Buyer's Guide
Primary Residence: Definition and Tax Implications
Primary residence in France: tax definition, capital gains exemption, housing tax and cases involving multiple residences. Complete 2026 guide.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
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, notaire 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.
78 articles
Buyer's Guide
How to choose your real estate agency in Paris
Estate agent, property hunter or independent agent: discover the differences, selection criteria and fees for buying in Paris in 2026.
·9 min read
Buyer's Guide
Short-Term Commercial Lease (Bail Dérogatoire): Complete Guide
The bail dérogatoire allows a professional lease of up to 3 years maximum without renewal rights. Duration, advantages, risks and reclassification.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
10 Tips for Finding an Apartment in Paris
Discover 10 practical tips for finding an apartment in Paris in 2026: timing, budget, neighbourhoods, off-market, and negotiation. By a property hunter.
·9 min read
Buyer's Guide
Co-ownership Calls for Funds: Buyer's Guide
Co-ownership calls for funds finance quarterly charges and works voted at general meetings. Prorata temporis, Alur works fund, and impact for the buyer.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Financing Certificate: A Buyer's Guide
The financing certificate gives your offer credibility in Paris. Who issues it, what it contains, and how it differs from an agreement in principle.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Bridge loans in Paris: how they work, costs and alternatives for buying before selling
Bridge loans in Paris: mechanism, true cost, risks, alternatives, and how a property hunter optimises the timing between sale and purchase to secure your project.
·12 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying Property: The Key Steps
The steps of a property purchase: budget, search, offer, preliminary agreement, financing and final deed. Checklist for buying in Paris in 2026.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Pest Inspection Report: Termite and Insect Diagnostics
Pest inspection report: termites and wood-boring insects, Paris areas, cost 100 to 300 euros and 6-month validity of the diagnostic.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Hidden Defects in Property: Remedies, Deadlines and Buyer Protection in Paris
Hidden defects in Paris property: legal definition, concrete examples, exclusion of guarantee clause, available remedies and the property hunter's role in protecting you before purchase.
·12 min read
Buyer's Guide
Co-ownership Charges: a Complete Guide for Buyers
Co-ownership charges in Paris 2026: 25 to 80 euros/sqm/year by building type, assembly minutes analysis and warning signs for buyers.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Assembling a Property Sale File: Essential Documents
Assembling a complete property sale file: diagnostics, co-ownership documents, title deed. List of mandatory documents for a sale in Paris in 2026.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Life Annuity Property in Paris: Complete Guide 2026
Life annuity property in Paris: upfront bouquet and annuity, occupied vs vacant, calculation and taxation in a market averaging 9,500 euros/sqm.
·9 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying a Tenanted Property in Paris: Current Lease, Tenant Rights and Strategy
Buying a tenanted apartment in Paris: discount, notice to sell, tenant rights, recovery timelines and buying strategy with a property hunter.
·12 min read
Buyer's Guide
Building Maintenance Log: a Buyer's Guide
The co-ownership maintenance log lists completed works and current contracts. How to review it and spot warning signs before buying.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying at Property Auctions in Paris: Procedure, Risks and Strategy
Property auctions in Paris in 2026: judicial, notarial and state sales. Procedure, 10-20% deposit, 10-day overbid period, buyer strategy explained.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
The Pret Paris Logement (PPL) interest-free loan: conditions, amount and process in 2026
The Pret Paris Logement (PPL) at 0% grants 24,200 to 39,600 euros to first-time buyers in Paris. Conditions, income thresholds and PTZ combination in 2026.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Living area vs loi Carrez: the differences
Living area and loi Carrez surface: two different measurements. Ceiling height (1.80 m vs 2.20 m), tax impact and price per m². Paris buyer's guide.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying Property via Life Annuity in Paris: How It Works, Calculations and Opportunities
Life annuity in Paris: bouquet, annuity payments, occupied vs vacant, return calculations and what a property hunter analyses before recommending a life annuity purchase.
·12 min read
Buyer's Guide
Condominium common areas: rights and rules
General and special common areas in condominiums: definition, rights, obligations, works and shares. Practical guide for the Parisian buyer.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
The property deposit: amount, release and disputes
The property deposit in France represents 5 to 10% of the price. Payment, escrow account, release, withdrawal and disputes explained.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Condominium Summary Sheet: Complete Guide
The condominium summary sheet (fiche synthetique) summarises charges, voted works and seller debts. A mandatory loi Alur document to read before signing.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Block Sales (Vente a la Decoupe): Tenant Rights and Opportunities for Buyers
A block sale means selling a building unit by unit. Tenant pre-emption rights, collective agreement, procedure and prices in Paris in 2026.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying a Ground Floor Apartment in Paris: Opportunity or Trap?
Ground floor apartments in Paris: actual discounts, overlooked advantages, risks to evaluate, and what a property hunter checks before recommending a ground floor purchase.
·10 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying Your Primary Residence in Paris: Essential Advice
Buying your primary residence in Paris in 2026: budget, financing, neighbourhood, negotiation. Practical advice from a property hunter since 2011.
·6 min read
Buyer's Guide
Taxes for property owners in Paris
Property tax, secondary residence tax, capital gains tax, IFI: all the taxes for property owners in Paris in 2026. Amounts and calculations.
·9 min read
Buyer's Guide
Early Key Handover: Risks and Precautions for the Buyer
Receiving keys before the notary signing carries major legal risks. Insurance, liability, precarious occupancy agreement: the essential facts.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Hidden Defects in Property: Remedies and Detection
Hidden defects in Paris property: legal definition, concrete examples, 2-year action period, remedies and the property hunter's role in detection.
·9 min read
Buyer's Guide
PTZ 2026 in Paris: conditions, amounts and buying strategy
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.
·10 min read
Buyer's Guide
Change of Property Designation: Converting Commercial Space to Residential in Paris
Converting commercial space to residential in Paris 2026: permits, PLU, compensation, cost 1,500-3,000 euros/sqm. Buyer's guide.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Mortgage guarantees in France: complete 2026 guide
Mortgage or surety bond to guarantee your property loan in Paris? Comparative costs, release, impact on resale. Buyer guide 2026.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Authentic Deed of Sale: The Complete Guide
The authentic deed finalizes your purchase at the notaire's office: timeline after preliminary contract, documents, signing process. 2026 guide.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Amendments to the Preliminary Sales Agreement: When and How to Modify a Property Deal
An amendment modifies a signed preliminary sales agreement: price, deadline, conditions precedent. Legal framework, use cases and precautions in Paris.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Condominium Statement of Account: The Key Document Before Buying
Condominium statement of account (etat date): contents, cost, timeframe and what a property hunter analyses to protect your property purchase in Paris.
·10 min read
Buyer's Guide
Annual percentage rate (TAEG): understanding the true cost of your mortgage
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.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Sealed Bid Sales: Understanding and Succeeding in This Property Procedure
Sealed bid sales put buyers in competition through sealed offers. Procedure, risks, bidding strategy and the role of a property hunter.
·5 min read
Buyer's Guide
Loi Carrez: definition and private surface area
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.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Property easements: what the notaire checks before your purchase
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.
·13 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying a luxury property in Paris: 2026 guide
Luxury real estate market in Paris in 2026: sought-after arrondissements, price per m², off-market and buying strategies above 2 million euros.
·9 min read
Buyer's Guide
Dry Rot Diagnosis: Risks and Obligations
Dry rot (merule) destroys the woodwork of older Parisian buildings. Risk zones, mandatory diagnosis, treatment costs, and prevention in 2026.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying a Property to Renovate in Paris: Budget, Pitfalls and Strategy
Buying an apartment to renovate in Paris: real renovation costs per sq m, quote pitfalls, Haussmannian constraints and buying strategy with a property hunter.
·16 min read
Buyer's Guide
Site Plan in Property: A Reading Guide
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.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Net seller price: definition and calculation
Net seller price, FAI price, listed price: understanding the differences, calculating the true cost of a property purchase in Paris in 2026.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Home Insurance in Paris: How to Choose Before Moving In
Home insurance in Paris: essential coverage, Parisian specifics (Seine floods, Haussmann buildings), average costs and pitfalls to avoid before signing.
·10 min read
Buyer's Guide
Paris Property Market 2026: Overview and Trends
Overview of the Paris property market in 2026: average prices, transaction volumes, interest rates, neighbourhood trends and outlook for buyers.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying Commercial Premises in Paris: A Complete Guide
Commercial lease, lease rights, business goodwill, key money: understand everything before buying commercial premises in Paris in 2026.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
The escrow deposit at the notaire: amount, timelines and what you need to know
Notaire escrow in French property: amount (5-10% of price), holding timelines, difference from the security deposit, and what a property hunter negotiates.
·10 min read
Buyer's Guide
Conditions Precedent in the Preliminary Sales Agreement
Financing, pre-emption, planning permission: conditions precedent protect the buyer. How they work, deadlines, consequences, and drafting.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Unilateral promise of sale: complete guide
The unilateral promise of sale commits the seller but leaves the buyer a choice. Immobilisation indemnity, option period and key differences.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Mortgage Condition Precedent: Your Safety Net (and Its Limits)
Mortgage condition precedent in French property law: deadlines, legal mechanism, seller tactics, and strategies used by apartment hunters to secure your purchase.
·13 min read
Buyer's Guide
Bridge loan for property: complete buyer's guide
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.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Finding an apartment in Paris: an efficient guide
Portals, off-market, network, property hunter: concrete methods for finding an apartment to buy in Paris in 2026, with realistic timelines and costs.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying in a Co-ownership in Paris: The Questions Nobody Asks (But Should)
Co-ownership in Paris: general meeting minutes, works fund, hidden charges and ongoing proceedings. The traps that 80% of buyers discover too late.
·12 min read
Buyer's Guide
Early Key Handover: Risks and Precautions
Obtaining keys before the final deed signing carries major legal risks. Precarious occupancy agreement, insurance, liability: what you need to know.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Property Amendment: Definition and Practical Guide
A property amendment modifies a sales agreement or lease without cancelling the original contract. Use cases, drafting, timelines: complete guide.
·7 min read
Buyer's Guide
Property diagnostics in Paris: what the reports really reveal
Property diagnostics in Paris: EPC, asbestos, lead, loi Carrez. What a property hunter deciphers in each report and the real impact on price.
·15 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying in Paris: The Complete Guide 2026
Average prices by arrondissement, purchase steps, financing, mistakes to avoid: the complete guide to buying an apartment in Paris in 2026.
·12 min read
Buyer's Guide
Deferred possession: a complete guide for buyers
Deferred possession allows the seller to remain in the property after the sale. Clauses, occupation indemnity, risks and precautions.
·8 min read
Buyer's Guide
Authentic Deed at the Notaire: The Final Step Explained
Authentic deed at the notaire in Paris: process, documents, duration and pitfalls to avoid. Complete guide by an apartment hunter (1,200+ transactions).
·17 min read
Buyer's Guide
Private Agreement in Property: Definition, Risks and Best Practices
A private agreement (acte sous seing prive) is a contract signed without a notary. Compromis, promesse de vente: when to use it and the risks in Paris.
·4 min read
Buyer's Guide
Finding a Family Apartment in Paris: The Complete 2026 Guide
2-room, 3-room or larger: how to find a family apartment in Paris in 2026. Arrondissements, budgets, criteria and search strategy.
·4 min read
Buyer's Guide
Commercial use status of a property in Paris: what every buyer needs to know
Commercial use status (commercialite) in Paris 2026: compensation 300-500 euros/sqm, change-of-use authorisation. Buyer's guide.
·4 min read
Buyer's Guide
Cooling-Off Period After Signing the Preliminary Sales Agreement: Your 10 Days to Reflect
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.
·3 min read
Buyer's Guide
Pre-emption Rights in Property: When the City Can Buy in Your Place
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.
·4 min read
Buyer's Guide
Urban planning information notice: the essential document before buying
The urban planning information notice reveals the constraints on a property. How to obtain, read and use it before your purchase in Paris.
·4 min read
Buyer's Guide
The new DPE in 2026: impact on your property purchase in Paris
The reformed DPE changes the game for buyers in Paris in 2026. Rating, rental bans, impact on prices and purchasing strategies.
·4 min read
Buyer's Guide
Supporting Documents for a Rental Application in Paris: The Complete List
The mandatory and prohibited documents for building a strong rental application in Paris in 2026. Complete checklist for tenants and guarantors.
·3 min read
Buyer's Guide
Pre-Completion Viewing: The Final Check Before Signing
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.
·4 min read
Buyer's Guide
Apartment Viewing in Paris: The Property Hunter's Checklist
Apartment viewing in Paris: Home Select's professional checklist. 50+ points to check, traps to spot, questions to ask, since 2011.
·12 min read
Buyer's Guide
Preliminary Sales Agreement in Paris: Everything You Need to Know
Preliminary sales agreement in Paris 2026: 10-day cooling-off period, 5-10% deposit, conditions precedent, clauses to check.
·13 min read
Buyer's Guide
Purchase Offer in Paris: How to Write and Negotiate Effectively
How to write a purchase offer in Paris in 2026: amount, validity, conditions, negotiation margin (6% on average), winning strategy.
·13 min read
Buyer's Guide
How to Secure a Mortgage in Paris in 2026
Mortgage in Paris in 2026: rates at 3.2%, minimum deposit 10%, borrowing capacity, broker vs bank, contingency clauses. Home Select guide.
·14 min read
Buyer's Guide
Buying in a Co-ownership in Paris: What You Need to Check
Buying in a Paris co-ownership in 2026: documents to request, charges, general meeting minutes, planned works, red flags. Home Select guide.
·13 min read
Buyer's Guide
EPC in Paris: What Impact on Prices in 2026?
EPC in Paris in 2026: 10 to 20% discount for thermal sieves (F-G), ban calendar, energy renovation costs. Home Select analysis.
·14 min read
Buyer's Guide
First purchase in Paris: the first-time buyer's guide
First-time buyer in Paris 2026: realistic budget from 250,000 euros, accessible arrondissements, PTZ, mistakes to avoid. Home Select guide.
·16 min read
Buyer's Guide
The hidden costs of buying property in Paris
Buying in Paris in 2026 costs 10 to 22% more than the listed price. Notaire fees, renovations, charges: simulation on a 500,000 euro purchase.
·16 min read
Buyer's Guide
Haussmann Apartments in Paris: The Complete Buying Guide
Haussmann apartment in Paris 2026: 9,500 to 16,000 euros/sqm, pitfalls (lead, energy rating, facade), renovation. Home Select guide.
·16 min read
Buyer's Guide
Complete guide: buying an apartment in Paris in 2026
Buying in Paris in 2026: average prices (10,450 euros/sqm), key steps, financing, negotiation. Expert guide by Home Select, hunters since 2011.
·18 min read
Frequently asked questions
What are the key steps to buying property in Paris?
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 notaire. The entire process typically takes 3 to 4 months in Paris.
What additional costs should I expect beyond the purchase price?
You should budget for notaire 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.
How can I assess the fair price of an apartment in Paris?
Cross-reference the price per square metre for the neighbourhood (DVF data and notaire 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.
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