The stock image of the apartment hunter is a professional walking the streets of Paris, pushing open the doors of Haussmann buildings, negotiating with agents for properties full of mouldings and antique parquet. This image is not wrong: the majority of our activity at Home Select does indeed involve the resale market, which accounts for the bulk of Parisian transactions. But it is incomplete.
In recent years, a growing proportion of our clients have been asking us about new-build properties. Not out of novelty for novelty’s sake, but out of calculation. Reduced notary fees, current energy standards, no renovation works to plan, builder guarantees: the economic arguments for new-build are real, and they deserve serious examination rather than being dismissed in the name of Parisian charm.
The question is therefore not “can an apartment hunter search in the new-build market?” The answer is yes. The real question is: in which cases is new-build relevant in Paris, what are the specific pitfalls of off-plan purchasing, and what added value does a property hunter bring in this context?
New-build in Paris: a narrow market, but one that exists
Consider the wider picture. Inner Paris is not a blank canvas. The available land for new construction is extremely limited, concentrated in a few urban regeneration and densification zones. New-build programmes in Paris are therefore rare, expensive, and often reserved for the best-informed, or best-connected, buyers.
In 2026, the main development areas are in the 13th arrondissement (extension of the Paris Rive Gauche district), the 17th (Batignolles eco-district, final phases), the 19th and 20th (occasional projects), and to a lesser extent the 15th and 12th. Off-plan prices in Paris range between 10,000 and 16,000 euros per square meter depending on location and developer, generally 15 to 25% above resale prices at comparable size and location.
In the Ile-de-France region, the supply is considerably larger. Inner-ring municipalities such as Boulogne-Billancourt, Issy-les-Moulineaux, Levallois-Perret, Saint-Ouen, Montrouge and Vincennes see regular new-build programmes, with prices that start to become competitive against resale Parisian properties when you factor in reduced notary fees and no renovation costs.
An apartment hunter who ignores the new-build market deprives their client of part of the market. At Home Select, we do not do that.
Off-plan purchasing explained without jargon
VEFA (Vente en l’Etat Futur d’Achevement, Sale in a Future State of Completion) is the legal framework for buying from plans. You purchase a property that does not yet exist, based on plans, 3D renderings and a descriptive specification detailing materials and fixtures.
The process unfolds in several stages. First, the reservation contract: you sign a document that reserves a specific unit in the programme, subject to a deposit (generally 5% of the price for delivery within two years). Next, a ten-day cooling-off period during which you can cancel without cost or justification. Then the signing of the final deed at the notary, which generally takes place a few months after reservation.
Payment is staggered according to construction progress: 35% upon completion of foundations, 70% when the building is weathertight, 95% upon completion, and the remaining 5% upon delivery (or held in escrow if there are reservations). This payment schedule is a tangible advantage: you do not finance the entire property from day one.
New-build comes with specific guarantees that resale does not offer. The completion guarantee (one year) covers all defects reported at delivery. The two-year guarantee covers removable equipment: shutters, taps, radiators. The ten-year guarantee covers damage compromising the structural integrity of the building or rendering it unfit for purpose. This legal safety net has real value that buyers often underestimate.
What the hunter brings to new-build
The individual interested in new-build finds themselves facing a single counterpart: the developer, or rather their sales team. And that sales team has a precise objective: selling the programme’s units at the best price. The relationship is structurally unbalanced. The buyer is discovering the programme; the developer knows it inside out. The buyer sees a beautiful 3D rendering; the developer knows which units have the best orientation, which ones will face the future waste area, and which ones will suffer from noise when the street is reconfigured in two years.
The apartment hunter restores the balance. Here is how.
First, upstream sourcing. The most attractive new-build programmes are not the ones advertising on portals. They are the ones that are partly marketed through professional networks before the public launch. A property hunter who maintains relationships with the sales departments of developers active in their area has access to units before their official release, exactly like in off-market resale. At Home Select, we regularly receive previews of programmes being brought to market. The best units, those on upper floors, south-facing, with no overlooking neighbours, often sell before the general public even hears about them.
Second, critical analysis of the programme. The apartment hunter does not rely on 3D renderings or marketing brochures. They study the building permit, the site plan, the immediate surroundings and their foreseeable evolution. They check the exact orientation, calculate actual sunlight exposure taking into account neighbouring buildings and upcoming urban projects. They read the descriptive specification with the eye of a professional who knows that “engineered oak parquet” can mean very different things depending on the developer.
A concrete example. Last year, one of our clients was interested in a three-room apartment in a new-build programme in the 13th arrondissement. The unit was on a mid floor, southwest-facing, listed at a price consistent with the market. The brochure was appealing, the showroom impeccable. Our hunter checked the local urban plan and discovered that a building permit had been filed for an eight-story building on the neighbouring plot, on the southwest side. In plain terms, the unobstructed view promised by the developer would be blocked in three years by an office building. We recommended a unit on the northeast side, less spectacular on paper but with a permanent view over a protected green space. The developer, of course, had not suggested it: that unit was harder to sell.
Third, negotiation. Contrary to popular belief, new-build prices are not set in stone. A developer who has sold 80% of their programme and whose remaining units are lingering has room to negotiate. A hunter who buys regularly from the same developer has bargaining power that an isolated individual does not. The discount obtained is generally more modest than in resale, around 2 to 4%, but it exists, and on amounts of 400,000 to 700,000 euros, it represents significant sums.
New-build is part of our search scope. At Home Select, our apartment hunters analyse the market as a whole, resale and off-plan, to identify the best opportunity for your brief. Describe your project
New-build vs resale: the real calculation
Comparing new-build and resale cannot be reduced to the price per square meter. It is a comprehensive calculation that integrates several parameters that the unassisted buyer tends to overlook.
Notary fees first. For new-build, they represent 2 to 3% of the purchase price, versus 7 to 8% for resale. On a 500,000 euro property, the difference is 25,000 to 30,000 euros. That is the equivalent of a high-end fitted kitchen, and it is a mechanical advantage of new-build that nothing in resale offsets.
Renovation works next. A resale apartment in Paris almost always requires some work, even if only a cosmetic refresh. For a property “needing a refresh,” expect 500 to 800 euros per square meter. For a complete renovation (electrical, plumbing, kitchen, bathroom), expect 1,200 to 2,000 euros per square meter. On a 70 square meter apartment, the bill ranges from 35,000 to 140,000 euros. New-build, by definition, has no such cost: everything is delivered to standard, ready to move in.
The energy performance certificate (DPE) is a third parameter. New-build programmes delivered in 2026 comply with RE2020, guaranteeing an A or B energy rating. In resale, a D or E rating is common, with consequences for energy consumption, thermal comfort, and especially resale value in the medium term. The discount associated with a poor energy rating is increasingly marked in the Parisian market, and this trend will intensify as regulations progressively tighten.
In return, new-build has its own drawbacks. The price per square meter is 15 to 25% higher. The delivery timeline can reach 18 to 24 months, meaning you pay rent during construction unless your situation allows you to wait. And customisation, while real, is framed by the developer: you can choose your tiles and kitchen from a defined catalogue, but you cannot commission a bespoke bathroom.
There is also the question of location and neighbourhood. A new-build programme in a developing neighbourhood is a bet on the future. The neighbourhood may improve: this is the case for many areas of the 13th or 17th that have transformed over ten years. But it may also stagnate or evolve in a direction that does not match expectations. This is a risk that resale does not present: when you buy in the Marais or Saint-Germain, you know exactly which neighbourhood you will be living in.
A concrete case: when new-build wins
Here is a real case, anonymized, that illustrates a situation where new-build proved to be the best option.
A couple in their thirties, first purchase, budget of 480,000 euros. Criteria: three rooms, minimum 60 square meters, good energy rating, near transport, ideally with a small outdoor space. Open perimeter: Paris or inner ring.
In resale in Paris, their budget pointed towards lower-floor properties, in outer arrondissements, often with a D or E energy rating and 30,000 to 50,000 euros of renovation to plan. Realistic budget for resale: 480,000 + 38,000 (notary fees) + 35,000 (average works) = 553,000 euros total cost for a property in decent condition.
Our hunter identified a new-build programme in Montrouge, 200 meters from the metro station. A three-room apartment of 62 square meters with an 8 square meter balcony, on the fifth floor, delivery in fourteen months. Price: 465,000 euros. Notary fees: 12,000 euros. Works: zero. Energy rating: A. Total cost: 477,000 euros, or 76,000 euros less than the resale scenario, for a new property, with outdoor space, and a flawless energy rating.
The couple signed the reservation contract the following week. They moved in fifteen months later into an apartment that matched the plans exactly, with the kitchen they had chosen and a south-facing balcony that exceeded their expectations.
This case is not the rule. For a buyer seeking a Haussmann apartment with mouldings in the 6th arrondissement, new-build obviously makes no sense. But for a first-time buyer on a tight budget, with strong energy comfort criteria and geographical openness, new-build deserves to be on the table.
Specific pitfalls of off-plan purchasing
Enthusiasm for new-build should not obscure the risks specific to VEFA, and this is precisely where a property hunter justifies their presence.
Delivery delay is the most common risk. Developers announce projected dates, not guaranteed ones. A delay of three to six months is common, and longer delays are possible in the event of construction difficulties, a subcontractor going bankrupt, or administrative appeals from neighbours. The VEFA contract provides for delay penalties, but they are often negligible compared to the actual harm suffered, particularly if you need to extend a lease or a bridging loan.
Compliance at delivery is the second risk. The delivered reality does not always match the showroom’s promises. Advertised areas sometimes include partition walls (SHAB surface vs habitable surface), finishes may fall short of what the descriptive specification suggested, and the noise environment of a new building surrounded by neighbouring construction sites can come as a surprise.
The apartment hunter intervenes at two critical moments. Upstream, when analysing the reservation contract and descriptive specification, to identify areas of ambiguity and unfavourable clauses. And at delivery, to accompany the client during the handover inspection and help them document reservations rigorously. A well-formulated reservation on delivery day is legal leverage. A forgotten reservation is a problem at your expense.
One last, more subtle pitfall: the developer’s financial soundness. The new-build crisis of recent years has weakened many developers, including well-known names. A property hunter who follows the new-build market knows which developers are financially solid and which are struggling. This information is not accessible to the general public, but it directly determines the risk of the operation.
A search without blinkers
My approach, and that of the entire Home Select team, is pragmatic. We are neither apostles of new-build nor guardians of resale. We are apartment hunters whose mission is to find the best possible property for each client, within the framework of their brief and their budget.
When a client mandates us, we explore the market in its entirety. Resale represents the majority of opportunities in Paris: that is a fact. But systematically ignoring new-build means ruling out solutions that can be economically and qualitatively superior in certain configurations.
The property hunter’s role is precisely to make this comparison without bias, data in hand, integrating all parameters: purchase price, ancillary costs, works, energy performance, quality of life, appreciation potential. Our 16 hunters have this dual expertise, in both resale and new-build, and it is this comprehensiveness that allows us to find the property you would not have looked for on your own.
More than 1,200 acquisitions since 2011, in resale and new-build. The right apartment is the one that fits your life, not a property doctrine.
Resale or new-build, your hunter explores every avenue. At Home Select, we analyse the market without blinkers to present you with the best option. 100% success-based fees. Tell us about your project
Frequently asked questions
Can an apartment hunter search in the new-build market?
Yes. An apartment hunter is not limited to the resale market. They can identify new-build programmes sold off-plan that match the client's brief, including units not yet publicly marketed. At Home Select, we maintain relationships with the main developers active in Paris and the Ile-de-France region.
What are the advantages of buying new-build in Paris?
The main advantages are reduced notary fees (2-3% versus 7-8% for resale), no renovation works to plan, current energy standards (RE2020), the ability to customise finishes, and builder guarantees (completion, two-year, ten-year). On the other hand, the price per square meter is generally higher and the delivery timeline can reach 18 to 24 months.
What is off-plan purchasing (VEFA) and what are the risks?
VEFA (Vente en l'Etat Futur d'Achevement) is the purchase of a property from plans, before construction. The main risks are delivery delays, differences between the plans and the actual delivered property, and changes in the neighbourhood during construction. A property hunter analyses these risks upfront and assists the client in reviewing the reservation contract.
Do the hunter's fees also apply for an off-plan purchase?
Yes, the apartment hunter's fees apply regardless of whether the property found is resale or new-build. The service covers the search, analysis of the programme and developer, any negotiation, and support through to signing at the notary.
