Words and phrases used by French real estate agents, immobiliers, and builders.
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| abri |
small outbuilding, often a garden shed or shelter |
| acajou |
mahogany |
| acceuil |
reception, welcome |
| acompte |
deposit |
| Acte Authentique |
Deed of Sale |
| affaire |
bargain |
| agence immobilière |
real estate agent |
| agglomere |
chipboard, particle board |
| aménagé |
converted |
| ardoise |
slate tile |
| atelier |
workshop |
| attenant |
contiguous, attached |
| attestation d'acquisition |
a written certificate from the notaire that the property purchase has been completed |
| bail |
lease |
| batiment |
building |
| bergerie |
sheep barn |
| bon de visite |
a form you sign before viewing a house with a French immobilier. You are agreeing that you will not approach the owner directly if you want to make an offer on the house. Agents will tell you that you are agreeing to make the offer though the agent who introduced you to the house but this is not the case. |
| cadastre |
local town planning register |
| carreleur |
tiler |
| carte de séjour |
resident's permit, obtained from the Préfecture of the department |
| carte grise |
vehicle registration document |
| cellier |
pantry or store |
| certificat d'urbanisme |
zoning certificate - land use certificate |
| CU |
zoning certificate - land use certificate - same as certificat d'urbanisme |
| chambre |
bedroom |
| chauffage |
heating |
| clause suspensive |
a clause which is used in the Compromis de Vente detailing a condition to be met before the deed of sale can be signed |
| combles |
attic |
| Compromis de Vente |
initial document in the sale process which legally commits the two parties |
| concubinage |
status of living together but not being married |
| constructible |
land which can be built on based on local zoning |
| cuisine |
kitchen |
| EDF/GDF |
utilities - Electricité de France/ Gaz de France |
| en tontine |
inheritance arrangement whereby the surviving spouse takes full ownership of joint assets |
| expert comptable |
chartered accountant, CPA |
| expert foncier |
professional to check on the state and value of the property (usually an architect) |
| FNAIM - Federation Nationale des Agents Immobilier |
national association of estate agents, provides a compensation fund for defaulting agents |
| fosse septique |
septic tank |
| frais de notaire |
total amount of money paid to the notaire on top of the sale price (includes, notaire fee, registration duty, land registration duty and other charges) |
| grange |
barn |
| grenier |
attic |
| immobilier |
property or real estate |
| lu et approuvé |
phrases written accompanying signature of contract "read and approved" |
| maçon |
builder |
| mairie |
town hall |
| meubles |
furniture |
| notaire |
Notary, independent legal 'referee' |
| permis de construire |
planning permission |
| permis de construire |
building permit |
| plan cadastral |
the village plan; each house has a plot number which will comprise a number, a section e.g. A, and a 'lieudit' ('the place known as') |
| plomberie |
plumbing |
| Préfecture |
the administrative HQ of the department, found in the main town |
| prêt immobilier |
mortgage |
| remise |
barn |
| salle de bains |
bathroom |
| salle d'eau |
shower room |
| salon |
dining room |
| SAM (salle a manger) |
dining room |
| séjour |
living room, lounge, sitting room |
| Société Civile Immobilière (SCI) |
a company which can be set up exclusively to purchase property. Often used when several families are purchasing jointly. |
| surface habitable |
habitable space, usually does not include bathrooms and garage - expressed in square metres (M2) |
| T - Type (T3, T4) |
classification of property type and size. The number is usually the number of main rooms, so a T3 will invariably have 2 bedrooms and a living room |
| taxe d'habitation |
a local tax, partly means-tested, payable only from the December of the year in which you were the owner on the 1st January. e.g. close (complete) on July 2002, pay only in December 2003 for the year 2003. |
| taxe foncière |
a government tax on property, payable pro-rata from date of completion (closing date) to the end of December |
| toiture |
roof |
| tout à l'égout |
on a sewer system - mains drainage |
| TVA (taxe sur la valeur ajoutée) |
Value added tax - VAT |
