North American vs France Real Estate

 

For many of our North American real estate clients, the biggest misunderstanding they bring to France is assuming the MLS system exists here. It doesn’t. In the U.S., you open a platform, see every listing, track days on market, request viewings, and information flows seamlessly.

In France, you step into a landscape with no central database. Listings overlap, disappear, reappear, or remain exclusive to a single agency. Transparency is limited, and exclusivity is fiercely protected.

So if you’re an American buyer expecting MLS-style clarity, prepare for frustration. You can bring your purchasing power—just not your data culture.

Last year, Americans purchased nearly €1 billion worth of French property, representing roughly 8–10% of all foreign acquisitions and making them the largest non-European buyer group. That’s extraordinary considering how complex the process is here.

And while overall transaction volumes dipped, U.S. demand certainly didn’t. It has grown by about 5% year-on-year since 2021 and, as we predicted, accelerated further following the election. The reasons are consistent: politics, currency, certainty, and lifestyle.

Even as the dollar softens, French real estate maintains its appeal as a stable asset—and lifestyle, not speculation, remains the driving force, especially among our clients.

When French buyers step back, North Americans quietly keep the market moving.

Now, for the agents already working in France, this is the part worth hearing: we don’t view agencies as competitors—only as potential collaborators.

American clients expect frequent communication, transparent reporting, and branding that feels truly global. They won’t tolerate “call back after lunch or contact us when you arrive in France.” strange office hours or a listing with one poorly lit photo. When a U.S.-level service standard enters a market, it resets expectations. We’ve seen this clearly across the French Riviera over the last decade.

If your agency isn’t communicating in English, explaining transaction costs upfront, or presenting listings with proper digital staging, that gap widens fast.

Being Canadian myself, I understand exactly what North American clients expect: clarity, responsiveness, and consistent service. When agencies fail to provide that, I avoid working with them—because if the process frustrates me, it will absolutely frustrate my clients.

Ultimately, France and America view property through two very different lenses. For the French, real estate is something to preserve and steward. For Americans, it’s a form of freedom—a tool for designing a different kind of life. When those two mindsets meet, markets shift, standards rise, and the entire landscape evolves.

And right now, despite price corrections and fewer transactions, this is one of the most interesting moments in a generation to be working in French real estate. Look beyond the headlines and you’ll see a new kind of demand emerging—strategic, intentional, and refreshingly honest.

Now is the perfect time of year to begin searching for your primary, secondary, or retirement property. As the Côte d’Azur settles into its quieter season, the region returns to the locals—making it an ideal moment to explore neighbourhoods and view properties without the summer rush.

With the Christmas season upon us, many of our clients are already planning visits and scouting trips for the start of the new year, taking their next step toward life on the Riviera.

Feel free to get in touch and start the journey with us.