Should I sell French real estate on my own or hire a realtor? - FrenchEntrée.

Selling a property through an estate agent is probably the 'easiest' way to sell your property. Not only will the agent help determine the value of your property and run a marketing campaign to potential buyers, but they also carry out viewings, liaise with potential buyers and take on all the hard work of selling your home in France. This can be a major advantage for foreign sellers, especially if your French language skills aren't good enough, if you don't live in France and can't spend an extended period of time in the country, or if you're unsure of the French real estate market and legal requirements. Selling through an agent can''cost money, but having an agent to guide and assist you through the whole process can be very helpful.

A real estate agents in France usually work for small local agencies (even if they are part of a larger network) covering a small area of France. This means they will be able to advise on the local market, recent sale prices and what buyers are looking for. This can be valuable information for sellers, especially if you want to maximize your selling price, perhaps by making some repairs or making small changes to your property to increase its appeal to the market.

Of course, the biggest disadvantage of using an agent is that you will have to''pay an agent's commission or percentage, which can range from 4% to 12% (although 10% is a good guideline figure) of the sale price. When choosing an agent, you should look not only at the amount of commission, but also at who pays it and how it is advertised. It is important to know exactly how much you will receive of the sale price.

Also consider whether you want to advertise your property with one agent or several.

When making a decision, it's worth seeking independent advice - for example, contacting a local notary, your neighbors or French friends to get an idea of 'general practice' in your area. All of this should be detailed in the 'mandat de vente', the sales contract you will sign with the estate agency, so make sure you fully understand what you are signing before you do so.

Can agent commissions be negotiated? Yes, estate agent's commission in France can be subject''negotiation, and it is highly recommended that you choose several options, compare agent commissions and talk to other property owners in your area to get an idea of the best offer. An exclusivity agreement may be one way to negotiate further, but make sure you understand exactly what it entails before agreeing to it - for example, when exactly does the contract expire if there is no sale? "

Who pays the agency commission - the buyer or the seller? Depending on the agency, it is possible that both the buyer and seller will be responsible for the agency commission, and it is important to understand when and by whom the commission will be paid before signing a 'mandate de''vente'.

It's worth noting, however, that even though in theory 'commission is paid by the buyer', in practice this usually means a lower selling price for you, as the buyer will deduct this commission from their budget. In other words, if you decide to sell your house in France through an agent, you will have to pay for the service in some way.