# Buying an apartment through local vs international focused broker



## Embla

Hello everybody

So I'm looking to buy an apartment in France and I'm wondering how much extra one will pay if I'm using an internationally focused broker. I think we all have seen the buy House/apartment in France but in English obviously marketing to an international audience and I assume there is a markup, the question is how much. 

If I buy an apartment for 100 000 euro with a local agency, what might it cost if using one that speaks English and can help with some paper work.

I speak enough french to explain my politics and get things done but dealing with contracts and building regulation would require me to ask for a lot of help. So the questions comes down to time and money, how much is the extra charge by those who cater to international clients in my price range.

So what is your experience with internationally focused helpers, how much do they take, was it worth it?


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## Bevdeforges

First thing to understand is that the local real estate agents work on a different business model than many of the "international" agents (especially the English speaking ones).

Generally speaking, an agent here in France will not divulge the address of a property to you until and unless you have signed an agreement to pay them a certain fee (spelled out in the document you are asked to sign) if you wind up buying that property. Hence the "warning" you'll see here and on many expat oriented site that you must never let an agent show you the same property you have already seen - because if you buy it you may be responsible for the agreed fees to both agents or agencies. And that agreed upon fee applies as stated, even if you manage to bargain down the price of the property.

International agencies don't operate under the same model, so be careful to ask them how their fees are calculated, especially if they include additional assistance.


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## Embla

That was news to me, thanks a lot. 

If anyone has experience working with those aimed at international custumers it would be interesting to hear.


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