House Purchase Down Payment

[trainman]

Help! Can a down payment for a French property be made with a cashiers check from a US bank?

[Bob T]

Not sure, but I would think that any payment method was good as long as the cleared funds are with the notaire at the time of the C de V.

[debbie]

As a banker I know that it will be converted and you will get a better conversion rate from your bank than you will from the French Bank. I recommend wiring funds in Euros from your US Bank account.

[tenniswitch]

Yes, a US bank can issue a cashier's check in euros.  Or it can do a wire transfer in euros.  Contact your bank to make sure that they have someone who knows how to do this (if it's a branch of a large bank, they may have to contact someone elsewhere).  You might also check with the notaire and see which he prefers.

Our US bank charges $50 for wire transfers and $25 for cashier's checks.  Your bank fees may be different.  There is also the matter of the currency exchange rate; if you're a good customer, they should be willing to give you their "best" rate.