4 reasons to sell with La Scala Realty
Your interest is ours
We firmly believe in integrity. If we sell your apartment through another agency in collaboration, our agency commission will be shared between us and that other agency. This service does not cost any extra to the seller of the property. Some agencies do not collaborate in order to keep the entire agency commission, at La Scala we are against this policy which goes against the interests of customers. We also pride ourselves on giving realistic advice and estimations. We will neither over evaluate your property to get you on board nor will we under evaluate your property to guarantee a quick sale.
Our bilingual Team are experts in our field
Our team are our best asset! We understand how difficult it can be if you don’t speak French which is why we are not only your agent but also your translator. A free service you’ll get nowhere else! Combined we have decades of experience that covers every aspect involved in the sales process so you can rest assured that we are experts in our industry and will pay thorough attention to every detail. A sale without hiccup!
Our marketing capabilities
Should you choose to sign an exclusive mandate with us, our professional photographer will take fantastic shots of your property as well as provide you with a virtual tour that can be uploaded online for potential buyers. We promote your property through our multiple research networks including the MLS Cote d'Azur (Multi Listing Service) as well as offering it to our extensive client mailing list and foreign and local partners. We also advertise on our website and on our social media channels. See our Marketing Strategy page.
A faultless transition
We want to show you that selling your property doesn’t have to be stressful. From start to finish, we offer optimal support by introducing you to notaires, insurance brokers, and are on hand for any questions. Once the sale is completed, we help cancel all your utility contracts and transfer them into the name of the new owner.
10 step guide to selling your property
1. EVALUATION
Get in touch with us and we will happily do a free evaluation for you.
We use numerous platforms to carry out accurate market research and provide you with the best evaluation possible based on:
– properties that are currently for sale in this area
– properties that have just sold in this area
– future market trend analysis
It’s important to think about what you would like to do with furniture also as this can make a difference to the final estimation of your property. As for sales commission, please see our tariffs here.
2. STRATEGY
If
you are happy with your evaluation, let’s discuss your situation
together and develop the right selling strategy for you. We are happy to
answer any queries you may have and advise you on what mandate you may
want to consider
3. SIGNING A MANDATE
Based
on your strategy, you will sign one of four mandates. You can either do
this in person or online using Echosign – an electronic software ideal
for those of you who live abroad
Together, we will work to obtain the necessary paperwork. Before we can market your property, we need your title deeds, passport copies and a signed mandate. The rest can come later. As per the ‘Loi Alur’, a new law that came into play in France in 2014, a large amount of documentation is now required before the compromis de vente (intial agreement) can be signed which quite significantly lengthens the timescale between the initial offer and completion. See our mandate checklist here.
5. DIAGNOSTICS/SURVEY REPORTS
Now
it is time to get diagnostics, otherwise known as survey reports, done.
They normally cost in the region of €350. They have to be done as per
French law and they include surface area (Loi Carrez), electricity and
gas, energy efficient rating, lead, asbestos, termites and natural &
technological risks.
6. MARKETING YOUR PROPERTY
We
have rigorous marketing tools to try and sell your apartment as quickly
as possible, check out our marketing strategy here. But before we
market, we want to ensure your property looks as visually appealing as
possible and therefore, professional photos and a virtual tour are done
for all of our exclusive mandates. And the best news? We pay for it!
7. GETTING AN OFFER
Offers are immediately communicated to you both verbally and in writing. Your options are: accept the offer, reject the offer or counter the offer.
8. ASSIGNING A NOTAIRE
Once an offer is accepted, it’s time to appoint a notaire. We work with an excellent team of solicitors that speak English fluently, so you don’t need to spend extra money on translators. These lawyers handle every legal aspect of the sales process and prepare the contracts of sale. Like when you bought, the buyer pays the notaire fees so you don’t need to worry about that!
9. INITIAL SIGNING – COMPROMIS DE VENTE
The compromis de vente, or initial sales agreement, is signed by both parties either in person, by power of attorney or by post. Once signed, the buyer then has a 10-day cooling off period and is also required to pay a deposit of 10% within 7 days of signing. This will be held at the notary until completion. If the buyer is purchasing with a mortgage, be aware that there will be a suspensive clause in there allowing them to withdraw should they not obtain their loan.
10. FINAL SIGNING – ACTE DE VENTE
Once
the cooling off period has finished, the notaire will begin drafting
the final act of sale and title deeds. Again, you do not have to be
present for this signing if you have given the notaire power of attorney
but you will have to ensure keys are given to your agent before the
signature. The notaire will then arrange for the funds to be transferred
to your bank.
Frequently asked questions and answers
Q1.What mandate should I sign?
It can be difficult to choose from the different types of mandates available to you. Here is a summary of the different types of mandates offered by the agencies:
– Simple mandate – you can give to as many different agencies as you like but it won’t be listed on MLS system.
– Exclusive mandate – you choose just one agency to sell your property. This means your chosen agency has to put your property on the MLS system, opening it up to almost every agency on French Riviera.
– Co-exclusive mandate – you give the property to two agencies who both try and sell it. The sales commission is split between both agencies no matter which agency sells it.
– Semi-exclusive mandate – you give your property to just one agency whilst also trying to sell it privately.
It is entirely up to you which you sign but we can guide you according to your circumstances and selling strategy.
Q2. How will you market my property?
We combine modern, online marketing practices, for example social media channels, with traditional means such as hanging a ‘for sale’ sign on your property. If you sign an exclusive mandate with us, we even offer you professional photographs and a virtual tour to ensure your property looks as appealing as possible. You can read our master marketing strategy here.
Q3. I’m renting my property whilst selling, is this ok?
Properties which are also for rent are very appealing to our international clients who are buying for rental investment. This is because rental apartments normally have highly desirable attributes and don’t normally need much work doing to them. The only drawback for a seasonally let apartment is that guests have the right to refuse visits so it can sometimes mean visits are harder to do and therefore, can delay the sales process slightly.
Q4.What are the costs involved in selling?
The only costs involved are for the diagnostic reports and for obtaining obligatory documents from the syndic. Notaire fees are paid for by the buyer and the sales commission is deducted from the ‘prix de vente’.
Q5. I don’t live in France, how do I sign paperwork?
This is no problem at all! You can give the notaire power of attorney or sign documents and send them back to France via express courier. So it doesn’t matter if you are selling overseas.
La Scala Tariffs
| 0€ | to | 250,000€ | 7.0% TTC |
| 250,000€ | to | 400,000€ | 6.0% TTC |
| 400,000€ | to | 600,000€ | 5.5% TTC |
| 600,000€ | to | 5,000,000€ | 5.0% TTC |