Three ways to help you find your dream home in the City of Light
Are you looking to buy a property in Paris? If you are then you will know only too well that the choice of different arrondissements and range of properties can provide thousands of different options and result in a time-consuming and complicated property search.
Here are three questions to answer that will streamline your search for the perfect Parisian property.
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What arrondissement do you want to buy in?
There are 20 arrondissements in Paris, and each has its own distinct flavour and ambiance. Spending time in Paris checking out each neighbourhood sounds like a joyous task. However, the reality is that if you are an overseas buyer searching from a different country, the level of familiarity necessary to support a real estate investment is extremely difficult to acquire in a short time period.
This is where the help of a property specialist and buyer’s agent like Home Hunts can help. Hervé Lévy is Home Hunts’ Paris manager. He lives in Versailles and, having been brought up in the Paris area, is knowledgeable about each arrondissement, as well as the suburbs.
“More than ever before our clients expect from us some efficiency finding a property which meets, as much as possible, their requirements in term of specification and location,” says Hervé. “Our goal is to save our clients time and money, so we help them in all aspects of the purchasing process.”
For clients wishing to be in an ultra-prime location, Hervé would recommend the 8th arrondissement, specifically in the “golden triangle” (formed by Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Avenue Montaigne, and Avenue George V). For excellent short- and long-term investments he recommends the 8th and the 17th near Monceau Park and for a family-friendly neighbourhood with shops, restaurants and green spaces he favours the 16th, in the Victor Hugo area.
Why do you want to buy a property in Paris?
Do you want to rent out your property as well as use it for your own enjoyment, or do you plan to buy and sell on quickly? Having investment goals will likely have an impact on where you want to buy property in Paris.
For clients wishing to use the property for a few weeks a year Hervé recommends buying a pied-à-terre in central Paris or Le Marais (4th arrondissement), which will offer good rental income from tourists as provide an excellent vacation base for family and friends to enjoy on holidays and weekends.
For Hervé, sharing dinner with friends in le Marais is one of the best things to do in Paris – but for people watching and relaxing he’d opt for a café terrace in Boulevard Saint Germain (5th arrondissement).
What type of Parisian property are you looking for?
Knowing what type of property you want to invest in will help you identify suitable options more quickly and speed up the buying process.
You may fear that by keeping to a targeted search – including criteria such as budget range and number of bedrooms – you’ll miss out on bargain opportunities. However, this is usually not the case and sticking to a remit will maximise the efficiency and speed of the search.
The best way to be aware of the entire market is to work with a Home Hunts consultant like Hervé. They know the market intimately, are aware of all the properties for sale online, those that are coming on to the market and all the off-market opportunities.
As Hervé is in touch with estate agents in Paris on a daily basis, he will be able to tell you if there are any potential properties outside of your search criteria, giving you peace of mind that no stone will go unturned.
There are, of course, times when sticking passionately to a key requirement can lengthen the search. For example, if you have your heart set on an apartment in a Haussmannian building, the search could take longer as demand is so high.
But working with a consultant like Hervé, means you’ll reach your goal faster than you would by going it alone. “With Home Hunts handling the search, we can take care of everything,” says Hervé. “Then all the client needs to do is fly to Paris as soon as a good opportunity arises.”
If you are looking to buy a property in Paris, you can search Home Hunts’ online portfolio at www.home-hunts.com. But to speak with a consultant about your specific criteria and investment requirements, call +33 (0)970 44 66 43.
