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If you are used to buying property in the UK, the US or Canada, the French timeline will feel both slower and more structured. Every step is framed by law, with cooling-off periods and deadlines that cannot be shortened — and a few that can easily stretch if the file is not prepared.
Here is the realistic timeline for a purchase with a mortgage, whether you are a French resident or buying from abroad.
1. Offer accepted and compromis de vente signed (week 0)
Once your offer is accepted, the notary or agency drafts the compromis de vente (preliminary contract). Signing it usually takes one to three weeks, the time to gather the property diagnostics and the co-ownership documents.
After signing, you benefit from a legal 10-day cooling-off period during which you can withdraw without any penalty. This period is fixed and cannot be waived.
2. The mortgage application (weeks 1 to 6)
The compromis states a deadline for obtaining your loan — typically 45 to 60 days. This is the clause suspensive de financement: if no bank grants you a loan within that window, you recover your deposit.
A complete, well-presented file gets an answer in two to four weeks. An incomplete file — missing tax returns, untranslated documents, unclear income — can double that. For non-residents, add time for international document gathering and translations.
- Week 1: file submitted to the bank(s).
- Weeks 2-4: bank review, possible additional questions, approval committee.
- Weeks 4-6: loan offer issued.
3. The loan offer and the mandatory 11-day wait
French law imposes an 11-calendar-day reflection period after you receive the loan offer. You cannot accept it before the 11th day, and the offer remains valid for 30 days. No bank, notary or broker can shorten this — it is a legal minimum built into every timeline.
4. The final deed at the notary (weeks 8 to 12)
Once the loan is accepted, the bank sends the funds to the notary, who schedules the acte authentique — the final deed of sale. In total, count roughly three months between the accepted offer and the day you receive the keys.
Well-prepared files close in ten weeks. Files that start the mortgage process only after signing the compromis, or that hit a bank refusal and must start over, regularly take four to five months.
5. Where buyers lose weeks — and how to avoid it
- Starting the mortgage search after the offer instead of before: get pre-approved before you visit.
- Submitting an incomplete file: one missing document can reset the review queue.
- Applying to the wrong bank for your profile: a refusal costs three to four weeks, and the clock on your financing clause keeps running.
- Underestimating the 11-day reflection period when planning the notary date.
The single most effective way to shorten the timeline is to have your borrowing capacity assessed and your file documented before you make an offer. Sellers and agents also take your offer far more seriously when financing is already mapped out.
6. What a broker changes in the timeline
A broker submits your file once, complete, to the bank whose criteria match your profile — instead of you applying sequentially and losing a month per refusal. On the French Riviera market, where good properties sell fast, that preparation is often what allows a buyer to commit within the seller's deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Can the whole process be done remotely?
Yes. The compromis and the final deed can both be signed by power of attorney, and the mortgage file is handled entirely online. Many of my non-resident clients complete the purchase without travelling.
Is the timeline different for non-residents?
The legal steps are identical. What changes is the document gathering: foreign tax returns, proof of income and bank statements sometimes need translation or additional verification, so starting early matters even more.
What happens if my loan is refused?
If you applied in good faith within the financing clause deadline and provide the refusal letters, the compromis is cancelled and your deposit is returned in full.
Planning a purchase in France?
Book a free 30-minute discovery call: we map your borrowing capacity, your documents and a realistic timeline for your purchase on the French Riviera — in English or in French.