You can buy without restriction
US citizens can purchase property in France freely. There is no nationality restriction, no permit to obtain, and no minimum stay requirement attached to ownership.
Owning property does not, however, give you the right to live in France. That is a separate question, settled by your visa.
The five stages
- Find the property, through an agent or a direct listing
- Make a written offer (offre d’achat)
- Sign the preliminary contract (compromis de vente) — buyers get a 10-day cooling-off period, or 14 days if it was signed remotely
- Due diligence, while the notaire completes searches — officially 2–4 months, though delays of 3–6 months have become increasingly common since 2024
- Final signing (acte authentique) at the notaire’s office
The cooling-off period belongs to the buyer alone. Once it passes, withdrawing generally costs you the deposit.
What happens during the conditions period
Between the compromis and the final deed the notaire verifies title while you secure financing. This is also when the mandatory diagnostics are reviewed — the seller pays for them, but reading them is your job.
- Energy performance (DPE), asbestos, lead, termites and natural risks
- The notaire’s searches: ownership history, liens, easements, planning restrictions and the commune’s pre-emption right
- Your mortgage offer, if the sale is conditional on one
Get mortgage pre-approval before making serious offers. A financing condition protects you, but an offer without pre-approval is weaker, and arranging the loan is what most often pushes the conditions period past its two to three months.
How long the whole thing takes
Expect 3–5 months from accepted offer to keys in current market conditions. Foreign buyers have had somewhat more streamlined documentation since 2025, and final signing is now routinely a hybrid of digital and in-person.
Budget 7–10% on top
- Notaire fees: 7–8% for property over five years old, 2–3% for new builds
- Agency fees: 3–8%, usually paid by the seller — but confirm who pays in the contract
- Mortgage arrangement fees: 1–2% if you are financing
- Diagnostics and surveys: €800–3,500 depending on age and size
- Deposit at the compromis: 5–10% of the price, held in escrow by the notaire
Most of what is called “notaire fees” is transfer tax collected for the state, not the notaire’s own fee. Registration taxes run 5.09–6.31% depending on département. Since 1 April 2025 départements may set the rate up to 5.0%, previously capped at 4.5%: on the mid-2026 official table, 88 of 100 charge the new rate, 11 remain at 4.5%, and only Indre and Mayotte still charge 3.80%. Confirm yours with the notaire before budgeting.
Two things that reduce the bill
- First-time buyers (primo-accédants) purchasing a primary residence are exempt nationwide from the 0.5-point increase — a national rule, not a local option, but eligibility turns on your buyer status, so confirm it with your notaire
- The taxable base can be reduced by the itemised value of genuine furniture and movable fixtures included in the sale, up to 5% of the price
The percentage runs higher on cheaper property, because the administrative disbursements inside it are largely fixed. An official fee simulator is published at immobilier.notaires.fr.