The UK government has cracked down on the practice of purchasing properties through a company structure in order to avoid paying stamp duty. This measure is aimed in particular at wealthy foreign buyers who have bought investment properties that have subsequently been left empty.

The luxury property market thrived in 2013, says a new report on international real estate. London was the most popular destination for luxury property buyers seeking a second home but also the most expensive. The latter factor may encourage buyers to start looking to other cities, including Paris.

Question: In a French property transaction, who pays the selling agency’s fee, the buyer or the seller, and is it negotiable? Standard practice in France is that the selling agency’s fees normally amount to around 5% of the purchase price of the property. The fees are agreed between the seller and the real estate agent […]

Real estate prices in Paris may not be soaring as much as they did but certain properties still command a premium. The Paris and Ile-de-France notaires (officials who handle property sales) have recorded top prices for several Paris apartments during the 4th quarter of 2013.

Despite successive financial crises, Paris real estate remains a profitable investment. Property prices have more than tripled over 30 years. Smaller apartments and studios have seen higher percentage increases than larger apartments. The most active foreign investors in Paris property are the Italians. But foreign buyers have not significantly influenced real estate prices.

Our partners at foreign currency broker FC Exchange provide an update on how the major currencies might move in 2014.  A major focus for currency markets in 2014 will be when and how fast interest rates will rise in the major economies. For rates to rise, the reduction of monetary stimulus will be a significant […]

Property experts consider that now is a good time to buy prestige real estate in Paris. The prices of prime properties in the sought-after Parisian neighborhoods are not as high as those in London or Geneva – also coveted by prestige property buyers.

We reported recently on the government’s flagship piece of legislation on housing and property rentals: the loi ALUR/Duflot. The French Parliament had passed the law but right-wing senators and members of Parliament referred it to the Constitutional Council on the grounds that parts of it might be anti-constitutional.

Paris remains a good bet for commercial real estate investment among the top 27 cities in Europe. A recent survey, Emerging Trends in Real Estate® Europe 2014, showed that institutional investors consider commercial property in Paris to be an essential component of their portfolio.

I’m planning to sell my Paris apartment, which I bought in mid-2007. The deed of sale had a number of diagnostic reports attached. Which of these do I have to have redone, what paperwork do I need to supply and who pays for it all – me or the buyer?