To buy property in Val Thorens you need a “Notaire” to process the sale. The Notaire is a publicly appointed legal advisor who acts on behalf of the State , appointed by the Minister of Justice, in order to draw up contracts between the buyer and the seller. This guarantees the legality and authenticity of the sale.

 

The Notaire is there to ensure both parties fully understand the agreement they are entering into. For international buyers, having a notaire that speaks your language can obviously be very helpful to help you navigate technical language in a real estate contract.

 

In most cases one Notary acts on behalf of both the purchaser and the seller. However, should the purchaser wish to use another Notary that is also possible. In this case, both Notaries would share the total fee between them.

 

The fees vary depending on the age of the property but here is a rough outline:

 

 

Although referred to as “notary fee” the notaire does not keep the funds quoted above, these rates include the taxes they collect on behalf of the state.