I’m planning to buy my first apartment here in Paris and still getting to know the procedures of buying real estate in France. I’ve seen a lot of people recommend getting your own notaire instead of using the same one as the seller’s. Is it still okay to use the same notaire? Does anyone have any advice on this matter?
Thank you!
The notaire is in effect a tax collector for the government. I dont know where “a lot of people recommend getting your own notaire” are as my experience is quite the opposite. It is much easier if both parties have the same notaire. As we did.
Probably because they are used to an adversarial Anglo-Saxon system and don’t really understand how French people do things.
People (especially on Facebook) tend to speak from their understanding of their own jurisdictions’ procedures, and assume that these are relevant to a different country with a different system and different professions.
The notaire’s main jobs are to collect taxes for the government; to ensure a correct transfer of title; and to ensure you are clear as to what is happening, including potential risks, rights of way, etc. (so, depending on the level of your French, s/he may insist you have an interpreter).
In England & Wales, the procedure is completely different and the Law Society requires buyer and seller to be represented separately.
The (very few) “horror stories” I’ve heard are invariably misunderstandings, told by people who either didn’t do proper research before they bought or assumed things work here in exactly the same way as they do in their own country. And having “your own notaire” would make no difference in these situations.
And if your next question is about getting a survey, I’ll tell you my surveyor friend’s anecdote about the time he was on a training course and another surveyor - referring to the fact that only in the UK are surveys widely done - wondered aloud how long they were going to get away with it.
Bought and sold several times in France now. Always used a shared notaire. It’s the same fee no matter how many notaires, so if you have two then the fee is split making them even less likely to work quickly.
That’s a good point.
Also … how many people are sufficiently familiar with local professionals that they can make an effective choice?
Like several people have already said - there is always talk about “getting your own notaire” as if they functioned like conveyancers in the AngloSaxon world. However, I’ve never actually come across a situation where that has occurred. We’ve had a few property dealing of various sorts over the years and the buyer and seller come together to go through the legal paperwork and make sure everything is in accord. Seems a good idea to me!
This sytem was quite a shock to me when I bought our current property as a maison secondaire well over 30 years ago. At that time, it was customary as well for buyer and seller to go off together for a drink or something afterwards. In my case, the invitation was to the house of one of the sellers for coffee and cake. I remember asking them if people were bothered by the number of English/German/Dutch people buying in the area. The two old ladies looked at each other and then us and said with a puzzled tone(in French of course) “but it’s Europe” ! Brilliant…
We did that in 2024, though it was a meal. The immobilière came too.
Even better! Probably depends on the characters involved 
I am very aware that many have good experiences.My experience was that the main local notaire was hand in hand with the agent. We got the final contract from their office 1 hour before we were due to sign. No translator provided. Every norm breached deliberately. The initial contract stated we should pay the agents fees… opposite to the advertising. We contacted our Notaire and this saved 15% wrongly charged. Unless you are fluent and comfortable with french law I would always recommend your own notaire. Preferably English speaking, distant from your purchase location. Yes, they share the fees. They also share the work, and have juniors who do the work. It pays them and the french state adequately. Do not feel sorry for them when it’s such a major decision for you in a foreign culture and legal system.
thank you! this is what i was afraid of experiencing
I’m wondering where you have seen this?
Bad tales are the minority.
Frankly, Notaires are legal professionals… there is no need for 2 of them. Just make sure you are not rushed… if you don’t understand something you simply say so… and don’t sign anything which you do not completely understand and agree with.
good luck.
Most is for taxes, fees and charges. The notaire gets about 1%, which is not huge. And even less so if shared.
OP, I sense you’d already made up your mind before asking the question!
Assuming
But, with your attitude to risk, you should probably add an extra layer by instructing dual-qualified lawyers. That is the only way you’ll find “your own” lawyer, and if it’s an England & Wales firm, they’re regulated by the Law Society.
A friend is buying an apartment in Paris and she’s using a counsellor (that might not be the correct term) to aid her in the buying process.
It’s been really helpful as the sellers seem to be rogues with the notaire in their pocket and the counsellor has had to step in more than once to interrupt some dodgy behaviour by both.
At their request I’ve “sat in” with Brit friends on occasion. in Charente, Haute- Vienne and Dordogne.Only once (thankfully) have I had to put up my hand and say (more or less) “wait a minute, this isn’t what was agreed”.
Mind you, that one time was very, very stressful for the Brits (and for me) but we won through! and I vowed to ensure no-one ever used that Agent or that Notaire ever again. Not that the Notaire did anything illegal, just didn’t give an inch for the Brits’ situation.. the Agent was the bad-guy.
Incidentally, I know that our Mairie uses an excellent Notaire and suggest folk might ask at their own Mairie. It’s no secret as it is noted in the Minutes of Council Meetings…
EDIT: and before anyone suggests that the Notaire doesn’t have to “give an inch”… I have found some Notaires almost bend over backwards to ensure that Brits do understand… 
When I did my research before buying I came to the opposite conclusion: to use the same notaire. That’s what I did, and there were zero issues. If anything it will reduce your costs and stress by speeding up the whole process.
I would recommend using your own notaire but that depends on how much of your life you plan to spend in France. Any time you work with something that impacts public records - e.g. the sale of property, marriage, etc.; it will involve a notary in France. I personally prefer to have one that I trust is doing a good job of investigating all the issues - both current and future - that could impact me. However, if you plan to buy an apartment this year and sell it in 2-3 years, go for the joint notary option. Do keep in mind that the notary, in France, has a duty to behave within the law in France - so they do not necessarily work FOR you.
Put another way - the French people I know use their own notary every time - even if it is the first time they worked with the notary. As pointed out above, the cost is the same either way.
Perhaps a slight exaggeration 
I’ve attended/been involved with several Marriages in France and none of them involved a Notaire… the thought of Bride and Groom turning up, each with his/her own Notaire… I think we’d all be at the eau-de-vie 
That’s an interesting sentence.