Acquisition budget (total)<\/strong> (Fr: budget global d’acquisition)<\/em> The comprehensive budget covering the purchase price, notary fees, renovation costs, the property finder’s fees, and financing costs. Building this figure is one of the first steps of any search mission.<\/p>\n Bilateral preliminary agreement<\/strong> (Fr: compromis de vente)<\/em> A preliminary sales contract binding both buyer and seller to the transaction, subject to suspensive conditions. The property finder assists the client during signing and monitors all deadlines.<\/p>\n Bespoke property service<\/strong> (Fr: sur-mesure)<\/em> The defining philosophy of HomeLike Home: every mission is built entirely around the client’s specific needs, with no standardised approach. Captured in the brand tagline “le sur-mesure de l’immobilier” and “le service haute couture de l’immobilier”.<\/p>\n Buy-to-let investment<\/strong> (Fr: investissement locatif)<\/em> Purchasing a property with the intent to generate rental income and\/or capital appreciation. A property finder can orient their search toward high-yield assets or properties with strong long-term patrimonial value.<\/p>\n Buyer’s agent<\/strong> (Fr: chasseur immobilier)<\/em> A licensed professional mandated exclusively by the buyer to search, select, and negotiate a property on their behalf. Fundamentally different from a traditional estate agent, who represents the seller. Also called property finder, real estate hunter, buying agent, or flat hunter.<\/p>\n Closing deed<\/strong> (Fr: acte authentique)<\/em> The final deed of sale signed before a French notary, officially transferring property ownership from seller to buyer. The property finder accompanies their client to this final step.<\/p>\n Conditional clause<\/strong> (Fr: condition suspensive)<\/em> A clause inserted into a preliminary agreement making the sale conditional on a specific event, most commonly obtaining a mortgage. A skilled property finder ensures all relevant conditions are included to protect the buyer.<\/p>\n Cooling-off period<\/strong> (Fr: d\u00e9lai de r\u00e9tractation)<\/em> The 10-day period granted by French law to the buyer after signing a preliminary agreement. The buyer may withdraw without penalty during this window. The property finder ensures their client is fully aware of this right.<\/p>\n Debt-to-income ratio<\/strong> (Fr: taux d’endettement)<\/em> French banks typically cap mortgage repayments at 35% of a borrower’s net monthly income. The property finder takes this threshold into account when calibrating the search budget from the outset.<\/p>\n Degressive fee structure<\/strong> (Fr: honoraires d\u00e9gressifs)<\/em> A pricing model in which the property finder’s rate decreases as the acquisition price increases. HomeLike Home applies this structure to make the service accessible across all market segments.<\/p>\n Energy performance certificate<\/strong> (Fr: DPE, Diagnostic de Performance \u00c9nerg\u00e9tique)<\/em> A mandatory rating document classifying properties from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Increasingly important given France’s tightening energy regulations on rental properties. The property finder factors the DPE rating into their overall assessment of a property.<\/p>\n Exclusive mandate<\/strong> (Fr: exclusivit\u00e9 de mandat)<\/em> A clause in the search mandate granting the property finder sole responsibility for the mission. It guarantees full commitment from the hunter and builds a foundation of trust with the client.<\/p>\n Exclusive viewing<\/strong> (Fr: visite exclusive)<\/em> A viewing arranged by the property finder for their client before a property is publicly listed, made possible through a network of prescribers and direct owner relationships. A decisive competitive advantage in tight markets.<\/p>\n Expatriate buyer<\/strong> (Fr: acheteur expatri\u00e9)<\/em> A French national residing abroad (Gulf region, UAE and Dubai<\/a>, Qatar, Israel, or elsewhere) considering buying property in France, whether as a future primary residence, a secondary home, or a rental investment. Specialist property finders manage the specific constraints of purchasing from overseas.<\/p>\n Final deed of sale<\/strong> (Fr: acte authentique)<\/em> See: Closing deed.<\/p>\n Flat hunter<\/strong> (Fr: chasseur d’appartement)<\/em> An informal English term for a buyer’s agent, particularly common in the context of apartment searches in major cities. Synonymous with property finder.<\/p>\n Gu\u00e9rande peninsula<\/strong> (Fr: presqu’\u00eele gu\u00e9randaise)<\/em> A highly sought-after stretch of the Atlantic coast covering Le Pouliguen, La Baule, Gu\u00e9rande, and Pornichet. A strong secondary residence market covered by HomeLike Home through its Brittany<\/a> and Pays de la Loire network.<\/p>\n Loi Hoguet<\/strong> The French law of 2 January 1970 governing property professionals. It requires all property finders to hold a professional licence (carte T<\/em>) and to formalise every search mission with a written mandat de recherche<\/em> before acting on a client’s behalf.<\/p>\n Made-to-measure service<\/strong> (Fr: service sur-mesure)<\/em> See: Bespoke property service.<\/p>\n Non-resident buyer<\/strong> (Fr: acheteur non-r\u00e9sident)<\/em> A person who is not a French tax resident. Buying in France as a non-resident involves specific constraints around financing, power of attorney, and taxation. Specialist property finders handle these requirements as part of the service.<\/p>\n Notary<\/strong> (Fr: notaire)<\/em> A French public law officer legally required to oversee all property transactions. The notary authenticates the deed of sale and handles the transfer of funds. The buyer may appoint their own notary at no additional cost.<\/p>\n Notary fees<\/strong> (Fr: frais de notaire)<\/em> Fees payable by the buyer upon acquisition, covering transfer taxes, registration duties, and the notary’s emoluments. They typically represent 7 to 8% of the purchase price in existing properties and 2 to 3% in new builds.<\/p>\n Off-market property<\/strong> (Fr: bien off market)<\/em> A property sold outside of traditional listing channels (portals, agency windows), through direct owner contacts or private networks. Access to off-market properties is one of the primary advantages of an experienced property finder. HomeLike Home sources a significant share of its acquisitions this way.<\/p>\n Power of attorney<\/strong> (Fr: procuration)<\/em> A legal document authorising the property finder or notary to sign on behalf of a buyer who cannot be present in France. Frequently used by non-resident and expatriate clients.<\/p>\n Preliminary sales agreement<\/strong> (Fr: avant-contrat)<\/em> A generic term for any contract signed before the final deed of sale. Takes the form of either a compromis de vente<\/em> (bilateral) or a promesse unilat\u00e9rale de vente<\/em> (unilateral seller commitment).<\/p>\n Price per square metre<\/strong> (Fr: prix au m\u00b2)<\/em> The standard benchmark unit for French property markets, expressed in euros per square metre. The property finder uses granular neighbourhood-level knowledge to assess whether an asking price is fair.<\/p>\n Primary residence<\/strong> (Fr: r\u00e9sidence principale)<\/em> The property where the buyer intends to live permanently. The majority of property finder missions target this type of acquisition.<\/p>\n Professional licence<\/strong> (Fr: carte professionnelle, carte T)<\/em> The licence required by French law (loi Hoguet) to legally practise as a property finder or estate agent in France. All HomeLike Home hunters hold this licence.<\/p>\n Property finder<\/strong> (Fr: chasseur immobilier)<\/em> See: Buyer’s agent.<\/p>\n Property shortlisting<\/strong> (Fr: s\u00e9lection de biens)<\/em> The filtering process by which the property finder screens all available properties, visiting them independently before presenting only those that genuinely match the client’s search brief. This pre-selection saves the client considerable time and energy.<\/p>\n Property surveys<\/strong> (Fr: diagnostics immobiliers)<\/em> A set of mandatory technical reports provided by the seller (energy performance, asbestos, lead, electrical installation, flood risk, etc.). The property finder helps their client analyse these documents before committing to a purchase.<\/p>\n Purchase offer<\/strong> (Fr: offre d’achat)<\/em> The formal written offer submitted by the property finder on behalf of their client. The strategic drafting and timing of the offer is a core part of the property finder’s expertise.<\/p>\n Real estate hunter<\/strong> (Fr: chasseur immobilier)<\/em> An alternative English term for a property finder or buyer’s agent, emphasising the proactive and search-driven nature of the role.<\/p>\n Rental yield<\/strong> (Fr: rendement locatif)<\/em> The ratio of annual rental income to the total acquisition cost. A key metric for buy-to-let investors working with a property finder.<\/p>\n Return to France project<\/strong> (Fr: retour en France)<\/em> The specific property project of French expatriates considering relocating back to France. This profile requires specialist expertise in financing from abroad, tight timeframes, and a re-familiarisation with a market the client has been away from for years.<\/p>\n Right of pre-emption<\/strong> (Fr: droit de pr\u00e9emption)<\/em> A legal right held by certain entities (municipality, sitting tenant, co-ownership body) to purchase a property ahead of any other buyer. The property finder verifies the existence of any pre-emption rights before advising a client to proceed with an offer.<\/p>\n Safe-haven asset<\/strong> (Fr: valeur refuge)<\/em> The traditional characterisation of real estate as a stable, inflation-resistant store of value. A recurring theme in content targeting expatriate and investor audiences.<\/p>\n Search area<\/strong> (Fr: secteur de recherche)<\/em> The geographic zone defined in the search mandate within which the property finder concentrates their prospection. It can be as broad as a region or as specific as a single neighbourhood or arrondissement.<\/p>\n Search brief<\/strong> (Fr: cahier des charges)<\/em> The detailed document formalised at the start of the mission, recording all of the client’s criteria: location, surface area, budget, property type, must-haves, and deal-breakers. It serves as the reference throughout the entire search.<\/p>\n Search mandate<\/strong> (Fr: mandat de recherche)<\/em> The written contract signed between the buyer and the property finder, defining the scope of the mission, search criteria, duration, and fee conditions. It is a legal requirement under the loi Hoguet. Without it, no property finder may legally act on a client’s behalf.<\/p>\n Second viewing<\/strong> (Fr: contre-visite)<\/em> A return visit to a property, often accompanied by an architect, contractor, or trusted third party, to validate a purchase decision before making an offer. The property finder organises and attends this visit.<\/p>\n Success-based fees<\/strong> (Fr: honoraires au succ\u00e8s)<\/em> The fee model practised by HomeLike Home: the property finder is remunerated only if and when the mission results in a completed acquisition. No fee is charged if no property is purchased. This aligns the property finder’s interests entirely with those of the buyer.<\/p>\n Technical surveys<\/strong> (Fr: diagnostics immobiliers)<\/em> See: Property surveys.<\/p>\n Tight market<\/strong> (Fr: march\u00e9 tendu)<\/em> A local property market where demand structurally exceeds supply, making acquisitions highly competitive. Property finders are particularly valuable in these markets, where off-market access and rapid response are decisive (Paris, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, Pays Basque, etc.).<\/p>\n Unilateral promise of sale<\/strong> (Fr: promesse unilat\u00e9rale de vente)<\/em> A preliminary agreement in which only the seller commits to selling, while the buyer holds the option to proceed within an agreed timeframe. Different from the compromis de vente<\/em>, which binds both parties equally.<\/p>\n Preliminary visit<\/strong> (Fr: visite pr\u00e9alable)<\/em> A visit conducted by the property finder alone, before the property is shown to the client. This pre-screening filters out non-compliant properties and ensures the client’s time is spent only on genuinely relevant options.<\/p>\n Glossary produced by HomeLike Home, French property finders since 2003, operating across Paris<\/a>, Lyon<\/a>, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, Brittany<\/a>, Normandy<\/a>, Pays Basque, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lille, Le Perche, and Milan.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Acquisition budget (total) (Fr: budget global d’acquisition) The comprehensive budget covering the purchase price, notary fees, renovation costs, the property finder’s fees, and financing costs. Building this figure is one of the first steps of any search mission. Bilateral preliminary agreement (Fr: compromis de vente) A preliminary sales contract binding both buyer and seller […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-48521785","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48521785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48521785"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48521785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48521786,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48521785\/revisions\/48521786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelikehome.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48521785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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