We are selling our property and we have a UK couple that want it and a property Swap has been suggested!
Has anybody any knowledge whatsoever on how this might work and how best to start the procedure as we do not have a clue as seems very complicated.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
AFAIK it’s not that complcated - you buy theirs in the normal way, they buy yours in the normal way, and voilà you have swapped.
Property swaps used to be a trending topic a few years back, haven’t heard it mentioned for a while bur afaik, nobody ever did manage to find a shortcut in France.
Hi Anna.
But we need to sell before we buy theirs and vice versa.
Also theirs is worth more than ours! So not that straight forward!
Your post suggests that you swap/buy each others property or have I got that wrong?
If correct and there is a potentially different value then you simply agree the difference, just like a part exchange on a car.
I have done exactly that twice albeit both houses in the UK but I see no reason why it cannot work from one side of the Channel/Manche to the other as the legalities will be sorted by legal bods.
If I have misunderstood your situation then my apologies in advance.
Hi John
Yes that is correct. That sounds simple, I think!
Do you think the Notaire would charge as muchas it is effectively just a change of title! Any idea?
Needs to be done through a notaire… info below
You are still buying and selling so the same work required but at least you save on estate agents fees.
Mmmm… a French Sale is not simply a change of Title … 
Of course the big difference is how property buying/selling works in France and UK so you would both have to legally commit to the deal at an early stage ie exchange contracts in UK and sign compromis in France.
Yes I guess so. Thank you so much for your help. Watch this space!