I’m sorry, Phillip, but you are mistaken.
The FNAIM does have a ‘Caisse de Garantie’ to make sure you get your money back if a member keels over, and it does have a code of ethics that all members should subscribe to, but it is nót an insurance agency. Have a look at their site:
On this page: fnaim.fr/la-fnaim/notre-action.html they describe their activities as such:
# Le lobby
# L'éthique
# Le Service Inter Agences
# La formation
So they lobby for their members, they have a code of conduct, they incite agencies in a certain region to combine their offer so as to be able to better serve the house buyers and they teach. In the header of the site they do say: Assurance d’une transaction réussie. But don’t let that fool you. It has nothing to do with insurance. It just means: we assure you of a successful transaction.
About commission: I live in South Burgundy and the standard commission here is 6%. But then, the prices are lower than in PACA.
Next. I quote:
“I have never heard of anybody using a Notaire as an estate agent, as you are suggesting, and I do not recommend calling Notaires asking them if they have any properties for sale or trying to get them to sell your property. They are solicitors and usually very busy people.”
This is a dead give-away that you are either not knowledgeable or trying to pull the wool over the buyers eyes. One of the main sources of income for many notaires is the ‘frais de négociation’ – the commission they get if they find a buyer for real estate they are commissioned to sell. They will not send you away if you ask them about houses they might have for sale but will welcome you with open arms.
As a matter of fact, the notaires have their own real estate selling site:
L'immobilier des notaires, where the offer of all (digitally tuned in) notaires in France is collected and shown.
I have my own real estate sales site (only for private sellers and with ‘human’ translation services) and do favour the selling ‘entre particuliers’. However, I always advise my advertisers to also use a couple of local agencies just to spread the risk and augment the possibility of success. Not everybody looks only on the net.
And indeed, in that case I also urge them to negotiate the brokers fee down to 5% and in any case never accept more than 6%. Some agencies ask 10% if they think they can get away with it.
Finally, your question of ‘visits’. Indeed, it can be harder if you don’t speak French. If you want to save thousands of euros by doing business straight with the owner you can do a lot better than by using an agent. There are specialized companies that to property scouting and pre-check, like Check Property Assist, who have inspectors all over France. Or find a friend who does speak French. Hire a translator if you have to! Anything is better than relying on the word and honour of a real estate agent who is paid thousands by the seller and in who’s best interest it is to sell fast and expensive.
Although I’d like to make a small exception for a few agents that have indeed I high standard of ethics, like – if I may – Mr Passmore of Sud Bourgogne Immobilier. Just so as you now I’m not against brokers on principle.