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If you own a property in France and need cash, you do not have to sell it in a hurry. Two solutions exist, and the right one depends on one thing above all: where you pay tax. If you are a tax resident in France with sufficient income, you can borrow against your property. If you live abroad, or your income does not qualify, and you are selling, you can receive an advance on that sale. This page explains which applies to you.
Solution 1: mortgage-backed loan (crédit hypothécaire)
You borrow against a property you already own, while retaining full ownership. See mortgage-backed loan in France.
Who it is for
You are eligible if all of the following apply.
You are a tax resident in France and you live in France.
Your property is in metropolitan France and worth at least 300,000 euros.
You want to borrow at least 100,000 euros, up to 70% of the property value.
Your household income is at least 4,000 euros per month, and at least three times the future monthly repayment.
The property is held in your own name. Properties held through an SCI are not eligible for this solution.
Rates, fees and examples
Rate 5.7% per year for an amortising loan, up to 25 years. Rate 6% per year for an interest-only structure, up to 15 years. Arrangement fee 8.5% of the amount borrowed.
Property worth 300,000 euros, loan of 100,000 euros over 10 years. Monthly repayment 1,095 euros. Arrangement fee 8,500 euros, so you receive 91,500 euros.
Property worth 1,000,000 euros, loan of 200,000 euros over 25 years. Monthly repayment 1,252 euros. Arrangement fee 17,000 euros, so you receive 183,000 euros.
Why owners choose this route
It preserves ownership, maintains exposure to future property appreciation, and provides liquidity without forcing a sale. It is the most cost-efficient structure available to those who qualify.
But it requires repayment capacity. The property secures the loan; it does not replace income. This is the condition most owners underestimate. See borrow against property in France.
Solution 2: deferred-price sale (vente avec complément de prix)
You are selling your property, or intend to sell it, and you need funds before a buyer is found. The property is sold to an investor at an agreed price below market value, and you receive the money immediately. When it is resold on the open market, you receive the difference, less the investor's fee.
Who it is for
Your property is in metropolitan France and worth at least 300,000 euros.
You are selling, or intend to sell.
There is no income requirement. Your country of residence is not an obstacle. The property may be held in your own name or through an SCI: both are eligible for this solution.
Why it exists
It is designed for two situations. Owners who live abroad and therefore cannot obtain a mortgage-backed loan, whatever their property is worth. And owners whose income does not support a monthly repayment but who hold real value in a property they are prepared to sell.
It is not a distressed sale. It is a timing strategy: rather than accepting a discount in a rushed transaction, you access funds now and let the property sell properly.
See the deferred-price sale simulator and what to do if your property is not selling in France.
Which one applies to you
You are a French tax resident, your property is worth at least 300,000 euros, and your household income is at least 4,000 euros per month: the mortgage-backed loan.
You live abroad, or your income is below that threshold, and you are selling: the deferred-price sale.
Your property is held through an SCI: the mortgage-backed loan is closed to you. The deferred-price sale is not.
Your property is worth less than 300,000 euros: neither solution applies.
See non-resident mortgage in France and can foreigners release equity in France.
Why owners seek liquidity
The motivations are rarely impulsive. Owners anticipate a tax liability, settle an inheritance or a divorce, assist family members, fund renovation, provide working capital for a business, or bridge the purchase of a new property.
In most cases the objective is not survival. It is flexibility. See property rich but cash poor in France and need cash urgently in France.
Borrowing or selling
Selling is irreversible. Once a property is gone, so is its future appreciation and its place in your estate. Borrowing preserves that optionality.
But if you have already decided to sell, borrowing is not the answer. The deferred-price sale is the structure built for that case.
About PraxiFinance
PraxiFinance has specialised exclusively in property-backed finance in France since 1990, with offices in Paris and Nice. The firm is registered with ORIAS under number 13005512 and operates within the regulatory framework of the ACPR.
It processes more than 4,000 financing requests per month and publishes the only recurring barometer of the French property-backed lending market. It is regularly cited as a market reference by Les Echos, La Tribune, Le Monde and BFM. See best equity release companies in France.
Call +33 1 85 09 70 40 to check which solution applies to you.
FAQ
Can I get cash from my property without selling it?
Yes, with a mortgage-backed loan, if you are a French tax resident with sufficient income.
What is the minimum I can borrow?
100,000 euros, on a property worth at least 300,000 euros.
Do I need to be a French resident?
For a mortgage-backed loan, yes: tax residence and physical residence in France are both required. For a deferred-price sale, no.
My property is held through an SCI. What can I do?
A mortgage-backed loan is not available on a property held through an SCI. A deferred-price sale is.
What if my property is not selling?
A deferred-price sale lets you access funds immediately while the property continues to be marketed.
What if my income is too low?
A mortgage-backed loan will not be granted. If you are selling, the deferred-price sale is assessed on the property alone.
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