In brief
In Paris in 2026, an attractive property receives its first offers within 24 to 48 hours: impossible to track from New York, Singapore or London without a local intermediary. The property hunter views, films and documents each property, submits the offer by email and coordinates signing by power of attorney. Home Select, a Paris property hunter since 2011 and member of the FCI, supports expats with its 16 buying agents, a 6% average negotiation and fees of 2.5% of the purchase price (minimum 10,000 euros incl. VAT), with no surcharge for clients abroad.
Key takeaways
- Attractive Paris properties receive first offers within 24-48 hours, making a local representative essential for expats
- Property hunters conduct documented viewings with photos, video and technical sheets so expats can decide remotely
- Purchase offers can be sent by email and preliminary contracts signed by power of attorney, without travelling to Paris
- Fees are 2.5% of net seller price (minimum 10,000 euros TTC), 100% success-based, with no surcharge for expat clients
On the Parisian market, an attractive property receives its first offers within 24 to 48 hours. When you live in New York, Singapore or London, the time difference and the impossibility of viewing in person make it nearly impossible to react quickly without a local intermediary. That is precisely why an apartment hunter has become the go-to professional for expats buying in Paris.
Since 2011, Home Select has been supporting buyers from around the world. Here is what a property hunter concretely changes when purchasing from abroad.
What obstacles do expats face when buying in Paris?
An expat buying an apartment in Paris on their own faces five obstacles: the time difference, a lack of responsiveness, limited knowledge of the local market, the language barrier and the absence of a trusted contact on the ground. The time zone: when a Parisian agent calls at 10am to suggest a viewing, it is 4am in New York. Responsiveness: properties sell fast, and an absent buyer cannot view the same day. Market knowledge: evaluating a price, the quality of a co-ownership or the potential of a neighbourhood requires local expertise. The language barrier: even for French speakers, legal and technical vocabulary is complex. And trust: entrusting a purchase worth several hundred thousand euros from a distance requires a reliable partner.
What does a property hunter do for an expat?
For an expat, the property hunter defines the brief, searches both public listings and the off-market, views and documents each property with photos and video, negotiates the price, then coordinates the process through to signature, power of attorney included. The apartment hunter is the buyer’s exclusive representative, never the seller’s. They work for you, with your interests in mind.
Beforehand, they define your specifications during an in-depth consultation: budget, floor area, neighbourhood, floor level, natural light, constraints. They then search for matching properties, accessing both public listings and the off-market, which represents 15 to 20% of transactions in Paris.
For each shortlisted property, the property hunter conducts a documented viewing: photos, video, detailed technical sheet. The client receives this file and decides remotely whether to proceed.
If a property matches, the property hunter negotiates the price. At Home Select, our hunters achieve an average 6% negotiation on the listed price.
After the offer is accepted, the property hunter coordinates the process through to completion: notary, bank, surveyor, insurer. For an expat, they handle the power of attorney, translated documents, and communications in the right time zone.
How much does a property hunter cost for an expat?
At Home Select, fees are 2.5% of the net seller purchase price (minimum 10,000 euros including tax), 100% success-based. They are the same for all clients: there is no surcharge for expat support.
The return on investment is measurable. An average 6% negotiation on a property priced at 800,000 euros represents a saving of 48,000 euros. Fees of 2-3% amount to 16,000 to 24,000 euros. The balance is positive, not to mention the time saved and mistakes avoided.
Our team speaks your language
Our 16 property hunters support French-speaking and English-speaking clients. For a first conversation, contact us.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
01 How does a property hunter view a property on behalf of an expat?
The property hunter conducts a full viewing, filmed or via live video. They check technical aspects (condition, co-ownership, energy rating, noise levels), photograph every room and send a detailed report. At Home Select, each viewing is documented with a technical sheet and photos.
02 Can an expat make a purchase offer remotely?
Yes. The purchase offer is sent by email. The property hunter negotiates directly with the seller or their agent. The preliminary contract can be signed by power of attorney. Home Select helps dozens of expats purchase property every year without travelling to Paris.
03 How much does a property hunter cost for an expat?
Fees are 2.5% of the net seller purchase price (minimum 10,000 euros including tax), 100% success-based. There is no additional charge for expatriate clients. The service includes filmed viewings, time zone management and coordination with the notary.
04 How does a property hunter handle the time difference for a buyer abroad?
The property hunter aligns communications with your time zone and reacts on your behalf when an interesting property comes to market: in Paris, attractive properties receive their first offers within 24 to 48 hours. They view on your behalf, send you a filmed report you can review at your own hour, then submit the purchase offer by email as soon as you approve. You do not need to be available during Paris hours: the hunter acts as your responsive interface on the ground.
