A to Z Glossary of Terms for Buying a House in France

A

Acte de vente

The final deed of sale signed at the notaire’s office. Makes you the legal owner.

Agent immobilier

Real estate agent.

Acompte

Deposit or down payment (often ~10% before final signing).

Amiante

Asbestos. Mentioned in the diagnostics report if present.

Assainissement

Wastewater/septic system; may require inspection.

B

Bornage

Land boundary survey. Important for rural property.

Bail

Lease (if you rent the property before buying or want to let it out).

Bon de visite

Document you may sign with an agent proving you visited with them (protects agent’s commission).

C

Compromis de vente

Preliminary sales contract. Legally binding once signed, subject to conditions.

Caution

Security deposit (for rentals, but also refers generally to financial guarantee).

Charges de copropriété

Shared building charges for apartments or shared ownership.

Copropriété

Co-ownership system for flats; owners share responsibility for common areas.

Crédit immobilier

Mortgage or home loan.

D

Diagnostics immobiliers

Mandatory property surveys (e.g. energy, asbestos, lead, termites).

DPE (Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique)

Energy performance rating.

Droit de préemption

Right of first refusal (e.g. by commune or tenant).

Déménagement

Moving house.

E

État des lieux

Condition report (more common in rentals, but useful if buying furnished).

En indivision

Joint ownership structure.

Espace vert

Green space or garden.

F

Frais de notaire

Notaire’s fees and taxes (usually 7–8% for existing properties).

Fosse septique

Septic tank.

Foncier / Taxe foncière

Annual property ownership tax.

G

Garantie décennale

10-year builder’s warranty for major construction defects.

Garant

Guarantor (relevant for mortgages).

Géomètre

Land surveyor.

H

Honoraires d’agence

Agency fees, paid by buyer or seller depending on listing.

Hypothèque

Mortgage lien registered on property.

I

Indivision

Shared ownership without dividing property physically.

Inspection

Property survey (voluntary but recommended in addition to diagnostics).

Impôts locaux

Local taxes (taxe foncière, sometimes taxe d’habitation).

J

Justificatif de domicile

Proof of address (needed for loans, utilities, etc.).

K

Kilométrage

Less common in house sales, but used in rural property ads (distance to towns).

L

Lotissement

Housing development or subdivision.

Loyer

Rent (for buy-to-let investors).

Location-vente

Rent-to-own scheme.

M

Mandat de vente

Contract between seller and agent.

Maison de caractère

Character property.

Mainlevée

Lifting of a mortgage or lien.

Mitoyenneté

Shared wall or boundary.

Mise en vente

Placing the property on the market.

N

Notaire

Public official handling property sales, ensures legality.

Numéro fiscal

Tax number needed for property taxes.

O

Offre d’achat

Purchase offer.

Obtention de prêt

Mortgage approval (often a condition suspensive).

P

Plus-value immobilière

Capital gains on resale.

Plan cadastral

Official map of property boundaries.

Prêt immobilier

Mortgage loan.

Promesse de vente

Similar to compromis de vente, a conditional sales agreement.

Propriétaire

Owner.

Q

Quote-part

Share of co-ownership expenses.

R

Raccordement

Connection to mains utilities (water, electricity, sewer).

Redevance

Fee or tax (e.g. garbage collection).

Résidence principale / secondaire

Primary or secondary residence.

RIB (Relevé d’Identité Bancaire)

Bank details required for transactions.

S

Surface habitable

Living area in square meters.

Servitude

Easement or legal right over someone else’s land.

Sous-sol

Basement.

Succession

Inheritance (important for estate planning).

Séjour

Living room.

T

Taxe foncière

Annual property ownership tax.

Taxe d’habitation

(Mostly phased out for primary homes but may apply to second homes).

Terrain constructible

Building plot.

Titre de propriété

Ownership title.

Travaux

Renovation or building work.

U

Urbanisme

Planning regulations.

Usage exclusif

Exclusive use (e.g. of garden or parking space in copropriété).

V

Viabilisation

Process of making land ready with utilities.

Vente en l’état futur d’achèvement (VEFA)

Buying off-plan/new-build.

Visite

Viewing.

Valeur vénale

Market value.

W

WC

Toilet (commonly written in listings).

Wifi

Broadband availability can affect rural property decisions.

X

Xerox

Generic term for photocopy (required for document packs).

Y

Y compris

Including (e.g. charges y compris = charges included).

Z

Zone inondable

Flood zone (check in diagnostics or mairie).

Zone constructible

Area where building is permitted under planning rules.