In brief
In November 2025, the Home Select buying agent secured for a thirty-something first-time-buyer couple a 68 sqm Haussmannian three-room flat on the 4th floor in the Nouvelle Athenes neighbourhood (Paris 9th), negotiated from 670,000 to 635,000 euros (35,000 euros, 5.2%), in 6 weeks. The price obtained of 9,338 euros/sqm falls below the Nouvelle Athenes range (9,500 to 11,500 euros/sqm in 2026), in an arrondissement whose DVF median price is 11,000 euros/sqm and where quality properties sell in under two weeks. Home Select, a property hunting firm founded in 2011 and member of the FCI, has supported over 1,200 buyers with an average negotiation of 6% off the seller's price.
Key takeaways
- A 68 sqm Haussmannian 3-room in the 9th was negotiated from 670,000 to 635,000 euros (5.2% discount)
- Quality properties in the 9th arrondissement sell in under two weeks, making reactivity critical
- Having a financing certificate before the search begins strengthens the buyer's competitive position
- Out of 8 pre-selected properties, 5 were dismissed without visiting thanks to the hunter's building knowledge
A couple in their thirties bought a 68 sqm Haussmannian 3-room on the 4th floor with lift in the Nouvelle Athènes neighbourhood, 9th arrondissement, for 635,000 euros, or 9,338 euros per sqm. Catherine Ziegler, property hunter at Home Select, negotiated the flat 5.2% below the asking price of 670,000 euros. The search took six weeks.
Mission overview
- Property hunter: Catherine Ziegler
- Area: Paris 9th, Nouvelle Athenes neighbourhood
- Property type: 3-room Haussmannian, 4th floor with elevator
- Budget: 680,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 635,000 euros (listed at 670,000 euros)
- Surface area: 68 sqm (loi Carrez)
- Search duration: 6 weeks
- Buyer profile: Couple in their thirties, permanent contracts, first-time buyers
What did these first-time buyers want between Martyrs and Saint-Georges?
A 3-room within a very tight area of the 9th arrondissement, between rue des Martyrs and place Saint-Georges, on a budget of 680,000 euros. Two months searching on their own had cost them two flats, which slipped away before they could even arrange a viewing.
Julie and Antoine, both in publishing, had rented a 42 sqm 2-room in the 10th arrondissement for five years. With a first child on the horizon, they targeted this neighbourhood because it suited their lives, with its theatres, bookshops and restaurants, and kept both their commutes short. The flow of new listings and the speed of sales in the area left them behind: they handed the search to a property hunter for the speed they needed.
How do you rule out 5 flats out of 8 without viewing them in the 9th?
By studying cadastral plans and aspects: of eight flats pre-selected over six weeks, Catherine Ziegler set aside five without a viewing and put only three to the couple, over two half-days. The decisive criterion was natural light, the couple having ruled out ground floors and lower courtyard-facing units, which at once removed 60% of the supply within their budget.
Catherine knows the 9th arrondissement inside out, having completed more than 40 transactions there at Home Select. Her strategy combined three approaches: daily monitoring of new listings on professional portals, her direct contacts with six local agencies, and tracking private sales between individuals.
What is the 68 sqm Haussmannian flat in the 9th like?
A 4th floor with lift in an 1880 building, with 3.10-metre ceilings, original Hungarian-point parquet, and intact mouldings and ceiling roses. It has an entrance hall, a 28 sqm double living room with a marble fireplace and two street-facing windows, a 14 sqm bedroom on the quiet courtyard side, a separate 10 sqm kitchen, a bathroom and a separate WC.
The flat was in good cosmetic order, though the kitchen and bathroom dated from the 1990s. The couple set aside 25,000 euros to update both rooms.
What price per sqm was paid for this Haussmannian flat in the 9th?
9,338 euros/sqm, that is 635,000 euros for 68 sqm, after a 35,000 euro reduction (5.2%) on the 670,000 asked. That is below the DVF median for the 9th arrondissement, which stands at 11,000 euros/sqm in 2026.
Catherine built an offer of 625,000 euros around the kitchen and bathroom works required, service charges slightly above the local average (a facade renovation had been approved and a capital call was expected), and recent sale prices of comparable flats nearby. The seller, under pressure from a purchase of their own in the provinces, came back with a counter-offer of 640,000 euros before the deal settled. The preliminary contract was signed within the week, the financing file already approved by the couple’s bank, something Catherine had insisted on from the outset.
What does a first purchase closed in six weeks in the 9th teach?
Speed decides everything in the 9th arrondissement. Six weeks were enough where two months of solo searching had let two flats slip away. Good flats in the 9th sell in under two weeks. A property hunter who watches the market daily and has direct contacts with local agencies can arrange viewings within 48 hours of a listing going live. Without that speed, Julie and Antoine would have lost this flat as they had the two before it. This is the advantage of an exclusive search mandate.
Having your financing ready strengthens the buyer’s hand. Catherine asks her clients, as a matter of course, to obtain a financing certificate before the search begins. In a competitive market, a complete file presented on the day of the offer reassures the seller and can tip the balance against a rival buyer whose funding is not yet secured. It is one of the key points of the preliminary sales agreement.
Close knowledge of an arrondissement saves wasted viewings. Of eight pre-selected flats, Catherine ruled out five before viewing, drawing on her knowledge of the buildings, the aspects and possible nuisances. The couple viewed only three flats, all relevant, and concluded in six weeks without tiring or wavering. This field expertise is at the heart of the property hunter’s role in the 9th.
Looking for a flat in the 9th arrondissement of Paris? Catherine Ziegler and the Home Select team know every street in the neighbourhood. Contact us to start your search.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
01 What is the average price per sqm in the Nouvelle Athenes area of the 9th arrondissement?
In 2026, the average price in the Nouvelle Athenes / Saint-Georges area ranges between 9,500 and 11,500 euros per sqm depending on the floor, natural light and condition of the property. Apartments with a continuous balcony or an open rooftop view can exceed 12,000 euros per sqm.
02 How can you find a bright Haussmannian apartment in the 9th?
Bright Haussmannian apartments in the 9th are mainly found on upper floors (3rd and above) on the street side, or on lower floors on the courtyard side when the building has a wide courtyard. A property hunter specialising in the arrondissement identifies these configurations before visiting, using cadastral plans and in-depth knowledge of the buildings.
03 Should you buy in the northern 9th (Trudaine) or the southern 9th (Nouvelle Athenes)?
The southern 9th (Nouvelle Athenes, Saint-Georges) offers exceptional architectural heritage and proximity to the Grands Boulevards. The northern 9th (Trudaine, Martyrs) has a more village-like atmosphere and slightly lower prices. The choice depends on lifestyle: lively shops to the north, residential calm and museums to the south.
04 How was this 3-room in the 9th negotiated down by 35,000 euros?
Listed at 670,000 euros, the flat was bought for 635,000 euros (9,338 euros/sqm), a 35,000 euro saving of 5.2%. The Home Select buying agent built an offer of 625,000 euros around the 25,000 euros of works required (1990s kitchen and bathroom), service charges slightly above the local average (an approved facade renovation) and recent comparable sales nearby. The seller, under pressure from a purchase in the provinces, countered at 640,000 euros before the deal settled at 635,000 euros. Home Select's average negotiation is 6% off the seller's price.
