Recommended Free Tools
For a single built property, divide its DVF transaction value (valeur_fonciere) by its matching built area (surface_reelle_bati). In Excel, a table formula can calculate the ratio for each row—but first check that the value and area belong to the same property, that the area is positive, and that the record is not a multi-property transaction being treated as one home.
What the DVF price-per-square-meter figure represents
DVF, or Demandes de valeurs foncières, is a DGFiP dataset of paid property transactions. Its valeur_fonciere is a transaction value, not the buyer’s complete cost: the official DVF FAQ describes it as a net-seller price that excludes agency and notary fees. Furniture included in a sale is also excluded from the displayed value. See the official DVF FAQ.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Microsoft Excel VBA Guidebook | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Financial Analysis With Microsoft Excel 2019 | $74.64 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Business Analysis with Microsoft Excel | $36.91 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Microsoft Excel 2019 Data Analysis and Business Modeling (Business Skills) | $37.67 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Statistics with Microsoft Excel | $70.11 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The ratio is descriptive, not an appraisal. It is meaningful only when the numerator and denominator represent the same property and when the properties being compared use consistent definitions of type, location, period, and area.
Download and import a DVF export
-
Open the official Demandes de valeurs foncières dataset page and download the relevant annual text file. Record the download date and file vintage: the files can be replaced when the dataset is updated, and transactions may be added to earlier years.
#1 Best Overall
-
Import the delimited text file into Excel, checking the delimiter and data types during import. Do not assume French-formatted numbers have been interpreted as numeric values. The dataset page provides guidance for spreadsheet-compatible separators; exact import controls depend on your Excel version and locale.
-
Keep the mutation identifier and property fields together. Useful fields include
id_mutation,date_mutation,nature_mutation,valeur_fonciere,type_local,surface_reelle_bati,nombre_pieces_principales, the lot-level Carrez fields, andsurface_terrain. Field descriptions and coverage details are available in the DVF explorer and FAQ.
Calculate the ratio in Excel
For a row that represents one built property, the calculation is:
Rank #2
valeur_fonciere / surface_reelle_bati
After confirming both columns contain numeric values and the area is greater than zero, use this formula in an Excel table:
=IFERROR([@valeur_fonciere]/[@surface_reelle_bati],"")
The result is euros per square metre when the value is in euros and the area is in square metres. The formula is illustrative: function names and argument separators may differ in localized Excel installations. A blank result from IFERROR means the division failed; it does not establish why. Check the source row rather than treating blanks as zero.
Rank #3
Choose the right area and handle exceptional records
Built area is not Carrez area
For the standard DVF built-property ratio, use surface_reelle_bati. The DVF explorer distinguishes this real built area from lot*_surface_carrez. The FAQ says: “La surface affichée correspond à la surface réelle bâtie et non à la surface carrez (présente cependant dans le fichier, mais remplie sporadiquement et sans valeur légale).” In other words, Carrez values appear sporadically in the file and should not be substituted as though they were the standard built-area field. Do not label a result “price per Carrez square metre” unless the denominator is an appropriate Carrez area.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Exclude missing or non-positive areas from the division
A missing or zero area cannot produce a meaningful ratio. Filter those records out of the calculation and report how many you excluded. Also check that the area is numeric and belongs to the property represented by the value.
Review multi-property mutations separately
A single mutation can cover more than one property. Dividing its transaction-level value by the area of just one component can produce a misleading result; dividing the total equally among several dwellings assumes equal values without evidence. Keep such records separate unless the export provides a defensible value-and-area match for each property. The official DVF statistical methodology describes its €/m² calculation as value divided by the built surface of the property concerned; its publication-specific filters should not be treated as universal rules for every spreadsheet.
Do not treat land or dependencies as ordinary dwellings
Land-only records may have no built area, while dependencies and other property types are not directly comparable with houses or apartments. Filter by type_local and analyze property categories separately rather than filling missing built area with land area or combining unlike types.
Make comparisons that are useful
Before summarizing results, define the comparison group. At minimum, separate by property type, locality, transaction date or year, and area basis. Report the number of included records and explain exclusions, especially records with missing or non-positive area and mutations that combine properties.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
For a group of valid €/m² ratios, consider reporting both the median and the mean. The mean can be pulled by unusually high or low transactions; the official DVF statistical material uses a median in its visualization to reduce the effect of outliers. Do not silently adopt that publication’s specific selection filters as if they applied to all analyses.
Best Value
State the dataset’s scope and vintage
The official dataset describes paid transactions over the latest five years covered by the publication and includes metropolitan France and overseas areas subject to stated geographic exclusions. The published dataset information excludes Alsace, Moselle, and Mayotte. Because files can change on refresh and earlier years may receive additional transactions, state the export vintage or download date and the geography covered when sharing a result. The official dataset page provides the current files and coverage information.
Finally, describe your output as a ratio calculated from selected DVF records—not as a guaranteed market value for another property. The displayed area reflects the latest area declaration known to land services at the sale date, rather than a new physical measurement made by the person analyzing the spreadsheet.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →
