FAQ for private sellers of property in France
I want to sell my house. How does it work?
Publishing and selling your house is quite easy with Immogo. It goes like this:
1: you fill out the form with your personal details and a description of the property, adding as many pictures as you like. Click on ‘publish’.
2: I see your information coming in, and correct your text to make it Search Engine-friendly. If necessary, it will be translated in Dutch, German and/or French.
3. I put your house online and send you a confirmation mail.
4: someone uses the form under your mail to ask more information
5: you reply, answer any questions and make an appointment for a visit.
6: you sell your house, using the notary public for the paperwork.
The division of the tasks is clear: we make publicity; you play the role of the real estate agent.
Do I have to sign a contract with Immogo?
No. Immogo is just a publicity support, like a newspaper. The fact that you publish your property with Immogo is like a digital handshake. It implies you agree with the price for success. We have a gentlemen’s agreement. A signature is not needed.
What do I have to do if I find a buyer through Immogo?
If you sell your house to someone who found it on Immogo, you contact me to tell me about it, so I can take your ad down and send you an invoice for successful advertising. The price is related to the asking price in your ad. The price list is here.
And if I don’t sell though Immogo?
If our advertising didn’t work, it was no use to you. So you don’t have to pay for it. You don’t owe me anything. It is free. You get a 100% price reduction... In short: I take your offer down from the site and that’s that. By the way, this might make SARL KREK. The only French advertising agency that only charges for work that works.
How do you check whether or not I sold to a client of Immogo?
I don’t. If you tell me your house was sold through a real estate agent or a sign in the garden, I will congratulate you and delete your ad from the site. You don’t have to send me any documents to prove your statement. I believe in trust.
Aren’t you afraid people might cheat?
No. Life’s to short for running after money. If I do my advertising work well, people will be happy to pay for it. And don’t forget that selling through Immogo instead of a real estate agent means you save about 80%! Thousands of euros! Believe me, most people are just like you: honest enough to pay me with a big smile.
Immogo, real estate agents and notary public
Do I still need a real estate agent?
If you want to sell through Immogo, the legal transaction can be entirely organised and carried out by your notary public. He’s the one who can estimate the value of your home, he draws up the preliminary deed and invites all parties for a signing session. He can also organise the obligatory controls: for asbestos, lead, the energy balance and anything else the French government throws at you. So you really don’t need a real estate agent anymore.
If possible, find a notary who speaks English, so you can more easily deal with any Dutch or German buyers, if the need arises.
UPDATE: I've just learned about a French company that organises visits to houses. Very intresting for sellers who don't live in their house anymore, or are selling from abroad. The company Priovisite (from 'prix au visite' or 'price per visit') can be reached here.
What should be my asking price?
Immogo is not a real estate agent, notary or construction professional. It’s a press medium, like a newspaper. So I can’t advise you on the worth of your property. Just ask the notary or an ‘Agent Immobilier’. In any case, make your asking price as low as possible, taking into account the price of successful advertising, but not counting any agency fees. If your private price on Immogo is lower than the price published elsewhere, you have more chance of selling privately and saving thousands of euros.
Can I also put my house with the real estate agencies?
Yes, of course! Immogo invests in quality and the success of your ad, without any restrictions to you. As a matter of fact, I advise you to also place your property with a couple of agencies, strategically placed in cities around your home. Don’t put all you eggs in the Immogo basket. Unless of course you have all the time in the world and you prefer to try selling directly for a while. But remember: Immogo does not know the real estate market in your region. So for setting the right price for your property, a real estate agent or notary can be very useful.
And what if my real estate agent doesn’t agree with Immogo?
It happens. Some real estate agents might get angry if they see your house on Immogo for a lower price than they are asking. Don’t let this intimidate you. You have the right to ask the net price without agency fees if you sell directly to a private party. If the agent wants to add 6% of commission to sell your house, then let him earn them! If he is worth his salt as a professional, he will be able to sell your house before you – a mere amateur – can do it yourself.
Relations between buyer and seller
The buyer does not speak English. Now what?
In the early stages, you might be able to get by using the online translation tools, like Google translate. These tools make rather literal word-by-word translations. So try to use very simple sentences. The result will still be a bit stilted, but for exchanging information about a house, it’ll do.
And when it gets more serious?
You might consider using a real translator. There are several companies that give independent support in the buying procedure for a reasonable price (1 – 2%). I know for instance CompromisDeVente.info and, in the Gard, 30 à Vendre. Most Dutch and German will understand English. Otherwise you could maybe ask a French-speaking friend to help you out.
Price for publishing on Immogo
In the early stages of its existence, Immogo asked 1%. Why has it changed?
I want to make a clear distinction with the real estate agencies. The real estate federation has already taken me to court for asking a commission on a real estate transaction. The profession is strongly regulated (protected, some might say). Even though I’ve won the case, I prefer to use a fixed price, known in advance. This way, there is no connection whatsoever with the actual selling price.
The sliding price scale also gives the seller some slack if he wants to lower his price. This way, the price for advertising and selling through Immogo will rarely be higher than 1% of the selling price.
Why is Immogo this expensive?
It is true, that if your asking price is 750.000 euros and you find a buyer through Immogo, I will send you an invoice for 7.000 euros. A lot of money for an internet publication, even if translations are included. Still, the price is justified because you will be paying for the Immogo System. You also pay for the risk I take in investing in your success. And for all those people who have put their house on Immogo for free and go on to sell by some other means.
Actually, often hey are less fortunate than you, because they have to pay 6% to their real estate agency. So the more expensive your home, the luckier you are if you sell through Immogo because the more you will pay less elsewhere (you follow?).
And finally, if you really think Immogo is too expensive, I will gladly publish your offer on my sister-site Zorro Immo. Here you pay 50 euros for your ad plus 7 cents per word for any translations you need. In advance.
We are very interested in advertising our house on your web-site. Do you translate our advert into dutch, french and german and advertise it over the three websites or would we have to pay extra for that service?
All is included in the 'No Cure No Pay' service. You don't pay anything for translations. You can publish unlimited text and photos for an unlimited time. Alle updates are free. No extra cost at all. But if you find your buyer through Immogo, you'll have to pay about 1%.
For more information about Immogo, the court case against the Real Estate Federation and any other news about the site, have a look at my blog.
