Legal support for cross-border real estate transactions in Caen Normandie

The international department of ETASSE et Associes can assist its clients with incorporating a company ETASSE et Associés assists its clients with incorporating companies, particularly real estate companies (SCI), drawing up memoranda and articles of association, the choice of form of company and the best adapted fiscal option. It also assists its clients with disposals of company shares, whether a sale or a donation and ‘Dutreil’ commitments are concerned. Moreover, it will analyse the company manager’s type of matrimonial regime. For most questions relating to company law, our law frim favours team work between the various departments.

In France, Notaires have exclusive authority for preparing and drafting  deeds of sale. Once you have chosen a property and agreed on the purchase price, you will typically be asked to sign a preliminary contract which may be drafted by an estate agent or by the notaire. You will also be required to pay a deposit, usually 10% of the purchase price. There is a mandatory cooling off period of ten  days during which the purchaser may withdraw. As part of the sale process, the seller is required to arrange for a number of inspection reports on the property The main reports currently produced relate to  : Asbestos , lead , termites , energy efficiency , environmental, mining and industrial risks , gas installations, electrical wiring, septic tanks. After the preliminary contract has been signed, the notaire will check : -that each contracting party is qualified and empowered to sell or purchase the property - that the seller has a valid title to the property - that the title of ownership does not contain any easements or restrictions, - that no mortgage or charges exist over the property and that all rights of pre- emption have been waived. After completion, the Notaire is responsible for having the title deed recorded at the Land Registry. Finally, consideration must be given at an early stage to who is going to purchase the property. The answer to this question will depend on the personal circumstances of the purchaser, the situation regarding inheritance taxes and the legal implications arising from the purchase.  Please feel free to contact Alexandra ETASSE before signing the preliminary contract to obtain further information and to analyse together what is the most suitable ownership arrangement for you in the purchase of a property in France

          The application of social charges to capital gains realised by non-residents is currently the subject of a procedure against the French State. The French Council of State (“Conseil d’Etat”) has also referred a question to the ECJ for a preliminary ruling on whether these social charges can be levied on persons not benefiting from the scheme that these contributions are intended to fund. To date, the issue of the payment of social charges by non-residents is still not fully resolved. However, it would appear that the Direction générale des finances publiques (the French Department of Public Revenue) has communicated guidelines to its regional branches with a view to ensuring that the Land Registry Office and local tax offices should no longer require the payment of social charges in the situations covered by the ECJ case law of February 2015 and that of the Council of State of July 2015. It would therefore seem that in the current state of the law, sales of real estate undertaken by taxpayers from a social security scheme of another Member State of the EEA will not entail the payment of social charges. However, it is necessary for the taxpayer in question to provide evidence to their notary of their affiliation to a social security scheme in a foreign Member State of the EU or EEA, by means of either a social security card or a certificate of affiliation.

Generally, the preliminary agreement provides for approximately three months between the signing of the preliminary agreement and the signing of the deed of sale. During this period, the purchaser must obtain financing and more specifically their loan offer. The exact time limit for the purchaser to provide evidence of this loan offer is indicated in the preliminary agreement; in practice it is between 45 and 60 days. If the purchaser does not obtain a real estate loan, if he provides evidence that the loan has been refused and that the conditions laid down in the preliminary contract have been met, he can in principle be released from all obligations and recover his security deposit. If the purchaser obtains his loan, once the loan offer has been received the borrower will have a minimum of 11 days from receipt to accept it. 

  Yes, both members of a separated couple can benefit from the exemption in respect of the sale of the principal residence even if one member of the couple continues to live in the property. The exemption is subject to the fact that the property really was the couple's principal residence until the time of separation and that it subsequently continues to be the main residence of one member of the couple. 

The system of “protected sector” (“secteur sauvegardé “) of sales in a future state of completion concerns sales bearing on premises to be used principally for residential purposes or for both professional and residential purposes and including an obligation to pay a deposit prior to completion of the construction. In this case, specific provisions (schedule of payments, guarantee of completion, etc.) must be observed under penalty of nullity of the contract and punitive sanctions. By the general nature of the definition of protected sector, the question of the compatibility of certain contracts can be raised such as hire-purchase, transfer of land against premises to be constructed, sales of buildings to be renovated (“vente d’immeuble à rénover) Moreover, the law requires that a contract of sale of a building to be constructed (“vente d’immeuble à construire”)together with provisions specific to said sector be drawn up from the moment that he who undertakes to construct a house or to have it constructed procures the land directly or indirectly.