Official guides and property portals mostly cover the buyer's journey. Sellers are often left without a roadmap. Here is the complete journey, step by step, with the timelines we observe in the field and the pitfalls of the compromis de vente to understand before signing anything.
The 10 steps at a glance
| Step | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|
| 1. Decision and fair valuation | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 2. Gathering the documents | 1 to 2 weeks, in parallel |
| 3. Energy performance certificate | before any advertising |
| 4. Mandate and marketing strategy | a few days |
| 5. Listing and viewings | a few weeks to a few months |
| 6. Purchase offer | a few days of negotiation |
| 7. Compromis de vente | signature: the point of no return |
| 8. Between agreement and deed | most often around 3 months |
| 9. Notarial deed and key handover | one day, prepared in advance |
| 10. After the sale: taxation | tax return the following year |
Indicative timelines, from our practice in the south of the country.
Step 1: the decision and a fair valuation
The asking price conditions everything that follows. Our constant observation in the southern region: a property positioned correctly from the first week generally finds its buyer within a few weeks to a few months. An overpriced property stays online, serves as a comparison point for the neighbours' listings, and often ends up selling for less.
To set the price objectively, rely on actual transactions, not asking prices. A useful benchmark: for existing apartments in the canton of Esch, notarial deeds show 6,500 to 7,300 euros per m² in the majority of municipalities (Observatoire de l'Habitat). A house cannot be derived mechanically from that figure, but it frames how your buyer, and their bank, will think.
Step 2: gathering the documents
A complete file from day one makes your price credible and saves weeks at the notary's office. Our checklist:
- the title deed (your own purchase deed);
- the cadastral extract;
- the energy performance certificate (see step 3);
- the plans of the property;
- for co-owned buildings: the co-ownership regulations, the minutes of the latest general meetings and the service charge statements.
Step 3: the energy performance certificate (EPC)
Since 1 July 2012, every advertisement must display the energy performance class and the thermal insulation class. The certificate must therefore be established before the property is advertised, not after. It is the only systematically compulsory survey, as explained in our guide to property surveys in Luxembourg.
Step 4: the mandate and the marketing strategy
Selling on your own is possible. Selling well takes time, method and the ability to qualify buyers. If you mandate an agency, the commission is generally 3% of the price plus VAT, payable by the party who mandated the agent, so usually the seller. In return, the agent should own the pricing, the filtering of candidates and their financing, the drafting of a solid agreement, and the coordination with the notary through to the deed.
Step 5: the listing and the viewings
The advertisement must display the energy classes (see step 3), along with careful photos and a factual description. The first two weeks online are decisive: this is when the property reaches active buyers. During viewings, be transparent: disclosing known easements and upcoming works avoids last-minute renegotiations.
Thinking of selling? A fair valuation is the starting point. Request yours, free of charge and with no obligation.
Step 6: the purchase offer
Always ask for a written offer: amount, conditions, validity deadline. Before accepting, check the financing: deposit, bank agreement in principle, realistic schedule. To understand what the bank will look at, read our article on mortgages in Luxembourg: it is your buyer's file, but it is your timeline.
One caution: an offer accepted in writing can already create a commitment on the property and the price. Do not accept it lightly.
Step 7: the compromis de vente, the real point of no return
Lawyers know the phrase well: the compromis de vente is equivalent to a sale. From the moment both parties sign, the contract is complete. It binds both sides to conclude at the agreed price, and as a rule neither can withdraw. Not you, if a better offer arrives the next day, and not the buyer, if they change their mind. Everything depends on the drafting.
What the agreement must contain
Minimum validity requirements: the identity of the parties, a precise description of the property with its cadastral references, the price and the payment terms. Strongly recommended additions: easements, the name of the notary, the date of possession (the key handover) and, where relevant, an occupancy indemnity if the seller stays in the property after the deed.
The loan condition (clause suspensive)
With this clause, the buyer is only bound once their loan has been granted. The usual period is at least 4 to 6 weeks, extendable on presentation of an official letter from the bank. In a dispute, the buyer must prove that they genuinely applied for a loan and informed you within the deadline. As a seller, insist on a precise deadline and proof of the application: a vague clause is a free exit door.
The penalty clause
It sets a fixed compensation if one party refuses to complete the sale without being entitled to: in practice, 10% of the sale price. Example: a price of 350,000 euros and a defaulting buyer without valid grounds means 35,000 euros in contractual damages. Without this clause, the loss would have to be quantified before a judge.
Step 8: between the agreement and the deed
In the field, the period between the agreement and the deed is most often around 3 months: the time for the loan and the notary. That time can be prepared for: a complete file, a notary named in the agreement, regular follow-ups.
Should the agreement be registered?
The compromis can be registered with the Administration de l'enregistrement, des domaines et de la TVA (AED), within 3 months of signature for a non-professional. If it contains a loan condition, registration costs a fixed duty of 12 euros; without such a clause, it triggers the 7% duty on the price. Registration makes the agreement enforceable against third parties. Many agreements are never registered: this does not affect their validity between the parties.
Step 9: the notarial deed and the key handover
Property sales fall within the exclusive remit of the notary, who verifies ownership, mortgages and easements, then has the deed transcribed at the Bureau des hypothèques: it is this transcription that makes the sale enforceable against third parties. By established custom, the deed costs are borne by the buyer. The keys are handed over on the date of possession set in the agreement, generally on the day of the deed.
Step 10: after the sale, taxation
If you sell your main residence, the capital gain is in principle exempt: the exact conditions are set out in our article on capital gains and the main residence. For other properties, the gain is taxed according to how long you have owned the asset. Deal with this point before signing, not after.
If you are selling: the three locks to put in place
- The price: fair from the first week, based on notarial deeds.
- The EPC: established before the listing goes online, as the law has required since 2012.
- The agreement: a tight loan condition, a 10% penalty clause, a named notary and a dated key handover.
If you are buying: the mirror image in brief
On the buyer's side, the logic is reversed: the loan condition is your main protection. Notary fees are yours by custom, and the Bëllegen Akt tax credit can reduce your registration duties. The agreement binds you just as much as the seller.
FAQ
Can you withdraw after signing a compromis de vente in Luxembourg?
As a rule, no. Once signed by both parties, the agreement is equivalent to a sale and binds both sides at the agreed price. Only the failure of a condition written into the agreement, such as the loan being refused, can end it without fault.
How long does it take to sell a house in Luxembourg?
A correctly priced property generally finds its buyer within a few weeks to a few months, followed most often by around 3 months between agreement and deed (agency observation, southern Luxembourg).
Does the sales agreement have to be registered?
Registration with the AED, within 3 months for a non-professional, makes the agreement enforceable against third parties: a fixed duty of 12 euros if it contains a loan condition, the 7% duty on the price otherwise. An unregistered agreement remains valid between the parties.
Who pays the notary fees and the agency commission?
By established custom, notary fees are borne by the buyer. The agency commission, generally 3% of the price plus VAT, is owed by the party who mandated the agent, so usually the seller.
Is the energy performance certificate compulsory when selling?
Yes. Since 1 July 2012, every advertisement must display the energy performance class and the thermal insulation class. The certificate must therefore be established before the property is advertised.
Sources and legal references
- Guichet.lu: the compromis de vente
- Indirect tax portal (AED): registration
- Guichet.lu: the energy performance certificate
- Observatoire de l'Habitat: market prices and data
Thinking of selling? A fair valuation is the starting point. Request yours, free of charge and with no obligation.
By David Carmo, founder of CARMO Immobilier. Real estate professional since 2008, member of the board of directors of the Chambre Immobilière du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, of its disciplinary board, and trainer at the Académie de l'Immobilier.
This article is provided for information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Regulations change and every situation is different. Before making any decision, check the texts in force and consult your notary or a legal adviser.