The Société Civile Immobilière (SCI) is a popular tool for managing property jointly or organizing its transfer. However, it also comes with strict legal obligations. Riviera Signatures guides you through the tax benefits, pitfalls to avoid, and the steps to take to create an SCI with complete peace of mind.

Buying Property Through a French SCI: Legal, Tax, and Strategic Benefits

Buying real estate through an SCI (Société Civile Immobilière) is a popular solution — particularly for families, unmarried couples, or investors looking to better manage or transfer their assets. However, this option comes with legal, tax, and administrative implications that must be clearly understood.

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1. Why Create an SCI to Buy Property?

An SCI allows multiple people to co-own a property while setting clear rules for its management. Unlike joint ownership (indivision), which is often unstable, an SCI offers a flexible and customizable structure through its statutes. This is especially useful for:

• Buying as a couple without being married
• Planning a succession or early inheritance
• Optimizing the management of a rental property
• Protecting an investor’s or partner’s ownership share

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2. Legal and Tax Advantages of an SCI

Creating an SCI offers several key benefits, including:

• Flexible management: Partners appoint a manager and can define decision-making rules for important matters.
• Tax optimization: Depending on the chosen tax regime (income tax or corporate tax), the SCI can help reduce taxes on rental income or benefit from depreciation.
• Easier inheritance planning: It is easier to transfer shares in a company to children than to split physical ownership of a property.

That said, every situation is unique. Legal guidance is essential to choose the structure and tax options that best fit your goals.

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3. Constraints and Pitfalls to Avoid

Creating an SCI also comes with responsibilities:

• Drafting articles of association in compliance with French property law
• Registering the company with the Trade and Companies Register
• Maintaining proper accounting records
• Filing annual tax returns
• Opening a dedicated bank account for the SCI

Moreover, poorly written statutes can lead to disputes between partners or make property management complicated. A legal advisor specializing in SCIs helps you avoid these foundational errors from the very beginning.

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4. Using an SCI to Buy Property on the French Riviera

The SCI is particularly well-suited for high-end real estate purchases, such as a villa in Antibes or an apartment in Nice. In such cases, both the taxation and legal structure need to be optimized with careful consideration of:

• Inheritance and gift taxes
• The tax residency of the partners
• The long-term evolution of the asset portfolio

At Riviera Signatures, we help clients strategically structure their SCIs with a secure and legally sound foundation.

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✅ Conclusion:

The Société Civile Immobilière is a powerful tool for structuring your real estate investment — provided you are well advised. Before signing or setting up anything, schedule a consultation with a French Riviera legal expert, to avoid pitfalls and build a strong, long-term project.