The Country Files | Franke & de la Fuente
French nationals have long been among the most active foreign buyers on the Costa del Sol, consistently ranking in the top five — and increasingly the top three — nationalities purchasing property in and around Marbella. Yet for many observers, the reasons behind this sustained interest remain underexplored. In a recent episode of The Country Files, Peter Franke, co-founder of Franke & de la Fuente, sat down with Sébastien Jiménez, founder of Aqua Estates, to unpack the motivations, expectations, and legal nuances that shape the French buyer experience on the Costa del Sol.
Sébastien Jiménez is uniquely positioned to speak on this subject. Having grown up in the Marbella area since the age of three, with Spanish and French-Swiss parents, he brings both deep local roots and native fluency in French to his work.
“I’ve lived here in the Marbella area my whole life, since I was 3 years old.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
After beginning his real estate career in 2003 and launching Aqua Estates in 2010, he built his agency around what he describes as a natural fit: “it’s a clientele that we know well and we worked a lot with in the past.”
Why France — and Why Here?
Peter Franke opened the conversation by posing a question that often goes unasked: France has its own celebrated coastline, its own southern sun, its own village charm. So why do French nationals keep crossing the border to buy property in Spain?
Sébastien identified two primary drivers. The first is climate — particularly for buyers from northern France, where winters are markedly harsher. Like many Northern Europeans, French buyers are drawn to the Costa del Sol for its mild, year-round conditions. The second and arguably more powerful driver is lifestyle.
“the lifestyle is quite different here. The French traditionally have always got on very well with the Spanish.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
When asked more directly what his clients themselves say, Sébastien was clear about the order of priorities:
“most of my French clients, when I’ve asked them, you know, what made you want to come here to Spain or everything, I mean, it’s usually always that the bigger, bigger one, more than the climate, is, is the lifestyle.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
That sentiment of belonging matters. As Sébastien put it, French buyers “just feel very at home, very welcome” — something that keeps them coming back and, increasingly, staying.
From Holiday Homes to Permanent Relocation
One of the most striking shifts Sébastien has observed over the past decade is the evolution of what French buyers are actually looking for. The traditional model — a summer home by the sea — no longer captures the full picture.
“before, maybe 80% would have been holiday homes. And now I would say it’s probably 50% of the French clients that come are for longer-term purposes.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
This shift mirrors a broader trend Peter Franke highlighted across the international buyer market: the Costa del Sol is no longer primarily a holiday destination — it has become a genuine relocation destination. And for French buyers specifically, the financial arithmetic makes a compelling case.
“a lot of clients that maybe they have an apartment, they live in Paris, you know, or in a big city, like Lyon, Paris, one of these cities in France, for them to come here and buy a small villa or something with a lot of space, and that’s something very unique for them.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
Spain, he noted, has narrowed the gap in recent years — “Spain has taken a lot of leaps forward in terms of a lot of, in a lot of aspects” — yet the value proposition compared to major French cities remains significant.
Where Are French Buyers Looking?
Unlike some nationalities that cluster in particular enclaves, French buyers on the Costa del Sol are geographically diverse. Sébastien noted that the market has become so cosmopolitan that distinct national “zones” have largely dissolved:
“it’s become so international here, and there’s people from everywhere that I wouldn’t say — if you said to me, where’s the area where all the French go, I wouldn’t know.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
That said, budget and lifestyle preferences do shape geography. Higher-end buyers tend towards the Marbella and Benahavís corridor. Relocation clients, in particular, often prefer quieter residential settings — perhaps ten to fifteen minutes from town rather than in the centre. As for new build versus resale, Sébastien described an approximately even split, with a mild preference for new development, as buyers appreciate being the first owners and avoiding the uncertainty of older stock.
Understanding the Legal Differences — What French Buyers Expect
For Peter Franke, a practising property lawyer, this part of the conversation is particularly important. French buyers arrive with a set of legal expectations shaped by the French system — and those expectations do not always map onto the Spanish process.
The role of the lawyer versus the notary
In France, property transactions are handled almost entirely through a notary (notaire), who receives the funds, verifies the legal title, and manages the entire closing process. In Spain, the notary plays a more limited role. This is a point of genuine confusion for French buyers, who often ask why a lawyer is needed at all.
Sébastien explained how he addresses this directly with clients:
“when we say we’re going to introduce you to a lawyer to handle the case for you, and they don’t really understand that because they say, well, why isn’t the notary going to take care of everything?”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
The answer, as Sébastien explains to clients, is that while the Spanish notary does verify certain aspects of a transaction: “the notary does have a role in it here, and they do verify and check certain things, but nowhere near to the detail that is needed — and that a lawyer will cover you.” Aqua Estates actively refers clients to legal counsel, explaining to buyers that a law firm is, as Sébastien put it, “where law firms such as yours obviously come in because we explain to them that, you know, their protection, if you like.”
Property inspections and disclosure obligations
French buyers are accustomed to highly prescriptive seller disclosure requirements. Under French law, a mandatory technical inspection (Dossier de Diagnostics Techniques) must be carried out before any sale — covering asbestos, termites, energy efficiency, radon, electrical wiring, gas installations, septic tanks, and geotechnical risk, among others. Sellers bear the cost.
In Spain, this level of mandatory pre-sale disclosure does not exist. Inspections can be commissioned, but they are typically initiated and paid for by the buyer, and their scope is narrower and more targeted. Peter Franke noted that French buyers sometimes assume the Spanish inspection will be as comprehensive as the French equivalent — a misalignment that agents and lawyers should address early in the process.
Transaction costs — a welcome surprise
Unlike buyers from the UK or the United States, who are accustomed to very low transaction costs, French buyers come with expectations broadly aligned with Spanish reality. Resale purchases in both countries typically attract costs of around 7–10%. And when it comes to VAT on new developments, Spain’s 10% compares very favourably to France’s 20%:
“the French never complain about that. When you tell them it’s 10% VAT, they say, oh, you know, they’re just happy with that.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
This is not a minor detail. It is one reason Sébastien finds that approximately half of his French clients end up purchasing new-build properties — a preference reinforced by the peace of mind that comes with buying from a developer rather than navigating the unknowns of an older property.
Working with French Buyers: The Importance of Language and Reassurance
Peter Franke asked Sébastien what he would recommend to agents who lack his background but want to work effectively with French clients. His first recommendation was unambiguous: speak the language.
“The French do really appreciate it when you do speak their language because there are clients that will ask a lot of questions.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
A significant proportion of French buyers operate exclusively in French — not through unwillingness, but simply because their command of English or Spanish is limited. The ability to communicate clearly in their own language is therefore not just a courtesy; it can be the decisive factor in whether they feel confident enough to proceed.
Beyond language, French buyers seek reassurance. They come from a highly regulated environment — one where professional licensing is mandatory, inspections are exhaustive, and every step of a transaction is closely governed. Spain operates differently, and the gap in regulation can be unsettling. The agent’s role is to bridge that gap patiently and thoroughly.
“if they’ve received the right service and the right information and seen the things they like, they will go ahead as long as they feel secure.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
Looking Ahead: A Durable Relationship
As Peter Franke observed during the episode, “French buyers have been here always” — and all the evidence suggests they will continue to be. The historical and cultural ties between Spain and France run deep:
“I think Spain and France have a lot of history inbred together, and they really always have, have always visited each other really in that way.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
And the trend is not merely holding steady — it is accelerating. Sébastien sees more French clients considering full relocation today than at any point in his career:
“I’m seeing a trend where there’s more and more people coming, moving out here fully, more and more of them actually.”
— Sébastien Jiménez, Aqua Estates
For international buyers considering a move to the Costa del Sol, France represents not a niche — but a mature, well-established community of buyers who understand the market, come prepared, and tend to make considered, well-informed decisions. The key, as both Sébastien Jiménez and Peter Franke made clear, is meeting them where they are: in their language, with their expectations understood, and with the legal framework properly explained.
This article is based on an episode of The Country Files, hosted by Peter Franke, co-founder of Franke & de la Fuente. The Country Files explores property markets across Europe and beyond, drawing on the expertise of local specialists to inform international buyers navigating the Costa del Sol.
