Set a realistic budget, including costs
The asking price is never the final cost. For an existing property, transfer taxes and the notary's regulated fees amount to around 7,5 to 8 % of the sale price, plus agency fees where payable by the buyer, mortgage security costs and, where applicable, work to bring the property up to standard.
For a property priced at 600 000 €, the total budget required frequently exceeds 660 000 €. We recommend thinking in terms of your overall budget from the first viewing and having a broker confirm your borrowing capacity before making any offer: in a high-demand market, buyers with finance in place take priority.
- Transfer taxes and notary costs: ~7,5 to 8 % (resale), ~2 to 3 % (new-build)
- Agency fees: as per our fee schedule, specified in each listing
- Renovation and compliance work: cost it before making an offer, not afterwards
- Property tax and annual charges: factor them into the cost of ownership
Choosing your area: coastal, near-coastal or inland
The coast (Porto-Vecchio, Bonifacio, Porticcio) offers the greatest ease of resale and the highest seasonal rental yields, but at a significantly higher entry price. Locations just inland (Sotta, Lecci, Figari, Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio) offer larger plots ten minutes from the beaches.
Inland areas (Zonza, Levie, Cauro) appeal to buyers seeking a main home or an authentic setting: prices per m² are significantly lower, but the pool of buyers on resale is smaller. The right balance depends on how the property will actually be used, not just its price.
Check planning rules before making an offer
In Corsica, planning is the main source of unwelcome surprises. The loi Littoral, France's coastal planning law, severely restricts the expansion of development in coastal communes; the PADDUC and local PLUs (local development plans) impose their own constraints. A plot sold as buildable may no longer be so following a revision of the planning document.
Before making any offer on land or a property you intend to extend, request a project-specific planning certificate, check that the drainage complies with regulations and verify rights of way — extremely common on inland properties.
- Project-specific planning certificate (CUb) before making an offer on land
- Private drainage compliance (SPANC)
- Rights of way and up-to-date boundary demarcation
- Wildfire risk zoning and statutory brush clearance obligations
Access properties before they are advertised
A significant proportion of fine properties change hands without ever appearing on a property portal. Sellers of exceptional homes favour discretion, and agencies first approach their database of qualified buyers.
To avoid being disadvantaged by this imbalance, formalise your search: written criteria, a confirmed budget and availability to view within 48 hours. That is precisely the purpose of our property search mandate, which assigns a dedicated property finder to your project and gives you access to off-market properties.
From preliminary sale agreement to final deed: the timetable
Once the offer is accepted, the preliminary sale agreement is signed within 2 to 4 weeks. The buyer then has a 10-day cooling-off period, followed by the period for satisfying the conditions precedent: securing the loan (45 to 60 days), clearing the commune's right of pre-emption and completing the notary's checks.
Allow 3 to 4 months in total. This can take longer for properties in undivided co-ownership or inheritance cases, which are common in Corsica: plan ahead by having the ownership history checked at the preliminary sale agreement stage.