DVF: compare a property with the right sales evidence

What the records actually tell you

France’s DVF dataset, produced by the DGFiP, describes recorded property transfers. It gives access to past sales rather than asking prices alone. Updates take place twice a year and geographical exceptions apply: check the official documentation for the location you are researching.

An advertisement expresses an asking price; a recorded sale documents a transaction. Neither tells you everything about internal condition, management quality or work that may be needed.

Build a small set of useful comparables

Start with the same property type in a nearby environment. A flat and a house serve different needs. Even within one town, access, street conditions, noise and nearby services can change how a home fits a project.

Record the date, floor area, property type and components of each sale. Keep references you understand and set ambiguous records aside instead of giving them false precision.

Match size and use before postcode

A studio and a large flat are not automatically comparable just because they share a postcode. First look for consistency in size, use and location, then document the differences that remain.

Check what the transaction included

A transfer may include several components. Before dividing a price by floor area, check whether the sale includes outbuildings, several units or land. If the scope remains unclear, do not use it as your central reference.

Example: two flats, two different files

Consider two fictional 60 m² flats in the same neighbourhood. One comes with documented renovation needs. The other appears ready to let, but its running costs have not been confirmed. Similar advertised prices per square metre do not establish that the two projects are equivalent.

For the first flat, obtain quotes and check their scope. For the second, gather cost statements and available maintenance information. Comparison becomes useful when differences are explicit. This example assumes no market price or investment return.

Gather the information before running a simulation

Keep a working sheet containing sources, access dates, selected references and reasons for excluding other sales. Add the asking price, checked floor area, documented works and known costs. Separate available evidence from assumptions that still need confirmation.

For a project in the French Caribbean, check references for the specific local area. A shared island name does not make homes in different settings comparable. A few observations are insufficient to establish a local market trend.

• Checked location and property characteristics
• Selected sale references and transaction dates
• Supporting documents for work and running costs
• Clearly identified missing assumptions
• Questions prepared for the seller or relevant professional

Move from comparison to a documented project

Prix Limite presents an online property analysis simulator and several operating strategies. Sales comparisons help document the starting information. They do not replace a viewing or the checks carried out by the professionals involved.

Prepare your information, then use the simulator. Where an important detail is missing, keep alternative working assumptions and request the necessary documents before making a decision.