In France, although a legal contract for the sale of real estate does not normally arise until a contract has been signed in front of a notaire or estate agent, it remains possible for the process to be undertaken privately (sous seing privé) by buyer and seller.

In a case recently heard in the court of appeal in France sitting in Colmar, on 20th August 2015 a couple had accepted an offer to buy building land for the price of €227,000.