Selling your French property with confidence
Expert guidance for a seamless sale.
Get a free valuation10,000+
International buyers contact us each year
2005
Sextant founded in London
100+
Local property consultants across France
1,830
Properties currently listed
A buyer pool that reaches well beyond France
France is among the most popular destinations in the world, and that demand reaches us directly. Every year more than 10,000 people — from the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Russia and further afield — contact us to buy a property in France, whether as a permanent move, an investment or a holiday home.
Selling through us is a straightforward process, and it starts with a conversation about what your property is worth.
Why sellers choose us
A fully registered French property consultant
Sextant France is registered in France, where property consultants are highly regulated and inspected. We hold liability insurance and insurance covering clients’ deposits, and work to strictly laid-down legislation.
Part of the Sextant Group, London
One of the most widely recognised names on the French property market. Selling with us means large-scale marketing that puts your property in front of international and French buyers alike.
How a sale actually works
Selling a French property involves several key steps. Here is the process end to end, and where we take the weight off you.
Engage a licensed property consultant
Partnering with a licensed, registered property consultant in France is usually the first step. They draft the sales contract (the mandat), setting out the property description, the agreed price and the brokerage fees, so both sides are clear on the terms from the start.
Complete the mandatory surveys
Before listing, you must complete the diagnostics and the energy report (DPE). These cover energy efficiency, asbestos and lead, and electrical installations, and the results must be shared with buyers. We can organise them for you.
Market your property
Your property consultant handles this: high-quality photography, a detailed description and the features that set the property apart. Listing across the major French and overseas property portals is what widens the audience.
Negotiate and sign the preliminary contract
Once a buyer is interested, negotiation settles the price and terms. Both parties then sign a preliminary contract — usually the Compromis de Vente — which includes a ten-day cooling-off period during which the buyer may withdraw without penalty.
Finalise the sale
After the cooling-off period and the remaining checks, the final deed (the Acte de Vente) is signed before a notaire, who confirms every legal requirement is met and transfers ownership. The buyer pays the balance and you hand over the keys.
Understand the tax position
Capital gains tax may apply, depending on how long you have owned the property and whether it was your main residence. A tax professional can tell you where you stand.
Work through these steps with experienced professionals and selling a French property is a process you can navigate with confidence.
Receive a free property valuation, with no obligation
Send us your details and a few words about the property — its location, its size, anything that matters. We will come back to you.