Determine your budget

To optimize your property search, you first need to determine precisely how much you can spend. Once you have this amount in mind you can begin looking for a home or apartment that fits your budget. The basic rule is that your monthly loan payments should not exceed 30% of your monthly income. French consumer protection law strongly encourages lending institutions to respect this ratio. This means you should first calculate your income and then determine the ideal monthly repayment, giving you an idea of how much you can borrow. Then add your personal down payment to calculate your total budget.

Don’t forget the down payment

Buying a property off-plan reduces the transfer fees, which are only 2 or 3% of the purchase price, compared with around 7% for existing buildings. Many banks offer loans that do not require any down payment and even cover closing costs (110% financing), but it is generally recommended that you pay at least these costs yourself.

Your personal contribution consists of the money you have saved for your purchase. If you work in France for a company with more than 50 employees, and you are purchasing your primary residence, you can also apply for early release of your funds held in the company’s statutory profit-sharing plan. If this is still not enough, consider other loans that are treated like home equity loans. This is the case for “1% logement” loans available to employees of private-sector companies with more than ten employees, as well as home purchase savings plans, loans to government employees (compensating for the fact that they are not entitled to the “1% logement” loans), loans from pension funds, family loans and interest-free loans.

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Personalizing your home

Once you’ve found the home of your dreams, you’ll want to really make it yours, personalizing it to reflect your tastes.

Sometimes you can adjust the floor plan, but remember that our technical specialists won’t always be able to accommodate your modifications. For example, it’s impossible to move a load-bearing wall or seal off a window.

As for decoration, our showroom advisors will be delighted to guide you through the many standard and optional features available for your kitchen, bath, floors, tiling, stairways and fireplaces in your home, plus of course fully-fitted dressing rooms, spa bathrooms and other facilities.

Another very appreciable advantage to keep in mind is that you can include the cost of optional features in your home financing package by quickly choosing your preferences right at the showroom.