Selling to a foreign buyer? How does it work?

How do you go about selling your house to someone from France or the Netherlands? What does it change for the seller? How do you do it if you only speak English?

These are all legitimate questions owners ask themselves when they consider posting a multilingual listing on our network.


First of all, it is important to know that when foreign buyers are looking at property in your country, they have usually already spent holidays there (generally more than once) and thus already know the region in which they wish to buy. Sometimes they even already own property in the region.

Otherwise said, they know your country and thus have a basic understanding of English. What is more, they can (if necessary) be accompanied during their visits. The act of purchasing property is a rather formal endeavour, so it is vital to have a basic understanding of English in order to comprehend the different stages of the procedure.

But in your ad posting, which will be viewed in a number of countries, you need to reach out to potential buyers in their own language. Imagine if you had to buy property in another country yourself: you would probably feel a bit helpless faced with all those foreign-language listings written using highly specialized vocabulary, the subtleties of which may be lost on you. That is why all of our on-line ads are fully published in 6 languages. With these 6 languages, you can reach over 350 million Europeans in their mother tongue.

Our extremely detailed ads make it possible to supply a wide range of information in each language. When potential buyers live close by, they can come visit the property right away. But foreigner buyers have to get organized, finalize travel plans and make a preliminary selection of the properties they would like to visit. The comprehensive ads featured on The Cube Realty help meet their needs.

In your ad, you can specify the languages you speak and at what level (both written and oral). That way, potential buyers viewing your ad know what language(s) they can use to contact you, or whether you only speak English.

How can I find foreign buyers?

How can you reach foreign buyers? How can you let French, Dutch or even American and Canadian buyers know that you are selling property?

If, for example, you are also fluent in French, you can opt to publish your own ad in French-language newspapers or sites. But it will be costly and will only target French-speaking buyers.

The other solution is to publish a multilingual and very detailed ad. The Cube's services are specially designed to enable English-speaking property owners to reach over 350 million Europeans in a very simple (and inexpensive) way, without even having to speak another language.

As Europe's leading multilingual realty network, The Cube Realty gives your property significant exposure across borders. In just a few clicks, French, Canadian, American or Dutch buyers can read your ad, find out all your property's selling points, and contact you directly. The Cube Realty is the only international and fully multilingual multi-posting solution that exists for real estate ads to date (for sales as well as rentals).

And once I've found a buyer?

The purchasing procedures couldn't be simpler: the sale necessarily goes through your notary public. That means if a foreign buyer wishes to purchase your property, the notary will take over from there for the signing of the preliminary sales agreement, followed by the authentic bill of sale. The notary is also the one who provides the buyer with any useful information for the sale. If necessary, he could have recourse to a sworn translator for the translation of official documents like the preliminary sales agreement and bill of sale. But none of this is your concern: all you have to do is show your property. And the fact that your buyer is French, English or Dutch makes no difference.

What types of property attract foreign buyers?

Contrary to popular belief, foreign buyers are not necessarily after the most expensive property. They could be looking to buy flats, houses to renovate, country homes or estates.