The Estate Agent

Estate agents (agents immobiliers) in France are usually local to an area and therefore will only have properties for sale within that area. The agent will try to obtain the best possible price for the vendor, but will know what price the vendor will accept. The agent earns commission from the sale of the property and this is usually paid by the vendor, but you should check with the agent as this is not always the case. Commission on the sale of a property may well be in the region of 5-8%. The agent should also be able to give you an estimation of all the other fees and the property charges that you will be responsible for when you are the owner.

Most estate agents are members of FNAIM, the Fédération Nationale des Agents Immobiliers and all must hold a Carte Professionelle