Chapter 6: The Dream Becomes a Reality

We put in an offer they couldn’t refuse, and just like that, the sellers accepted. Done.

Just writing that still feels a little surreal.

There we were, sitting on our neighbors’ charming little backyard patio, a glass in hand, overlooking the farmer’s field as it gently rolled away into the distance, casually making an offer on a farmhouse in rural France. 

It felt wildly ordinary and completely extraordinary at the same time. We could hardly believe it. After all the searching, dreaming, and second-guessing, we had finally found the one: the sweetest little farmhouse, tucked into a quintessential French hamlet, straight out of a storybook. excitement was immediate and infectious. 

Our very first call was to John, to share the good news and to thank him for helping us get to this moment. We truly couldn’t have done it without him.

It didn’t take long for us to learn that buying property in France follows a clearly structured, three-stage process. The real estate agent arranged for us to be represented by a bilingual notaire (thank you, Bob!), someone he had worked with many times before. That gave us enormous peace of mind, especially since the entire purchase would be handled remotely. Everything felt organized, transparent, and remarkably calm.

With the offer accepted, we all returned home giddy. Somewhere out there, we would now own a tiny corner of the French countryside.

Soon after, we received the first contract, which we signed without hesitation. Not long after that came the second, a far more comprehensive agreement. This document included detailed seller disclosures, cadastral maps, property boundaries, official records, and any negative findings or issues, very similar to the contract of sale we’re accustomed to signing in the United States when purchasing real estate.

The house was also being sold fully furnished. That meant we also had to agree with the sellers on the contents of the home, every piece of furniture, every chair, table, and wardrobe that had quietly witnessed decades of life within those walls.

It was happening. For real.

What had once been a dream, an idea whispered over coffee, debated over maps, and imagined from afar, was now officially becoming our reality.