The purchase or sale of a property generally begins with the signing of a preliminary contract (avant-contrat), which records the agreement between seller and buyer on the terms of the sale. The notary prepares this contract using information provided by both parties.
Once the preliminary contract is signed, the buyer has a 10-day cooling-off period during which they may withdraw for any reason.
Buying or selling real estate requires several essential steps, all regulated by law to guarantee legal security.
Beforehand, the notary must complete the preliminary formalities: verifying ownership, consulting the cadastre, searching for easements, obtaining mandatory surveys. Once the deed is signed, the post-completion formalities involve registering the sale with the land registry. The time between preliminary contract and authentic deed is typically around three months.