🏛️ Real estate inheritance: transmission, value and strategy

1. Inherited real estate: what you need to know

The real estate inheritance in France is governed by precise rules of the Civil Code . As soon as the succession is opened, several steps start:

Opening of the succession to the notary;
or testamentary heirs
Evaluation of real estate assets for the calculation of rights;
Payment of inheritance tax , which may vary depending on the relationship.

Good to know : direct heirs in direct line benefit from a reduction of € 100,000 (January 1, 2025), beyond which progressive rates apply.

2. A high -value heritage ... but sometimes restrictive

The beautiful residences, although prestigious, can present maintenance, taxation or management constraints . Before accepting an inheritance, several questions must be asked:

Is the property free or busy?
Are work to be expected?
Is the property classified or registered as historic monuments?
Is it profitable if renting?

Accepting a real estate inheritance should never be an automation. It is possible to accept it up to the net assets , or to refuse , if the debts or charges are greater than the estimated value.

3. Transmitting a prestigious property: anticipating is preserving

For owners of beautiful residences, anticipating transmission is essential to avoid conflicts and limiting taxation. Here are some options to consider:

▪ Donation

It makes it possible to transmit during his lifetime, benefiting from renewable abatements every 15 years. A donation-party also makes it possible to clarify the distribution between heirs.

▪ Usufruit / bare ownership

The dismemberment allows a parent to keep the use of a property while transferring its bare ownership to its children, optimizing the transmission.

▪ Real estate civil society (SCI)

Creating an SCI allows flexible management, progressive transmission by shares and a better heritage organization.

4. Preserve the heritage value of a beautiful house

Transmitting a prestigious property is not limited to a notarial approach: it is also a conservation commitment . The owners concerned with the future of their property must:

Maintain the good regularly (facades, roof, exterior);
Document the history of the place (archives, photos, family stories);
Value the property by discreet improvements : modern comfort, safety, home automation;
To have the property appraised periodically to follow its value.

5. Reception of a family property: what strategy to adopt?

Once the good inherited, the heir must choose between:

▪ Keep the property

He then became a living family heritage , to occupy, rent, or simply maintain. This is the most common case for holiday homes or prestigious residences.

▪ Shop

If the property is too heavy to assume or the siblings cannot agree, the sale can be envisaged. In this case, it is essential to surround yourself with an agency specializing in luxury real estate to reach qualified buyers.

▪ Rental

The furnished or seasonal rental rental (eg in Provence or on the Côte d'Azur) can generate income while retaining the property in the family fold.

6. The key role of the notary and experts

In any real estate inheritance process, the notary is the central player: he ensures legality, taxation, and secures transmission. But it is also wise to surround yourself:

a real estate expert for evaluation;
a heritage advisor to optimize transmission;
of a heritage architect for classified properties.

7. Some typical examples of real estate inheritance

A bourgeois house in Bordeaux , transmitted for four generations, transformed into a high -end guest house;
A family farm in Provence , renovated and put in seasonal rentals in Gordes;
A mansion in Paris , transmitted via an SCI between several children;
A castle in the Loire , in part sold to a heritage foundation to ensure its long -term maintenance.

8. Taxation and heritage conservation aid

Some aids exist to support the owners:

Tax reduction for work in historic monuments ;
Partial exemptions for classified goods;
Regional subsidies or DRAC for heritage catering.

9. The symbolic dimension of transmission

Transmitting a beautiful house is not only to pass a property. It is to offer a place of memory, an anchoring identity , sometimes even a work of art to live. It is therefore essential to dialogue with the family , to explain the history of the place and to share the vision of its preservation.

Publish your family property on charm properties

Do you own an inherited property, a family home to transmit, sell or estimate? www.proprietesdecharme.com portal allows you to enhance this heritage with a demanding audience, lover of character residences.

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