FRENCH PROPERTY BUYERS GLOSSARY:
French property terminology, purchasing and building
abonnement - The monthly charge for supplying a utility
abri - a small outbuilding, a shed or shelter for shade
acceuil - reception, welcome
acompte - deposit
Acte (de Vente) Authentique - Deed of Sale
agence immobilière - real estate agent
agglomere - chipboard
l'ancien propriétaire - the former owner
aménager - to convert
appartement - flat
ardoise - slate tile
ascenseur - lift
atelier - workshop
attenant - attached
attestation d'acquisition ot attestation de vente - a written certificate from
the notaire sent to you after all the sale paperwork is completed
bail - a lease
bâtiment - building
bergerie - sheep barn
bon de visite - a form you sign before viewing a house with a French immobilier
to prevent you subsequently buying it through another agent or privately
bricolage - DIY
buanderie - laundry
cadastre - local town planning register
carreleur - tiler
carte de séjour - resident's permit, obtained from the Préfecture
of the department
cave - cellar
cellier - pantry or store
certificat d'urbanisme - land use certificate
chambre - bedroom
charpentier - carpenter
chauffage - heating
chauffage central (abbreviation ch c) - central heating
chauffage central fuel - oil central heating
chéminee - fireplace
clause suspensive - a conditional clause which is used in the Compromis de Vente
combles - attic
Compromis de Vente - first stage agreement document in the sale process which
legally commits the two parties; also called promesse de vente
Copropriétaires - the co-owners who are freeholders
Coporpriété - a residence, complex or building which is divided
into separate and physically distinct dwellings, i.e. flats or houses in which
all the owners own a share of the freehold.
cuisine - kitchen
cuisine américaine/USA - open-plan kitchen
cuisine d'étè - outside kitchen, BBQ area
démenager - to move house
demeure ancienne avec cachet - old building that has character
départements - the 95 administrative divisions in France
dépôt de garantie - a deposit at the "Compromis de vente"
stage.
de plein pied - bungalow
devis - estimate for work
diagnostics (tests) - compulsory tests on the building before signing the compromis
de vente (asbestos, termites, lead and energy consumption, etc) tests paid by
the vendor/owner.
Droit de pré-emption - the right to pre-empt, i.e. in France have a pre
emptive right to purchase a property when it comes to the market
double vitrage - double glazing
duplex - maisonette
en tontine - inheritance arrangement whereby the surviving spouse takes full
ownership of joint assets
entièrement rénové - renovated throughout
etat civil - personal information provided by the buyer of a property for inclusion
within the contract
exclusivité - sole estate agent
expert comptable - chartered accountant
facture - A bill, e.g. a utility bill
FNAIM - Federation Nationale des Agents Immobilier
fosse septique - septic tank
frais de notaire - total amount of money paid to the notaire on top of the sale
price (includes, notaire fees, registration duty, land registration duty and
other charges)
frais d'agence inclus (FAI) - estate agent's fees included
Les frais de notaire - notaire's fees included
Les frais de notaire réduits - reduced notaire's fees
fuelle - heating oil
grange - barn
grenier - attic
HT or Hor taxes - without VAT
Huissier de justice - a bailiff or court official
Hypothèque - a mortgage
immobilier - property or real estate agent
impot - tax
individuel(le) - detached
indivision - owners in common
ISF (Impot sur la fortune) - wealth tax
loggia - covered terrace
lu et approuvé - phrases written accompanying signature of contract "read
and approved"
maçon - builder
mandat de recherche - a sole mandate signed by potential buyer giving estate
agent responsibility to find a property in a certain period of time.
maison - house
maison de maître - more formal, grander style of house
maison des amis - anything from an outbuilding to a separate apartment or cottage
maison mitoyenne - semi-detached
mairie - town hall
mandat - see bon de visite
menuiserie - joinery
meubles - furniture
notaire - Notary
parpaing - breeze-block
permis de construire - planning permission
pièce (abbreviated to P): room
pièce principale - main room
piscine - swimming pool
plan cadastral - the town plan showing properties and parcels of land
préfecture - the headquarters of the administration, found in the main
town of each 'departement'
premier étage - the first floor
procuration - power of attorney
projet d'acte - a draft of the act (final contract) for purchasing
propriété - property
plomberie - plumbing
Promesse de vente - first stage agreement document in the sale process which
legally commits the two parties; most commonly called compromis de vente
proximité - close to
puit - well
quatre pièces principales (abbreviation F4) which means a three-bedroomed
house or flat with three bedrooms plus a living-room
(a)rafraîchir - in need of decoration
(à) rénover - to be renovated
refait neuf - newly restored
remise - barn
Remise des clés - handing over the keys of a property when the act is
complete
rez-de-chaussée (abbreviation rdc) - ground floor
salle de bain - bathroom
salle d'eau - shower room, usually with toilet
salon - dining room
salle a manger - dining room
sans vis-à-vis - not overlooked
séjour - living room or lounge
séjour-salon avec cheminée (35 mètres carrés) -
living/sitting-room with
fireplace (area 35 square metres)
Société Civile Immobilière (SCI)- a company which can be
set up exclusively to purchase property
sous-sol - the basement
style bastide - country style
surface habitable - habitable space, usually excludes bathrooms and garage -
shown in square metres m²
T Type (e.g. T3, T4) - classification of property type and size showing the
number of main rooms including bedrooms
taxe d'habitation - a local tax, partly means-tested, payable only from the
Dec of the year in which you were the owner. Due on the 1st January in advance
taxe foncière - a government tax on property, payable pro-rata from date
of completion to the end of Dec.
terrain - land
toit - roof
toiture - roofing
TBE (très bon état) - very good condition
TTC or Toutes Taxes Comprises - VAT Tax included
trois faces (abbreviation 3F) - a semi-detached building
TVA (taxe sur la valeur ajoutée) - French VAT. Presently 19.6%
vidange curage - fosse septique emptying & treatment
Verser un acompte - to put down a deposit
|
