A flurry of articles in the French and international press (including the New York Times) created an outcry about a year ago about a crack-down by Mayor Delanoë’s office on short-term rentals of Paris apartments.

There is no capital gains tax on the sale of a primary residence in France. For a secondary residence owned either individually or through an SCI, the amount of capital gains owed at the time of sale is determined by

The buyer should normally expect to pay fees and taxes of about 6.5-7.5% of the purchase price. These break down roughly as follows:

French banks will lend up to 85% of the assessed value of the property and renovations to most non-resident buyers.

The notaire is a public official with legal training (but different from a lawyer) who prepares and registers official acts such as wills and property ownership transfers. Notaires enjoy a very privileged and highly respected position in French society.