Expat Community > France

caramellos
Joined 2015
Posts: 5

Purchasing a house

8 years ago

Hi again,

My partner and I are homeowners in the UK, and while he grew up with the concept that flat living was the way to go and big cities were preferable, after having found enjoyment in the sleepy village near a big city nature of our current location and feeling the frustration of confined UK housing, we are certainly keen to purchase a house outside of Paris in a relatively nearby town or city.

We would like to know what sort of costs and hurdles we face in acquiring a mortgage, we are still a relatively young couple so while we are selling our house at a profit, we will still need a mortgage and would like to save some of the money we get for our daughter and other life events.

When playing with estimators online, we saw there was some ridiculous fee like 25,000 euros for a 300,000 euro home in Paris, does this hold true in the surrounding areas? Are we misinterpreting something? We viewed it as akin to a particularly egregious version of Stamp Duty at the time, but may just be ignorant of the process in general. How do mortgages and the process work in France?

We will also look to potentially add on to a property we purchase. In the UK this is relatively easy due to the popularity of former council housing and the lack of space otherwise, but my partner's parents mentioned struggling intensely to get a small building added to their vacation property in the west of France - is it difficult and expensive to simply get permission to extend one's house or modify the structure?

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

Living in France Guide

Guide to Living in France covering expat life, local culture, finding a home, diversity and more.

France Forum
Join our France forum to meet other expats and talk about living in France.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in France.

Best Places to Live in France

If you're thinking about living in France, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in France in 2023.

Healthcare in France

Expats often ask if health insurance is free in France or if you need health insurance to go to France. Here is basic information about the French healthcare system.

Cost of Living in France

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in France.

Moving to France Guide

Expats all over the world dream of someday making France their next destination. As with other countries, there is a lot of planning involved, and a lot of decisions to be made.

Real Estate in France

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in France.

Pros & Cons of Living in France

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in France.

Retiring in France

Advice for people retiring in France.

10 Tips for Living in France

If you've recently arrived in France, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in France.

Additional Information:

Visit our France Index for a Full List

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

Contribute
Help others in France by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in France.

Login

Or, Send Login Link

Expat Community > France

Purchasing a house

Login