9 French properties with no agency fees to pay

Did you know you can save on agency fees by buying or selling direct? Ranging from just €75,000 to €766,000, these 9 French properties are all for sale by private sellers

In France, agency fees generally amount to around 4-10% of the property’s sale price, so by going direct to a private seller, you can avoid these fees and save money on your French property purchase.

Of course, buying via an agency has its benefits too, and many French agents more than earn their commission through the services and assistance they offer to buyers. The property advert should state who is liable for agency fees (the buyer or seller); when a price already includes the fees, it’s described as ‘frais d’agence inclus’, often abbreviated to FAI.

French property owners can also advertise their property both themselves and via an estate agent, as long as they don’t sign an exclusive agreement (‘mandat exclusif’) with the agency. This explains why you may sometimes see a property advertised in different places and at different prices.

If you’re selling a French property, private seller adverts on our market-leading property portal FrancePropertyShop.com start from as little as £65+VAT. Sign up in January and you will also receive a free ‘On the market’ advert in French Property News magazine, worth £100. Contact [email protected] for more details.

Deux-Sèvres, €75,000

Set on 1,200sqm of land, this pretty stone cottage comes with a separate building ideal for home working or further accommodation. The property has two bedrooms, a kitchen-diner, living room, laundry, two bathrooms and central heating. To the front of the house is a driveway and enclosed courtyard with roses, another courtyard with small outbuildings sits to the side, and the garden contains walnut and cherry trees – the neighbours are the mayor’s two donkeys! The village property is around 10 minutes from shops and services in Thenezay, while Parthenay and Poitiers are around 40 minutes away.

Deux-Sèvres, €85,000

This detached farmhouse with extensive buildings is approached over a driveway with ample parking and a flower-filled courtyard. The house has three bedrooms but the first floor has an unconverted section with good headroom pre-wired for a master suite. Off the front courtyard is access to a stable at the side and garage used as a workshop, and there’s also a large stone/slate barn. The property is in a village with bar/restaurant, boulangerie, mairie and school, and is five minutes from shops/services in Airvault and 35 minutes from Poitiers and Parthenay.

Manche, €90,000

This two-bedroom farmhouse/smallholding would suit those wanting to be self-sufficient, nature-lovers, horse or sheep owners – and those who enjoy some DIY! Set in tranquil countryside between Mortain and St-Hilaire-du-Harcouët, the house and barn have been part-renovated and has 12 solar panels. The exterior of both house and barn are in good condition, and interior works are underway in the house. An extension was completed in 2012 which lends itself to being let out – the owner is a ‘superhost’ with Airbnb. An outdoor chalet is used as an extra bedroom and the land includes a landscaped garden, vegetable plot, orchard, woodland, meadow and fishpond.

Dordogne, €100,000

This substantial village property comprises a home and retail space, so has lots of options. The accommodation includes a large lounge with woodburner, dining room with exposed stone walls, fitted kitchen, two bathrooms and three bedrooms. The large redundant shop and storeroom is currently used for storage but with planning permission could be extra living accommodation, a self-contained gîte or garage. The large attic has bi-fold doors leading to a covered terrace; this room could be turned into another large bedroom or upstairs sitting room. A small walled courtyard has external stairs leading up to the terrace. The village has a bakery, shop, post office and bar/tabac.

Mayenne, €159,000

This pretty stone house has a sitting room, study/bedroom, dining room, kitchen, garden room and utility room on the ground floor, with three double bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor. The second floor, which used to be the servants’ quarters, has three roof windows and is currently used for storage. There’s also a workshop with loft. The outside space comprises a flower garden with two ponds, a fig and a pear tree, and an orchard with apple, plum, cherry, green gauge, walnut and peach trees. St-Aubin Fosse Louvain is a small village about 65 miles from the port of St-Malo, and five from Gorron with its supermarkets, street market, cinema, swimming pool and sports facilities.

Lot-et-Garonne, €340,000

This renovated 200-year-old farmhouse comes with barns and outbuildings, a swimming pool and five acres of land. Close to shops and tourist attractions, it offers lovely views over the village of La-Sauvetat-du-Dropt, and is only 5km from Eymet and 25 minutes from Bergerac airport. There are four double bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study upstairs while downstairs has a large eat-in kitchen, open-plan lounge/dining room, cloakroom, cellar, utility room and boot room with shower. Full double-glazing and state-of-the-art pellet burner central heating and a large verandah cimplete the picture.

Gers, €425,000

This four-bedroom, three-bathroom home and B&B offers a business opportunity in the heart of Gascony. The property is currently run as a ‘chambre d’hôte’ and ‘salon de thé’, but could be used as just a residential house, of course. The owners and guests can enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Pyrénées, especially from the terrace and dining room – the terrace can be used all year round and in all weather conditions. There’s also an underhouse garage and wine cellar, accessible from the inside and outside of the house, BBQ house and a separate self-contained gîte.

Dordogne, €750,000

With no fewer than 12 bedrooms and seven bathrooms, this gîte complex can provide a home and income from the moment you move in – the gîtes have been successfully run for 25 years and can accommodate 29 people. The property comprises two large houses, two swimming pools, a luxury spa and sauna, each in their own building, a barn/workshop with apartment above, another large barn awaiting development and a wood-fired pizza oven. The extensive gardens include a vegetable plot with greenhouse, poly-tunnel and garden hut, as well as an orchard with fruit trees, truffles and walnuts. All furniture (indoor and outdoor) is available to purchase separately.

Tarn, €766,000

Another home and business, this lovely character property comprises a stone farmhouse and three fully equipped holiday houses created from the old stables, along with a heated swimming pool, all set in 3.7 acres of landscaped gardens. Around 50 minutes east of Toulouse and 45 minutes north-east of Carcassonne, the property is close to Sorèze, a medieval arty village, and Revel, a small town with all amenities. The property also enjoys the beautiful; backdrop of the Montagne Noire. There are also sectioned barns for storage or use as a workshop.

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