Selling your house
privately — publish without an agency
Everything you need to know to sell your property without an intermediary — valuation, preparation, writing the advertisement and choosing the right portal.
Selling without an agent — what it really entails
Selling your property privately, without an agency, is an increasingly common practice. It allows you to save on agency fees — which in France represent between 3% and 8% of the sale price depending on the property and the network — and to retain complete control of the transaction, from contacting buyers to negotiating the price.
This process, however, requires significant involvement from the seller. Property valuation, preparation of the diagnostic report, drafting and advertising the listing, organizing viewings, qualifying potential buyers, and drafting the preliminary sales agreement with the notary—each step demands time and meticulous attention to detail. When handled effectively, a private sale can be just as successful as a sale through an agency, and often even faster, provided the property is properly positioned and advertised on the right platforms.
✓ The advantages
- No agency commission (saved 3 to 8%)
- Total control over price and negotiation
- Direct contact with buyers — greater transparency
- Freedom to organize visits
- Sometimes shorter delivery times without an intermediary
- Direct contact with your notary
— The requirements
- Significant investment of personal time
- The need to properly assess one's own assets
- Qualifying buyers without a safety net
- Write or have the advertisement written carefully
- Choosing the right broadcasting portals
- Managing visits and negotiations independently
How to sell your house privately — the 6 steps
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01Estimate your property at the right price
This is the most crucial step. An overpriced property will remain on the market, accumulate unsuccessful viewings, and eventually be perceived as problematic—even after a price reduction. An underpriced property sells quickly but puts you at a disadvantage. To obtain a reliable valuation, compare properties recently sold in your area (data from notaries is publicly available), consult real estate portals to analyze the direct competition, and consider an independent appraisal if your property is unusual.
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02Prepare your technical diagnostic file
The law requires the creation of a Technical Diagnostic File (DDT) before any sale. This file must include the Energy Performance Certificate (DPE), the statement of risks and pollution (ERP), and, depending on the characteristics of your property: asbestos, lead, electrical, gas, termite, and sanitation assessments. These assessments must be carried out by certified professionals, at your expense as the seller. Without a valid DPE, you cannot legally advertise your property.
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03Prepare professional-quality photos
Photography is the first thing a buyer sees of your property. Poor-quality photos—badly framed, dark, or cluttered—can disqualify an otherwise excellent property before the buyer has even read the description. Take the time to prepare each room, invest in a professional real estate photographer if your property warrants it, and create a comprehensive gallery—exteriors, living areas, bedrooms, outdoor spaces, and views if applicable. For a luxury property, video and aerial drone footage are now expected.
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04Write a clear and attractive advertisement
A good property listing answers all the questions a serious buyer has before contacting the seller: exact living area, property layout, overall condition, recent renovations, energy performance certificate (EPC), property tax, service charges if applicable, proximity to amenities and transport, and distinctive features. Be factual and precise—no approximations about square footage, no vague terms. The description should entice potential buyers to visit while allowing unqualified buyers to rule out the property.
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05Choosing the right broadcasting portals
The distribution of your listing determines the quality and volume of inquiries you will receive. Generalist portals (PAP, LeBonCoin, SeLoger) offer a broad but largely unqualified audience—you will receive many inquiries, a significant portion of which will be unusable. If your property is a character or prestige property, specialized portals connect you with a directly targeted audience—buyers whose profile and budget truly match your property.
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06Qualify potential buyers and organize viewings
Before scheduling a viewing, qualify each contact: what is their actual budget, have they already done a financing simulation, is their personal situation compatible with buying property? These simple questions, asked by email or phone, will save you dozens of hours of unnecessary viewings. The notary will then handle drafting the preliminary sales agreement and the legal checks—that's their role, not yours.
Is your property a luxury residence? Choose the right portal
Generalist portals have their uses — but they are not suitable for all properties. For a character home, a villa, a luxury apartment, or an exceptional property, publishing on a non-specialized portal presents two major risks: your listing will get lost among hundreds of thousands of properties, and you'll receive inquiries from buyers whose budget doesn't match your property.
A villa owner with a €1.5 million property who lists it on LeBonCoin will receive calls from curious onlookers, people whose actual budget is three to five times smaller, and very few serious inquiries. Marketing a luxury property requires a platform that already speaks to the right audience.
Charming Properties — the portal for prestigious private individuals
Propriétés De Charme is an independent real estate portal dedicated to prestigious and characterful properties. It caters to private owners whose property – villa, manor house, luxury apartment, bastide, castle, mas or estate – reaches a level of quality and value sufficient to attract a clientele of qualified buyers.
Unlike generalist portals, PDC doesn't list all properties—only those that align with its prestigious editorial focus. This selectivity is your greatest asset: your listing is exposed to an audience specifically searching for that type of property, with the corresponding budget.
The criteria for publication on Charming Properties
PDC applies strict selection criteria to maintain the quality of its catalog and the trust of its buyer audience. Your property must meet the following criteria to be published:
- Minimum selling price of €600,000 for a property sale
- Properties of character, prestige or exceptional value — villa, manor house, luxury apartment, castle, country house, farmhouse, estate, private mansion
- Valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) required — to be attached with publication
- Professional quality photos — minimum recommended: 15 to 20 HD photos
- Full and accurate description — surface area, composition, condition, equipment
- Owner/seller directly identifiable — no parallel agency mandates required
Your property deserves the right audience
If your property is a prestigious property starting from €600,000, Propriétés De Charme offers you targeted distribution to qualified buyers — commission-free, between individuals.