A buyer’s agent is hired by the buyer, works only for the buyer, and is paid by the buyer. In France that arrangement is still the exception. The agent showing you an apartment off the Promenade des Anglais holds a mandate from the person selling it, is paid out of that sale, and owes you nothing beyond honesty about the facts you happen to ask for.
That gap matters more in Nice than almost anywhere else in France. There is no MLS here, so no single list of what is for sale. The same apartment surfaces on three portals at three prices under three different mandates. A large share of the best stock never reaches a portal at all. And the competition is international, which means the right property is usually under offer before a buyer working from abroad has finished booking a flight.
Homelike Home has worked as a buyer’s agent since 2003. On the French Riviera your search is handled by Alexandra Brehier, who covers Nice and the surrounding coast, visits before you do, negotiates against the seller rather than alongside them, and works with you in English. Contact our buyer’s agent in France.
Our Property Finder fees
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We carry out purchase and rental research, for individuals and professionals, in Nice and its region (Cannes, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cap d’Ail, Gattières…)
Purchase :
If the property is listed by a real estate agency, other intermediary or direct from the seller, the commission fees remain the same.
The fees are calculated according to a decreasing rate scale per tranche depending on the property’s price. This remuneration including tax will be calculated on the price recorded by the notary (agency fees included, excluding notary fees):
| Property Price |
Fees (including taxes) |
| Property ≤ 600 000 € |
2.90 % |
| 600 001 € to 900 000 € |
2.65 % |
| 900 001 € to 1 200 000 € |
2.25% |
| 1 200 001 € to 1 500 000 € |
2% |
| 1 500 001 € to 2 500 000 € |
1.50% |
| Beyond 2 500 001 € |
1.00% |
|
|
We start the search in Nice with a budget of €200,000 for the purchase of a property.
Example :
For a property acquired at 875,000 Euros in Nice, old port area, agency fees included, the remuneration including tax Homelike Home will be:
600 000 € x 2,90% = 17 400 €
(875 000 – 600 000 €) x 2.65% = 7 287 €
Amount of fees = 17,400 + 7,287 = €24,687 including tax
i.e. 2.82% including tax on the price of the property.
Rentals
Property research fees are one month’s rent (before tax) of the rented property (remuneration including VAT), with a fixed minimum of 2000€ inclusive of taxes.
Turnkey Rental Investment
Quote provided.
What your buyer’s agent actually does
The work starts with a brief, not with listings. The first conversation establishes what you genuinely need, which of your criteria are negotiable, and what your budget really buys in each district of Nice. A good share of the value is delivered right there, before a single viewing, by correcting a brief that would otherwise cost you six months.
From there we cover every source at once: agency mandates across the city, private sales, notaire sales, and the off-market properties that circulate through local networks before they are ever advertised. We visit first, film what we find and report on it honestly, including the things a seller’s agent leaves out. We check the building, the co-ownership accounts, the works already voted and the energy rating before you make an offer. Then we negotiate, and we stay on the file until the keys change hands.
British buyers usually know this role as a buying agent or a property finder. American buyers call it a buyer’s agent or buyer’s broker. In French it is a chasseur immobilier. The label changes, the mandate does not.
Where to buy in Nice, district by district
Nice is not one market but several, and the gap between them is wide. Choosing the district is the single decision that shapes both the price and the way you will actually use the property.
The Carré d’Or, the Musicians’ Quarter and the seafront
The stretch running back from the Promenade des Anglais is the prime residential heart of the city. The Carré d’Or holds the best addresses, the luxury retail and immediate beach access. Just behind it, the Musicians’ Quarter is lined with Belle Époque buildings, high ceilings and balconies, within walking distance of everything. Sea views carry a substantial premium here, and the difference between a genuine full view and an angled glimpse is worth verifying on site before an offer.
Vieux Nice and the Port
The old town and the port are the most characterful parts of the city and the most sought after by short-term visitors. Expect narrow buildings, no lifts, irregular layouts and a lively soundtrack at night. The Port has been steadily upgraded and now mixes fishermen’s houses with renovated apartments. Both districts reward buyers who want atmosphere and accept the constraints of very old stock.
The hills: Cimiez, Mont Boron and Gairaut
Above the city, Cimiez holds former Belle Époque palace hotels converted into apartments, gardens and Roman remains. Mont Boron is villa territory, with the best panoramas over the Baie des Anges. Gairaut and the northern hills are quieter and greener. These are car-dependent districts, which suits second-home owners and families and suits city-centre buyers considerably less.
Western Nice and the wider Riviera
Western Nice, around Fabron and Les Baumettes, offers larger homes, more space and more calm, which makes it a natural choice for families and retirees. Beyond the city limits, our search area covers Cagnes-sur-Mer, Antibes and Sophia Antipolis, Cannes, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Cap d’Ail, Gattières and Menton on the Italian border. If your brief allows flexibility on location, widening the search across these towns often produces better value than holding out for a scarce address in central Nice.
Buying in Nice as a non-resident
France places no restriction on foreign ownership. A non-resident buys on exactly the same terms as a French citizen, and the process is standardised and heavily protected by the notaire, a public officer who handles the legal transfer for both parties.
In practice the sequence runs from an offer, to a preliminary contract (the compromis de vente), through a statutory ten-day cooling-off period during which you can withdraw without penalty, to completion at the notaire’s office, usually two to three months later. A deposit is held by the notaire in the meantime, and notaire fees and transfer taxes are payable on top of the agreed price. If you cannot travel for the signing, a power of attorney lets the notaire complete on your behalf. Our glossary of French property terms covers the vocabulary you will meet along the way.
Two points deserve particular attention in Nice. Co-ownership charges and the schedule of works already voted by the building can materially change the cost of ownership, and they are checked before we let you make an offer. And the rules on furnished tourist letting have tightened in the city, so if rental income is part of your plan it needs to be verified for the specific property rather than assumed. For a wider view of the market, see our guides on why buy property in France and on buying in France as an expatriate.
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