Housing and property · Judicial auction · buying property
Buying at a French judicial property auction
At a French judicial property auction, bids are made through a lawyer at the relevant court’s bar. Pre-bid security is 10% of the starting price, with a €3,000 minimum. The winning bid is not the overall budget: identify taxed pursuit costs, lawyer charges and taxes. Payment is due within two months of definitive adjudication, which is distinct from the first auction hearing.
- Official texts cited
- Sources checked on
- Drafted with AI assistance, our method
General legal information with official references and dated checks. It is not personalised advice: for a decision that commits you, have your situation checked by a qualified professional.
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Ten percent of which figure?
Let’s prepare the buyer file before a judicial auction: lawyer, security, costs and payment timing.
3 free questions at signup. Avoid names and sensitive information.
What preparation budget matches your planned bid?
For a €60,000 starting price, security is €6,000. The illustrative budget totals €109,500.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
Pre-bid security depends on the starting price, while the budget depends on the bid and costs. Do not double-count security credited towards the price.
- Minimum pre-bid security
- €6000.00
- Illustrative budget excluding contingencies
- €109500.00
- Instruct a lawyer at the auction court’s bar and read the sale conditions.
- Confirm security, available funding, occupation and itemised costs before bidding.
- After sale, confirm the definitive adjudication date and the two-month payment period.
Costs are illustrative inputs to replace with the lawyer’s estimates. No universal fee percentage or financing approval is inferred.
Which amounts must be distinguished before bidding?
| Item | Basis |
|---|---|
| Security | Starting price × 10%, minimum €3,000 |
| Price | Winning bid |
| Costs | Announced taxed amount and lawyer’s breakdown |
Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-40Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-41Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-42
Who can bid for you?
For this judicial sale, a lawyer registered at the court’s bar bids under a single mandate. Do not generalise these rules to notarial or state sales. Prepare identity, authority and required declarations before the hearing.
Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-40CPCE R322-41-1
What security is required before bidding?
R322-41 requires an irrevocable bank guarantee or banker’s cheque under the sale conditions: 10% of the starting price, at least €3,000. It is not calculated on the final bid. Confirm payee and arrangements with your lawyer.
What does the governing text say about buying property?
représentant 10 % du montant de la mise à prix
In plain English: Security, costs and payment follow distinct rules; the auction lawyer confirms case-specific arrangements.
Which costs are additional to the price?
Separate taxed pursuit costs, your lawyer’s fees, regulated remuneration, taxes and registration. Taxed pursuit costs are announced before bidding and cannot be exceeded under that heading. No universal allowance replaces the sale-specific breakdown.
Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-42CPCE R322-58
Is an increased bid an ordinary withdrawal period?
No. An increased bid of at least one tenth of the principal price is made through a lawyer within ten days after adjudication, applying relevant counting rules. This is not ordinary property-purchase withdrawal.
Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-50Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-51
When is payment due and what happens on default?
Pay the stakeholder or deposit the price within two months of definitive adjudication. Priority costs and taxes are extra, with evidence provided to the registry. Default can lead to a repeat auction and liability for a shortfall on resale.
CPCE R322-56CPCE R322-58Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article L322-12
What else should you know about buying property?
Ten percent of which figure?
The starting price, with a €3,000 minimum.
Is security always additional to the price?
Confirm how it is credited to avoid counting it twice.
Does payment always run from the first hearing?
No. R322-56 uses definitive adjudication.
Is the worksheet budget a quotation?
No. It adds your figures; costs, taxes and funding remain to be confirmed.
Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-40Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-41Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-42
Which sources explain buying property?
- Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-40Légifrance / DILA
- Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-41Légifrance / DILA
- Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-42Légifrance / DILA
- Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-46Légifrance / DILA
- Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-50Légifrance / DILA
- Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article R322-51Légifrance / DILA
- Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, article L322-12Légifrance / DILA
- CPCE R322-56Légifrance / DILA
- CPCE R322-58Légifrance / DILA
- CPCE R322-41-1Légifrance / DILA
Texts cited last checked: 19 October 2026