From the compromis de vente to the keys.

The most reliable way is via Forex Transfers rather than your high-street bank, whether you're paying from the UK, the US, Switzerland or further afield. Your deposit and completion funds must arrive in euros, cleared, in the notaire's escrow/segregated client account by a fixed deadline, and the notaire won't release the keys until they have. Forex Transfers converts your base currency at a rate close to the interbank market, transfers same-day via SEPA, and times the payment around your property completion date so no delays are incurred. Banks typically build a 2–4% margin into the exchange rate and can be slower, which on a six-figure transfer is a large, avoidable cost. You'll need the notaire's account details in IBAN/RIB format, which we validate before sending. This validation is performed by our online system and verbally with yourself the client or your Notaire.

No, you don't need a French bank account to complete the purchase. Your deposit and completion funds can go directly to the notaire's escrow/segregated client account in euros, and a Forex Transfers  can handle the conversion and transfer without a local bank account in place. That said, most buyers open a French account before or shortly after completion, because you'll need one for utilities, local property tax (taxe foncière) and any mortgage repayments. To open one, you'll usually need photo ID, proof of address, and your signed preliminary contract (the compromis de vente). The major French banks all offer accounts to non-residents.

Usually 2–4% of the amount you convert, sometimes more. High-street banks quietly build a margin into the exchange rate, which rarely shows as a line item on your statement, in addition to any disclosed transfer fee. On a €500,000 purchase, a 3% difference equates to €15,000. Forex Transfers derive pricing using the interbank rate, so a clear transparent quote is provided to all clients and charges no transfer fee when moving property funds. The second saving comes from timing: rates move daily, and the gap between offer and completion can be two to three months, so fixing your rate in advance protects the cost of the property in your home currency from swings you can't control.

A Forex transfer consultant will analyse periodic peaks and significant events that could influence your currency exchange rate and property value. If you are adhering to a strict budget, it is advisable to act as early as possible—ideally after you have settled on a price, and in some instances, even before agreeing that price. From the time your offer is accepted until you sign the final deed (the acte de vente), the exchange rate can fluctuate by several percentage points, directly impacting the cost of your property in your home currency. By securing a rate with a forward contract, you can secure the cost, ensuring you know precisely what you are committing to instead of relying on market fluctuations. If you are still in the search phase but wish to safeguard your budget, you can often secure a rate against a target completion date and modify the specifics later.

A forward contract lets you fix today's exchange rate for a payment you'll make later, typically up to one year ahead. It suits a French purchase well, where months can pass between signing the preliminary contract (compromis de vente) and completing on the final deed (acte de vente). You usually pay a small deposit, often around 5-10%, to secure the rate, then settle the balance when the funds are due. The benefit is certainty: your completion cost is locked whichever way the market moves. The trade-off is that if the rate later moves in your favour, you're still committed to the fixed rate. It's protection against risk, not a bet on the market. Additionally if your funds are invested in your base currency you won’t forego any interest payments over the buying period.

A euro transfer via SEPA usually arrives the same or next working day once your funds have cleared with Forex Transfers, regardless of the amount. The time to be conscious of isn't the transfer itself, it's getting your own funds to the provider and completing any source-of-funds checks, which is why we set this up well before the notaire's deadline. Transfers sent from outside the Eurozone, or routed through intermediary banks, can take longer and occasionally get held up, so for completion funds it's worth allowing a few days' buffer rather than transferring on the deadline itself.

International buyers are usually asked to show both proof of funds (that you have the money) and source of funds (where it came from), for example bank statements, a sale or investment record, or confirmation of a mortgage advance. The notaire and the receiving institutions are required to carry out anti-money-laundering checks before funds can be applied to your purchase. Preparing this in advance, in a structured and documented way, avoids last-minute delays close to your completion deadline. We help you assemble and present it before the first transfer, so the deposit and completion payments move cleanly when they're due. Furthermore Forex Transfers will supply all the proof of transfer documentation (La provenance des fonds) so you are covered from an administrative and compliance position.

Beyond the purchase price, budget for roughly 10% in additional costs. Notaire fees are typically 7–8% on older (ancien) properties and 2–3% on new builds, and despite the name, most of that is transfer tax collected for the state. Since April 2025 some departments have raised their share of the transfer tax, so confirm the rate for your area with the notaire. Estate agent fees of around 4–8% may fall to buyer or seller depending on the contract. Then allow for mandatory diagnostic reports, any survey you commission, independent legal or translation support, and the currency cost of converting your funds.

Sale proceeds are usually paid into a French bank account first, then repatriated to your home country, and that conversion out of euros deserves the same care as the purchase did. However, in many cases if you aren’t in your French bank branch you’ll be unable to make large transfers. In frequent cases it can take weeks to arrange an overseas payment over email or the phone, and your bank will be reluctant to make large transfers overseas without your presence. Offering added convenience and speed Forex Transfers can provide you with a Euro account in your name whereby the Notaire directly send the proceeds of your sale, avoiding lengthy negotiating with your bank.  Additionally, these details can be used by your bank to repatriate any savings you have built up in France. 

Using Forex Transfers rather than your bank means a tighter rate and no surprise margin on what a large sum can be. Depending on your residency status, French capital gains tax may apply to the sale, so it's worth taking tax advice before you complete. We can hold or convert the proceeds when the rate suits you, rather than forcing the exchange on the day the funds land.