Practical advice for a successful property purchase in Paris, from the preliminary agreement to key handover
Buying a property in Paris involves steps specific to the French market: preliminary sales agreements, conditions precedent, technical diagnostics, notary fees. Our practical guides break down every stage of the purchase, from the first viewing to key handover. Written by our property hunters who handle over 200 transactions per year, these articles give you the knowledge to make informed decisions, avoid common pitfalls, and secure your acquisition in the capital.
60 articles
Life annuity in Paris: bouquet, annuity payments, occupied vs vacant, return calculations and what a property hunter analyses before recommending a life annuity purchase.
General and special common areas in condominiums: definition, rights, obligations, works and shares. Practical guide for the Parisian buyer.
The property deposit in France represents 5 to 10% of the price. Payment, escrow account, release, withdrawal and disputes: everything the buyer needs to know.
The condominium summary sheet (fiche synthetique) summarises charges, voted works and seller debts. A mandatory loi Alur document to read before signing.
A block sale (vente a la decoupe) involves selling a building unit by unit. Tenant pre-emption rights, collective agreement, procedure and prices in Paris in 2026.
Ground floor apartments in Paris: actual discounts, overlooked advantages, risks to evaluate, and what a property hunter checks before recommending a ground floor purchase.
Buying your primary residence in Paris in 2026: budget, financing, neighbourhood, negotiation. Practical advice from a property hunter with experience since 2011.
Property tax, secondary residence tax, capital gains tax, IFI: all the taxes for property owners in Paris in 2026. Amounts and calculations.
Receiving keys before the notary signing carries major legal risks. Insurance, liability, precarious occupancy agreement: the essential facts.
Hidden defects in Paris property: legal definition, concrete examples, 2-year action period, remedies and the property hunter's role in detection.
Interest-free loan (PTZ) 2026 in Paris: eligibility conditions, income thresholds, financeable amounts and buying strategy with a property hunter to optimise your first purchase.
Converting commercial space to residential in Paris: permits, PLU procedures, compensation and cost. Complete guide to change of property designation in 2026.
Mortgage or surety bond to guarantee your property loan in Paris? Comparative costs, release, impact on resale. Buyer guide 2026.
The authentic deed finalizes your property purchase at the notaire's office. Timeline after preliminary contract, documents to prepare, process at the notaire. 2026 guide.
An amendment allows you to modify a signed preliminary sales agreement: price, deadline, conditions precedent. Legal framework, use cases and precautions in Paris.
Condominium statement of account (etat date): contents, cost, timeframe and what a property hunter analyses to protect your property purchase in Paris.
The TAEG includes the nominal rate, insurance, processing fees and guarantee costs. How to calculate and compare bank offers when buying in Paris in 2026.
Sealed bid sales put buyers in competition through sealed offers. Procedure, risks, bidding strategy and the role of a property hunter.
Loi Carrez surface area: what is included, what is excluded, the 5% tolerance rule, recourse in case of error. Complete guide for buying in Paris in 2026.
Property easements in Paris: right of way, view restrictions, shared courtyard, planning restrictions. What the notaire verifies, what impacts your purchase, and how a property hunter protects you.
Luxury real estate market in Paris in 2026: sought-after arrondissements, price per m2, off-market and buying strategies above 2 million euros. Expert guide.
Dry rot (merule) destroys the woodwork of older Parisian buildings. Risk zones, mandatory diagnosis, treatment costs, and prevention in 2026.
Buying an apartment to renovate in Paris: real renovation costs per sq m, quote pitfalls, Haussmannian constraints and buying strategy with a property hunter.
The site plan is an essential urban planning document for any project involving works. How to read it, when to request it and what it reveals in Paris in 2026.
Net seller price, FAI price, listed price: understanding the differences, calculating the true cost of a property purchase in Paris in 2026. Complete guide.
Home insurance in Paris: essential coverage, Parisian specifics (Seine floods, Haussmann buildings), average costs and pitfalls to avoid before signing.
Overview of the Paris property market in 2026: average prices, transaction volumes, interest rates, neighbourhood trends and outlook for buyers.
Commercial lease, lease rights, business goodwill, key money: understand everything before buying commercial premises in Paris in 2026. Prices and specifics.
Notaire escrow in French property: amount (5-10% of price), holding timelines, difference from the security deposit, and what a property hunter negotiates.
Financing, pre-emption, planning permission: conditions precedent protect the buyer. How they work, deadlines, consequences, and drafting.
The unilateral promise of sale commits the seller but leaves the buyer a choice. Immobilisation indemnity, option period, differences with the preliminary agreement.
Mortgage condition precedent in French property law: deadlines, legal mechanism, seller tactics, and strategies used by apartment hunters to secure your purchase.
A bridge loan lets you buy a new property before selling the old one. How it works, rates, true cost and alternatives in 2026: complete guide.
Portals, off-market, network, property hunter: concrete methods for finding an apartment to buy in Paris in 2026, with realistic timelines and costs.
Co-ownership in Paris: general meeting minutes, works fund, hidden charges and ongoing proceedings. The traps that 80% of buyers discover too late.
Obtaining keys before the final deed signing carries major legal risks. Precarious occupancy agreement, insurance, liability: what you need to know.
A property amendment modifies a preliminary sales agreement or lease without cancelling the original contract. Use cases, drafting, timelines: complete guide.
Property diagnostics in Paris: EPC, asbestos, lead, loi Carrez. What a property hunter deciphers in each report and the real impact on price.
Average prices by arrondissement, purchase steps, financing, mistakes to avoid: the complete guide to buying an apartment in Paris in 2026.
Deferred possession allows the seller to remain in the property after the sale. Clauses, occupation indemnity, risks: everything you need to know before signing.
Authentic deed at the notaire in Paris: process, documents, duration and pitfalls to avoid. Complete guide by an apartment hunter (1,200+ transactions).
A private agreement (acte sous seing privé) is a contract signed between parties without a notary. Compromis, promesse de vente: when to use and risks for buyers in Paris.
2-bedroom, 3-bedroom or larger: how to find a family apartment in Paris in 2026. Arrondissements, budgets, criteria and search strategy.
Commercial use status (commercialite) determines whether a property can be used for business purposes.
The 10-day cooling-off period after signing the preliminary sales agreement in France: how it works, how to exercise your right, and pitfalls to avoid.
Pre-emption rights allow the city to purchase a property as a priority. How it works in Paris, timelines and impact on your purchase in 2026.
The urban planning information notice reveals the constraints on a property. How to obtain, read and use it before your purchase in Paris.
The reformed DPE changes the game for buyers in Paris in 2026. Rating, rental bans, impact on prices and purchasing strategies.
The mandatory and prohibited documents for building a strong rental application in Paris in 2026. Complete checklist for tenants and guarantors.
The pre-completion viewing is your last chance to check the property's condition before signing at the notary's office. Checklist and practical advice.
Apartment viewing in Paris: the professional checklist from Home Select. 50+ points to check, traps to spot, questions to ask. Property hunter guide since 2011.
Preliminary sales agreement (compromis de vente) in Paris in 2026: 10-day cooling-off period, conditions precedent, 5-10% deposit, clauses to check. Home Select guide, property hunters since 2011.
How to write a purchase offer in Paris in 2026: amount, validity period, conditions, negotiation margin (6% on average), winning strategy. Home Select guide.
Mortgage in Paris in 2026: rates at 3.2%, minimum deposit 10%, borrowing capacity, broker vs bank, contingency clauses. Home Select guide.
Buying in a co-ownership in Paris in 2026: documents to request, charges to analyze, general meeting minutes, property manager, planned works, red flags. Expert guide by Home Select, property hunter since 2011.
EPC in Paris in 2026: 10 to 20% discount for thermal sieves (F-G), ban calendar, energy renovation costs. Home Select analysis.
First-time buyer in Paris in 2026: realistic budget from 250,000 euros, accessible arrondissements, PTZ, assistance, mistakes to avoid. Expert guide from Home Select, property hunters since 2011.
Buying in Paris in 2026 costs 10 to 15% more than the listed price. Notaire fees, renovations, charges, property tax: full simulation on a 500,000 euro purchase.
Buying a Haussmann apartment in Paris in 2026: prices by arrondissement, characteristics, pitfalls (lead, energy rating, facade renovation), refurbishment. Home Select expert guide.
Buying in Paris in 2026: average prices by arrondissement (10,450 euros/m2), key steps, financing, negotiation. Expert guide by Home Select, property hunters since 2011.
The main steps are defining your criteria, active searching, viewings, making an offer, signing the preliminary agreement (followed by a 10-day cooling-off period), obtaining financing, and signing the final deed at the notary. The entire process typically takes 3 to 4 months in Paris.
You should budget for notary fees (approximately 7-8% for existing properties), any agency or property hunter fees, additional diagnostic costs, and renovation budget if needed. In total, plan for around 10-12% in additional costs above the listed price.
Cross-reference the price per square metre for the neighbourhood (DVF data and notary records), the property's condition, floor level, orientation, co-ownership status and charges. A property hunter analyses these parameters to advise a fair offer price and negotiate effectively.
Our 16 property hunters support you from search to signing.
Book a consultation
