Closing Costs in the Alpes-Maritimes Department (06)

When buying a property in France, three main cost categories arise:

• Notary fees (frais de notaire): approx. 7–8% for existing properties
• Real estate agent commission (frais d'agence): usually included in the purchase price, 5–7%
• Other costs: insurance, expert reports, interpreter if applicable

NOTARY FEES: WHAT'S INCLUDED?

"Frais de notaire" is misleading – the majority are taxes, not a fee.

• Property transfer tax (Droits de mutation): 5.8–6.4%
• Notary's fee: 0.8–1%
• Fees and disbursements: 0.4%
• Security fee: 0.1%

In department 06 (Côte d'Azur: Cannes, Antibes, Nice), the property transfer tax is 5.81% – which is the French average. Some departments have increased it to up to 6.4% since 2025, but department 06 has not yet.

EXAMPLE CALCULATION: HOUSE FOR €1,000,000 IN CANNES

Purchase price: €1,000,000
Property transfer tax (5.81%): €58,100
Notary's fee incl. VAT: €10,255
Fees & disbursements: approx. €4,000
Security fee: approx. €1,000
Total notary fees: approx. €73,000 (7.3%)

In practice, the total amount varies between 7.2% and 8%. The notary will provide a detailed statement before the contract is signed.

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ADDITIONAL COSTS

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Mandatory:

• Building insurance from key handover: approx. 800–1,500 €/year

Optional:

• Building survey for older properties: 500–2,000 €
• German-speaking interpreter at the notary: approx. 300–500 € per appointment

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BROKERAGE COMMISSION: WHO PAYS?

Not regulated by law, but clear in practice: The seller pays.

• "charges vendeur" / "Prix FAI": Commission included in the purchase price. You pay exactly the advertised price mentioned in the listing.
• "charges acquéreur" / "Prix net vendeur": The exact amount of the commission must be included in the listing.

Commission amount: usually 5–7% including 20% French TVA (VAT)
At HEXAGON ESTATES: 6% including TVA (5% net).

The commission is recorded in the notarial purchase agreement and paid out via the notary's escrow account at the notary appointment – the agent only receives their fee after successful completion, right at the end.

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