acquisition value, premium practice
French and Spanish law
French, English, Spanish, Italian
handling complex transactions
Why an independent lawyer makes the difference
Full independence.
Coordination with your existing network of advisors, or referral to independent experts. PSL Avocat is paid by the buyer, period.
Member of both Bars, acting directly in France and in Spain.
Registered with the Paris Bar and the Barcelona Bar (ICAB). One practice covers both jurisdictions, end to end.
Operational practice in French, English, Spanish and Italian
The transaction runs directly in French, English, Spanish and Italian. Single point of contact from intake to signing, end-to-end file management.
Who PSL Avocat works with
The practice serves international buyers operating across two legal systems, two tax frameworks and several languages. Four profiles account for most engagements between one and ten million euros.
English-speaking buyer in Paris or Barcelona
English-speaking buyers, mainly British and American, represent a significant share of the HNWI market in both Paris and Barcelona. In Paris, focus on the Marais, Saint-Germain, 6th, 7th and 1st arrondissements. In and around Barcelona, Pedralbes, Sarrià, Eixample dreta, Sitges, Castelldefels. The transaction runs in English, from first call to signing.
Italian-speaking buyer in Paris or Barcelona
Italians are the third foreign group in Paris (9% per Notaires du Grand Paris), with a clear preference for the Left Bank, Saint-Sulpice and the 6th. In Barcelona they buy as second or primary residence, often in the Eixample or on the coast (Sitges, Costa Brava). PSL Avocat speaks Italian directly: review of the compromise, arras and documentation directly by the lawyer in the working language of the file.
French-speaking buyer in Barcelona and its region
Primary, secondary or family-investment residence. Preferred areas: Eixample, Sarrià, Pedralbes, Bonanova, Sant Cugat del Vallès for families. Southern coast (Garraf): Sitges, Castelldefels. Northern coast (Maresme): Alella, Premià de Dalt, Sant Vicenç de Montalt, Cabrera de Mar. Costa Brava: Begur, Calella de Palafrugell, S'Agaró for second homes. Whether resident or non-resident in Spain, tax status changes the acquisition and disposal framework: due diligence is calibrated accordingly.
Middle East and Gulf or French-speaking international buyer in Paris
Middle East and Gulf buyers are among the main foreign contingents in Paris, often purchasing without financing, between one and ten million euros. PSL Avocat handles the transaction directly in French, with particular focus on non-resident reporting obligations, acquisition structure (own name, SCI) and coordination with the Paris notary.
What PSL Avocat handles
Four practice areas, buyer-side.
Property due diligence
In France: Land Registry filings, mandatory technical diagnostics, condominium rules and debts, pre-emption rights, existing building permits, pending litigation. In Spain: Registro de la Propiedad, encumbrances, mortgages, easements, seizures, planning status, ITE and cédula de habitabilidad in Barcelona, condominium statutes (Ley de Propiedad Horizontal), pending debts, ongoing proceedings, tourist-rental restrictions. For off-plan purchases: review of developer guarantees.
Contracts
In Spain: review and negotiation of the contrato de arras (confirmatorias, penitenciales or penales) and of the escritura pública. In France: compromis or promesse de vente, suspensive conditions, deposit, penalty clauses, warranties. In both countries: review of timelines, conditions and remedies in the event of party default. The buyer signs knowing exactly what is committed.
Acquisition structure
Legal analysis and comparison of acquisition vehicles: own name, French SCI, Spanish SL, usufruct and bare-ownership split. Side-by-side review under French and Spanish civil and commercial law: asset segregation, governance, succession path. Tax treatment is systematically handled by the tax adviser or tax lawyer PSL Avocat coordinates with. Their conclusions feed directly into the structure and contracts before signing.
Cross-border coordination
Single point of contact on the buyer side throughout the operation. Coordination with the notary or notario, real estate agent, seller's counsel, gestoría, tax adviser, accountant and mortgage broker. Documents, deadlines, payments, registrations: everything runs through one practice. The buyer manages a single professional relationship across two countries and several languages. Cross-border succession matters are identified upfront and handled with the relevant notary and tax adviser.
Coordination with gestoría, tax adviser and accountant
For each transaction, PSL Avocat identifies the right specialist based on the buyer's profile and the property. The gestoría handles the NIE, administrative formalities and filings. The tax adviser or tax lawyer handles the tax dimension: ITP, capital gains, fiscal residence implications, corporate tax if the acquisition goes through a company. The accountant intervenes in France when the structure warrants it.
PSL Avocat coordinates with these professionals so that the tax and administrative dimension is built into the acquisition structure before signing. Their conclusions feed directly into the contracts.
The buyer deals with a single point of contact.
After the Golden Visa
Spain's Golden Visa for real estate investment was abolished on 3 April 2025. Real estate acquisitions now stand on their legal and economic merits alone, with no link to any residence programme.
Residence matters are handled by an immigration lawyer, separately and in parallel. PSL Avocat's role is to secure the acquisition itself: due diligence, contracts, structure, coordination.
Sale and complex situations
Selling in Barcelona
Seller's tax obligations in Spain: plusvalia municipal, IRNR or IRPF depending on fiscal residence, 3% withholding for non-residents. Coordination with the agency, notary and gestoría for filings. The operation runs in Spanish and in the buyer's language.
Selling in Paris
Mandatory diagnostics, coordination with the Paris notary. Capital gains for non-residents: in Spain, the sale of a property by an EU non-resident triggers a 3% withholding by the notary for the AEAT, with final settlement at 19% on net capital gain. In France, EU non-residents are subject to 19% income tax and 17.2% social levies, with allowances for holding duration. The acquisition structure directly affects the tax treatment of the resale. Pre-emption rights: in France, the urban pre-emption right (DPU) held by the mayor may apply in certain zones of the Marais or the 16th arrondissement. In Catalonia, tanteo and retracto apply in certain Barcelona zones, particularly to protected housing and certain districts. The applicable perimeter is verified in due diligence before the compromise. Engagement in French and in the buyer's language.
Disputes and conflicts
Contract analysis, settlement negotiation and judicial coordination in case of dispute with a seller, buyer, developer or real estate agent, under French or Spanish law. Intervention from the negotiation phase, before escalation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum acquisition value?
Practice dedicated to acquisitions between one and ten million euros.
What is the practical difference between your role and the notary's?
The notary's role in France and Spain. In France, the notary authenticates the deed and protects the legal regularity of the sale, representing both parties equally. In Spain, the notary authenticates the signatures and the deed of sale. Verifications on the property's charges, cadastral status and planning compliance are the buyer's responsibility. PSL Avocat acts for the buyer ahead of the notary, on the verifications that complement those of the public officer.
Do you verify charges, easements and the planning status before signing?
Yes. The verification covers the Registro de la Propiedad in Spain or the Land Registry in France, charges and mortgages, easements, seizures, planning status, mandatory diagnostics, ITE and cédula de habitabilidad in Barcelona, condominium statutes and debts, pending litigation and tourist-rental restrictions where applicable.
What are the differences between the French compromis de vente and the Spanish contrato de arras?
The French compromis creates a reciprocal obligation with a 10-day statutory withdrawal period for non-professional buyers. The Spanish contrato de arras is not its equivalent: three variants exist (confirmatorias, penitenciales and penales). Arras penitenciales allow the buyer to withdraw by forfeiting the deposit, or the seller to withdraw by returning twice the amount. Arras confirmatorias do not offer that withdrawal right and may expose to forced execution. The variant is chosen before signing, in full awareness of the consequences.
SCI, Spanish SL or own name: which legal vehicle for which project?
The choice depends on the patrimonial profile, number of buyers, succession projection and applicable tax. PSL Avocat presents the options from the legal angle. The final decision is taken with the client's tax adviser.
Do you work in Italian and English directly, without interpreter?
Yes. First contact, due diligence, contract review and notarial coordination happen directly in the buyer's language: French, English, Spanish or Italian (professional Italian).
Do you cover the areas around Barcelona (Sitges, Castelldefels, Alella, Sant Cugat)?
Yes. In Barcelona and surroundings: Pedralbes, Sarrià, Tres Torres, Bonanova, Eixample, Diagonal Mar. Southern coast (Garraf): Sitges, Castelldefels. Northern coast (Maresme): Alella, Premià de Dalt, Sant Vicenç de Montalt, Cabrera de Mar. Inland: Sant Cugat del Vallès. Costa Brava: Begur, Calella de Palafrugell, S'Agaró for second homes. Travel from Barcelona.
The role of a buyer-side lawyer
PSL Avocat acts exclusively on behalf of the buyer. Fees are paid by the client, which strictly aligns interests. The review of sensitive points in the file (title, charges, planning, tax) is conducted from that perspective. PSL Avocat coordinates with the agent, the notary and the client's tax adviser when it serves the client's interest.
Updated 28 July 2026
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