Defining your real estate project in France

The acquisition of a property begins with an in-depth reflection on your needs, your expectations and your constraints. It is crucial to define your project well in order to facilitate research and avoid unnecessary visits.

The key role of the real estate agent

The real estate agent is much more than just an intermediary. He is a strategic advisor and a guarantor of the security of your transaction.

• An advisor to refine your project: he helps you to better define your criteria, adjust your expectations to the market and select relevant properties.
• An expert to secure your acquisition: the agent checks the compliance of documents, anticipates legal risks and advises you in your negotiations.
• A facilitator in the search process: he or she organises visits, coordinates the various actors (notaries, banks) and ensures compliance with legal deadlines.
• Collaboration, the key element of the success of your project: no real estate agent has the entire offer. With the MLS, your real estate agent can collaborate with his colleagues to give you access to the full range of products available.

👉 By choosing an MLS real estate agent, you benefit from the dynamics of an organized collaboration for the success of your project.

Identify your needs and priorities

The first step in a real estate project is to clearly identify your needs. Ask yourself the right questions:

• Type of property: apartment, house, main residence, secondary residence or rental investment?
• Location: city centre, outskirts, countryside?
• Characteristics: number of rooms, surface area, exterior, proximity to transport and schools.
• Financial constraints: what is your overall budget? Can you finance additional work?

Thinking about these elements beforehand will allow you to establish a list of clear criteria to guide your research.

👉 The role of your real estate agent at this stage is to help you ask yourself all these questions and to guide you according to the different possible options.

Clarifying your financing

Financing is at the heart of any real estate project. Before even starting the visits, it is recommended to carry out a financing simulation to determine your purchasing capacity. This includes:

• A study of your borrowing capacity by a bank advisor or broker.
• The identification of available aid such as the Zero Interest Loan (PTZ) or other advantageous tax schemes.
• The inclusion in your budget of additional costs such as notary fees or any work.

👉 Your real estate agent can help you in this step by informing you of the current credit conditions, and/or by advising you on a specialized broker.

Useful tool Home loan simulator: CAFPI

Define your purchase schedule

What is your buying horizon? Do you need to move quickly or do you have time to look for the perfect property? This reflection will help you prioritize your actions and plan your visits accordingly.