Instead of the stamp fees paid on purchases of existing property, buyers of new housing are subject to VAT. However, the generally applicable VAT rate of 19.6% may be reduced to 7% (1) under certain conditions.
This measure, which came into effect in July 2006, is designed to encourage property investment in certain neighborhoods and to facilitate home ownership. The lower VAT rate is covered by agreements between the French urban renewal agency ANRU (Agence Nationale pour la Rénovation Urbaine) and local municipalities. It applies to disadvantaged urban areas, extending to a perimeter of 500 meters around these areas. To benefit from 7% (1)VAT, you need to build or purchase new housing for your primary residence. There are also personal income thresholds, which take into account the number of family members and the location of the apartment or house (Paris and immediate suburbs, the rest of the greater Paris region and other regions).
In Paris, for example, single persons are eligible for the lower VAT if their taxable annual income does not exceed €24,002. The ceiling is €66,797 for a family with three children. Outside the greater Paris (Ile-de-France) region, these ceilings are €20,868 and €47,590, respectively.