More Americans, fewer renovation projects - latest trends in the French second-homes market

Local France

26-05-2025

Although most second homes in France are owned by French people, foreign buyers form a small but significant part of the market, with Brits and Americans among those keen to snap up apartments in Paris and Nice, or houses in the French countryside.
The Local spoke to Alexander Kraft, the chairman and CEO of Sotheby's International Realty for France and Monaco, about the trends and current state of the property market in France.
He told us: "Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen more buyers interested in homes that have been completely renovated and even decorated well ahead of being put on the market.
In the past week The Local has been running a special series on buying a second home in France, from tips from property experts to a look at the advantages and disadvantages of Paris, the Riviera, Brittany and the south west - find the full series
HERE
"I call this shift the 'Airbnb generation' - before the pandemic, these buyers might have preferred to rent or spend a few weeks at an Airbnb, but since Covid-19, they want to buy.
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"However, these buyers have less patience for a property in just-okay condition or for properties that require renovations. They are looking more toward what I call 'blue chip' markets, meaning locations that offer a reliable value in the long run.
"These locations are the places that have stood the test of time and are almost certain to increase in value, like Paris, the Riviera, certain parts of Provence, the Luberon, and Aix-en-Provence."
Americans and Brits
Sotheby's caters especially to the market of British and American buyers who are looking for second homes in France - a market that has historically seen a big divergence with Americans keen on the Riviera and Paris while Brits prefer the south-west.
But recent geopolitical changes have sparked some changes, according to the Sotherby's expert.
"We have seen a surge in American buyers," said Kraft. "We have had more American buyers in the last six months than in the past five years, and they are coming from both sides of the political aisle, which reflects the division in the US right now.
"For Trump supporters on the right, they are buying because they are confident about the future. They believe they are close to a new golden age, and they are confident enough to invest abroad, too.
"On the other side, Democrats are buying in France because they are disgusted with the political situation and want to be removed from the daily craziness.
"But quite honestly, I don't see a huge shift in people completely giving up their US homes and lives to move to France and become residents here (...) They are not necessarily moving to France permanently.
Over on the other side of the Atlantic, he confirmed the trend reported by many other estate agents; that fewer Brits are buying second-homes in France due to the increased paperwork required since Brexit.
"British buyers have become a lot more scarce since Brexit," he told The Local.
"Traditionally, Brits have loved the south-west, but this has also diminished slightly since Brexit. Before Brexit, many British buyers were focused on finding a property with easy access and great value for money.
READ MORE:
Essential advice for buying a second home in the south-west of France
"Brits in the past might have been inclined to buy properties that need a bit of work, but this has really changed over the past five years. They are now looking more at those 'blue-chip' destinations too, and they are looking for the markets they know and trust.
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"Brits have become more like their American counterparts in that respect."
Buyer's market
"Right now, we are really in more of a buyer's market in France, and this has changed since the aftermath of the pandemic, when we were in a seller's market.
"There is a lot more inventory on the market, and sellers are more willing to negotiate prices, which are softening almost everywhere.
"As professionals, we have been preparing sellers to be realistic about this market. We tell them that it is no longer 2021 or 2022, when everything sold quickly.
"We are in more of a normal market nowadays, and you have to price your home very realistically.
Recommended locations
Choosing the location of a second home is the most important part of the process, and a lot obviously depends on individual taste and how you plan to use the property.
Ask the experts: Where is the best place in France to buy a second home
For some, however, resale value is also a consideration.
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"Now is a good time to consider France's well-established secondary markets," Kraft told us. "These are the lesser-known locations to foreigners, and they tend to be more French than international.
"Places like Normandy, Brittany, the Loire Valley, and seaside resorts like Biarritz and Deauville would fall into this category.
READ MORE:
All you need to know about buying a second home in Brittany or Normandy
"These locations represent interesting opportunities, if you come in as a foreigner with a cash offer in these places, then you have more buying power than in the more expensive places.
"I would say to someone who has a 2-bedroom home in California, sell that house and you can become a chateau-owner in France for the same price."