Our Services

• Sell your property, yes ... but in respect of very strict legal rules
• Sell your property, yes .... but taking adequate precaution
• Sell your property, yes ... but going through a real estate agent
• Sell your property, yes ... but with Laforêt Immobilier
• Successful negotiations with buyers
• Perfect mastery of the legal, fiscal and financial aspects
• Local agencies that care about your needs

Sell your property, yes ... but in respect of very strict legal rules

Obvious as it may seem (but a reminder never goes astray), you can only sell property to which you have full title. This means you can't sell the family home or other jointly-held property without the written assent of each of the joint owners. If you are married and you want to sell a property that is part of your joint estate, both parties must give their assent. The same rule applies when the property is owned by one spouse only but is the couple's main place of residence.

Likewise, if you want to sell your property free of tenants while a tenant is still in occupation, you must give the tenant notice with a sales offer at least six months before expiration of the lease.

If you don't respect the procedure to the letter, or don't give notice at exactly the right time (even if you are only 24 hours late) or some item of compulsory information is missing, the lease will be renewed for another three years without any possibility of it being interrupted.

Real estate legislation today is much stricter than it was in the past. All sorts of surveys and certificates must now be produced by the vendor at the time of completion of sale, such as the exact surface area (Loi Carrez), asbestos and termite surveys, disclosure about lead-based paint hazards, and so on. Other obligations will soon become necessary as well (gas, water, etc.)

To put it in a nutshell, selling a flat or house is not as simple as it may seem!

Sell your property, yes .... but taking adequate precaution

Should you wait until you have sold your present home before you buy the next one? There is no cut and dried answer to this often-asked question. Everything depends on the local market, the way you look at things and your personality.

If you buy before you sell, you will probably need a bridging loan. In this case, you will need to assess the risks involved and see how to keep them to a minimum.

On the other hand, if you sell before you buy, you'll have the worry of not finding a flat or house that corresponds to what you are looking for in the three months that usually go by between the exchange of contracts and the completion of sale.

Once again, there are many factors involved and many questions to which there are no immediate answers.

Sell your property, yes ... but going through a real estate agent

A real estate agent is a professional whose task is to liase between sellers and buyers and landlords and tenants, and advise them whenever necessary.

When selling property, using the services of a real estate agent has two main advantages:

• Agents have a good knowledge of their neighbourhood and town. They can quickly give you an exact idea of the value of your property;
• They are familiar with current real estate legislation and can therefore relieve you of all the legal and administrative paperwork required.

But most important is that their profession is strictly controlled and carries numerous obligations:

• The aim of this legislation passed on 2nd January 1970, which regulates the activity of real estate professionals (real estate agents, building mangers, etc.), is to control access to the real estate profession and its subsequent exercise;
• A real estate agent must take out a professional liability insurance policy designed to pay compensation to the vendor if the agent does anything to cause damage or loss to the vendor.
• The agent must provide proof of a sufficient financial guarantee to receive the buyer's holding deposit, which must be banked in a special conveyancing account.
• In application of the so-called "SRU" law in relating to the buyer's "cooling off" period, the agent is required to reimburse the money deposited in the conveyancing account in the event of withdrawal from the agreement.

To sum up, going through a real estate agent means maximum safety for your transaction. Real estate agents have an obligation of means, so that in the case of concealed defects, both their criminal and civil liability are incurred. What greater protection could you ask for?

Sell your property, yes ... but with Laforêt Immobilier

By going through Laforêt, you will benefit from a whole series of advantages and privileges that will relieve your mind of unnecessary worry. Looking at each point in turn, this is what our agencies will be providing:

• A correct valuation of your property
  The more precise the valuation is, the easier it will be to find a buyer and the faster the sale will go through. Laforêt agencies, set up by local teams, have a perfect understanding of what buyers are looking for and what is available on the market. Their agents are trained in tried and tested professional methods, that take into account all the criteria that enter into price determination.
• An intelligent search for potential buyers
  Based on their wide experience, Laforêt real estate agents determine the profile of buyers who will have a potential interest in your property. In that way, they can avoid unproductive viewings by rigorous pre-selection. All they need to do is consult the list of buyers registered with their agency. They then call them up and organise viewings.
• The choice of the most appropriate advertising media
  In addition to checking the files of buyers already registered with our agency, your Laforêt agent looks after the following:
  • Preparing ads to be included in various printed media and on the Internet. A well-written ad means that "real" potential buyers can be targeted, thus eliminating unnecessary calls and wasted time;
  • Choosing sales signage (window display cards, small posters, press advertisements, etc.): your Laforêt agent is a professional using specific, appropriate tools, selected to obtain the best payback ;
  • Advertising your property in the window: the agency always has a high street location which means that many people naturally stop to look. The way your property is presented is therefore of essential importance. The quality of the display will help to show your listing to the best advantage;
  • - Listing your property on the web. Several hundreds thousand people visit www.laforet.com every month and, very often, your Laforêt Immobilier agency** posts its listings on its local or regional website and on the the most popular real estate websites;
  • Selecting the right press media: your property will obviously not interest every category of buyer. Thanks to their knowledge of the market and the specialised press, Laforêt agents can select the most appropriate magazines and newspapers;
  • Giving you the benefit of the joint file system and the principle of inter-agency recommendations

Successful negotiations with buyers

Once the buyers have been selected, your Laforêt agent will interview them at the agency and take them to view your property. The agent's services include:

• Telling you how to show your property to the best advantage; based on their experience, they will give you tips on how to "tempt" potential buyers during visits;
• Checking whether buyers are bona fide and financially viable, so that your time will not be wasted on people whose budget is insufficient;
• Highlighting the best features of your property when showing visitors through. It is best not to interfere in any way. Selling is their business. They know which arguments to put forward and which to avoid;
• Negotiating the price for you: a good negotiation is one that satisfies both the vendor and purchaser. Your Laforêt agent is perfectly familiar with the market and knows how to conduct this crucial phase.

Perfect mastery of the legal, fiscal and financial aspects

• Certifications : your Laforêt agent will tell you which documents you will need. If you wish, they can put you in contact with trustworthy professionals to have the necessary surveys conducted.
• Documents to be signed : once you and the seller have come to an agreement, your Laforêt agent will look after all the formalities, the most important of which are the exchange of contracts and completion of sale. All Laforêt agencies are authorised to draft the bilateral provisional sales contract and deposit funds in their conveyancing account (compte séquestre/).
• What happens between the exchange of contracts and final move and how long it takes : after signing the preliminary sales agreement, the agent will keep you informed of the various steps involved, saving you both time and stress.

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Local agencies that care about your needs

At Laforêt, you will be dealing with professionals who do everything they can to provide satisfaction. It is not just a matter of chance that Laforêt is reputed for its excellent client relations.

Also, Laforêt agencies always have first category highstreet locations, which means that potential buyers will naturally pass by. Laforêt optimises this advantage by paying particular attention to its window displays and making your listing as attractive as possible.

• Experience and know-how
• Agreement with seller : Signing an agreement with the seller (called a mandat de vente/) is standard practice at Laforêt. We particularly recommend our Privilège/Contract which has a long list of services designed to guarantee the best conditions for a successful sale. It includes concrete, detailed commitments in relation to the means to be implemented to guarantee your peace of mind, advertise your property to the best advantage and provide help and support right up to the completion of sale.
• In-house training : Laforêt's agents are the key factors in making a successful purchase. Recruited for their dynamic approach and experience, they receive special in-house training when they first arrive and at regular intervals throughout their career at Laforêt.
• Shared values

The expansion of the Laforêt Immobilier network is based on strict rules, shared by all its agencies, and the promotion of three main values on an everyday basis: clarity, conviviality and efficiency.

Today, making a successful sale can be summed up in two words: Laforêt Immobilier!

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