maison Arboris. Rooted in France. Devoted to your interests.