{"id":13077,"date":"2025-11-12T09:58:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T09:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.consultants-immobilier.com\/?page_id=13077"},"modified":"2025-11-12T09:58:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T09:58:11","slug":"what-is-the-right-of-first-refusal-in-real-estate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.consultants-immobilier.com\/en\/sellers-guides\/the-stages-of-the-sale\/promise-to-sell\/what-is-the-right-of-first-refusal-in-real-estate\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the right of first refusal in real estate?"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content” content_placement=”top” css=”.vc_custom_1670852810251{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}” el_class=”back_div”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1657728499249{padding-right: 15px !important;padding-left: 15px !important;}”][vc_raw_html css=””]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJteV9iYWNrX2J1dHRvbiUyMiUzRSUwQSUwOSUwOSUwOSUwOSUwOSUwOSUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuY29uc3VsdGFudHMtaW1tb2JpbGllci5jb20lMkZlbiUyRnByb3BlcnR5LWd1aWRlcyUyRiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyMEJhY2slMjB0byUyMHByb3BlcnR5JTIwZ3VpZGVzJTNDJTJGYSUzRSUwQSUwOSUwOSUwOSUwOSUwOSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1762941150427{background-image: url(https:\/\/www.consultants-immobilier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/preemption.jpeg?id=13078) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}” el_class=”override_left”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1657728499249{padding-right: 15px !important;padding-left: 15px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”override_pos”][vc_column][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1662026446228{background-color: #e4e4e4 !important;}”][vc_column_inner][vc_custom_heading text=”What is the right of first refusal in real estate?” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:37|text_align:center|color:%23040e31″ use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1762941307550{padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}” el_class=”relative_pos”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner equal_height=”yes” el_class=”firstblock guide-wrapper-row vc_row-o-equal-height vc_row-flex” css=”.vc_custom_1765897502487{background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”4\/5″][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”resume_block”][\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”” el_class=”content_block”]The <\/span>right of first refusal<\/b> allows certain individuals or organizations to purchase a property for sale before any other buyer, under the same terms agreed upon with the seller. For example, you may find a buyer for your apartment listed at \u20ac800,000, only for the city council to step in and acquire it at the same price. This legal mechanism, often unknown to sellers, can derail a sale at the last moment and delay the process by several months.<\/span><\/p>\n The right of first refusal is a preferential right exercised through <\/span>several legally regulated steps<\/b>. As soon as a <\/span>sales agreement<\/span><\/a> or a <\/span>promise to sell<\/span><\/a> is signed, the notary must send a Declaration of Intent to Sell (DIA) to the holder of the right. This entity then has <\/span>two months<\/b> to respond:<\/span><\/p>\n If the holder accepts the price, the sale is automatically transferred to them, and the initial buyer is excluded. If they offer a lower price, the seller can refuse, accept, or withdraw the property from sale.<\/span><\/p>\n In case of a dispute over the price, the expropriation judge decides. Key point: silence equals waiver. If no response is received within two months, the sale proceeds normally.<\/span><\/p>\n Several entities hold this right.<\/span><\/p>\n Most commonly, <\/span>municipalities<\/b> exercise their urban preemption right (DPU) to build social housing, public facilities, or protect local businesses. In Paris, this right applies in almost every district.<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>State<\/b> also preempts properties to protect historical heritage or natural areas. For instance, a classified ch\u00e2teau or a remarkable private mansion may trigger State intervention.<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>departments and regions<\/b> may intervene for specific development projects.<\/span><\/p>\n Even <\/span>tenants<\/b> enjoy a right of first refusal when their rented property is sold, and <\/span>farmers<\/b> can preempt agricultural land they work on.<\/span><\/p>\n In urban areas, the right applies to built or undeveloped properties located in <\/span>U zones (urbanized)<\/b> or <\/span>AU zones (to be urbanized)<\/b> as defined in the Local Urban Plan (PLU). Sales of SCI shares giving ownership rights to a property are also covered.<\/span><\/p>\n Exemptions include: properties under ten years old (except under reinforced DPU), donations, sales between relatives up to the sixth degree, and sales between co-owners.<\/span><\/p>\n Note: in Paris and other major cities, reinforced DPU applies even to recent condominiums. An apartment on Avenue Victor Hugo can be preempted even if it was built in 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n First, consult your municipality\u2019s Local Urban Plan (PLU), available at the town hall or online. Areas subject to DPU are clearly identified there. The notary will always verify this before preparing any <\/span>pre-sale agreement<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n For luxury or heritage properties, additional checks are required:<\/span><\/p>\n A certificate of urban planning, free and valid for 18 months, provides all this information. The peace of mind costs \u20ac0, with a one-month processing time.<\/span><\/p>\n No. Any attempt is penalized. For instance, <\/span>declaring a higher price<\/b> is a bad idea \u2014 the authorities will verify it. The same applies to <\/span>concealing part of the price through the sale of furniture<\/b>; if the discrepancy is excessive, it will be reclassified automatically.<\/span><\/p>\n Example: you sell your apartment for \u20ac1.2 million, but to discourage the city from preempting (as it must pay the declared price), you state \u20ac1.5 million in the DIA and privately agree with the buyer that they will only pay \u20ac1.2 million.<\/span><\/p>\n This common tactic almost always fails. The authorities can request your bank statements, assess the furnishings, and uncover the fraud. Consequences? The city preempts at the actual value (\u20ac1.2 million), the sale can be annulled, and you risk fines or even criminal prosecution for falsification.<\/span><\/p>\n The only legal options are either to wait for the preemption period (two months) to expire without action or to contact the city beforehand to determine whether it has plans for your area and, if so, negotiate directly.<\/span><\/p>\n The right of first refusal inevitably extends the process. Expect <\/span>a minimum of two months between signing the sales agreement and the clearance of the preemption right<\/b>. If there\u2019s disagreement over price, add six to twelve months of legal proceedings. In the Paris luxury market, where many buyers are international, these delays can derail deals.<\/span><\/p>\n Professional tip: include a <\/span>suspensive clause<\/span><\/a> for non-preemption in the sales agreement. If the municipality preempts, both seller and buyer are released with no penalty. Also allow sufficient time in the <\/span>final deed of sale<\/span><\/a> \u2014 at least three months after the agreement \u2014 to safely accommodate the preemption clearance.<\/span><\/p>\n Prestige properties often attract the attention of public authorities. A private mansion may become a museum, or a large apartment may be converted into social housing. In Paris, the city regularly preempts properties in upscale districts to preserve social diversity.<\/span><\/p>\n To secure your high-end transaction and anticipate preemption risks, <\/span>Consultants Immobilier<\/b> and its network of 17 agencies leverage their in-depth knowledge of local urban policies. Our experts advise on appropriate sales strategies and assist you through every step, ensuring a smooth transaction despite the complexities of preemption law.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/5″ el_id=”summary_column”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The real estate right of first refusal is exercised before the sale. Discover its process, key players, affected areas, and impact on your timeline.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":13079,"parent":8505,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"single-guide.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-13077","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow exactly does the right of first refusal work?<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Who can exercise the right of first refusal?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Which properties are subject to the right of first refusal?<\/b><\/h2>\n
How can I find out if my property is subject to preemption?<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Can the right of first refusal be circumvented?<\/b><\/h2>\n
What impact does it have on sale timelines?<\/b><\/h2>\n
The right of first refusal in the luxury real estate market: what are the risks?<\/b><\/h2>\n