Solidarity long-term lease (BRS)
A homeownership scheme allowing buyers to purchase the building separately from the land, which is retained by a Solidarity Land Trust (OFS). The buyer pays a monthly fee to the OFS for land use. This structure significantly reduces the purchase price (up to 30–40% below market) in tight housing markets. On resale, anti-speculation is ensured by a price cap.
Key points
- The buyer owns the dwelling but leases the land from the OFS for a monthly fee.
- The purchase price is 30–40% below market in high-pressure housing areas.
- On resale, the price is capped to ensure affordability for future households.
- The scheme is limited to high-pressure zones and subject to income conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to the BRS if the owner wishes to resell?
Resale is possible, but the price is regulated by the OFS according to an indexation formula defined in the lease. The next buyer must also meet the income conditions and takes over the land lease on the same terms. This anti-speculation mechanism preserves affordability, but limits the capital gain for the seller.
How do banks finance a property acquired under BRS?
Banks do grant mortgage loans for BRS building purchases, but only some have developed offers suited to this structure. The security covers the leaseholder's real rights, not the land. The broker plays a key role in identifying OFS partner lenders and presenting a file that meets the specific requirements of this type of financing.
What is the difference between a BRS property and a viager (life annuity) sale?
In a BRS, the buyer acquires a permanent real right over the building and pays a land fee to a public or semi-public body, regardless of any third party's age. A viager relies on a life-contingency mechanism tied to the seller's lifespan, with a lump sum and annuities paid to an individual. Both dissociate ownership and enjoyment, but their legal, tax, and social logic are radically different.
In practice
A household in the Paris region buys a 65 m² flat under a BRS for €180,000, 35% below an equivalent open-market property, and pays €120 per month to the OFS for land use.
Official sources
- Buying a home under a real solidarity lease (BRS) · ANIL
- Obtaining a mortgage loan · Service-Public.gouv.fr
- Mortgage credit (official guide) · Service-Public.gouv.fr