A family of six, two parents and four children aged 4 to 14, was looking for an apartment of at least 120 sqm in the 11th arrondissement without leaving the neighborhood where the children were enrolled in school. The Home Select property hunter found a 125 sqm 5-bedroom between Bastille and Nation, negotiated to 1.05 million euros, 70,000 euros below the asking price, after 13 weeks of a demanding search.
Mission overview
- Property hunter: Home Select
- Area: Paris 11th, Bastille / Nation / Charonne
- Property type: 5-bedroom, 125 sqm, 2nd floor with elevator
- Initial budget: 1,150,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 1,050,000 euros (-6.2% from the asking price of 1,120,000 euros)
- Search duration: 13 weeks
- Buyer profile: Large family, 4 children (4, 7, 11 and 14 years old)
The brief
This family lived in an 85 sqm 4-bedroom on rue de la Roquette. Four children in three bedrooms: the 14-year-old wanted their own space. The couple had searched on their own for 6 months without success. 5-bedrooms of more than 100 sqm in the 11th are rare, and the few available ones sold before they could make an offer.
The school constraint was decisive: all four children attended schools between Bastille and Nation. Moving out of the 11th would mean four school changes, which was out of the question. The couple needed a property hunter capable of finding the seemingly impossible: a large family apartment in one of the densest arrondissements of Paris.
The search strategy
The 11th arrondissement is historically a neighborhood of workshops and small businesses, with a housing stock dominated by modest surface areas. Apartments over 100 sqm are exceptional there: approximately 3% of the total stock.
Our property hunter adopted three complementary strategies. The first: targeting Haussmannian buildings on the main boulevards (Voltaire, Richard-Lenoir, Charonne), the only ones with surface areas over 100 sqm. The second: monitoring unit mergers (two adjacent apartments sold together or with potential for combining). The third: contacting co-ownership managers to identify upcoming sales not yet published.
Over 13 weeks: 6 properties over 100 sqm identified (an achievement in this neighborhood), 4 visited, 2 offers submitted including one rejected.
The property
The chosen 5-bedroom occupied the 2nd floor of a Haussmannian building on boulevard Voltaire, with elevator and caretaker. A surface area of 125 sqm: a 35 sqm double living room in enfilade with two decorative fireplaces, 4 bedrooms of 10 to 14 sqm (one with direct access from the entrance, ideal for the teenager), a 12 sqm separate kitchen, a bathroom with bathtub and shower, and a separate WC.
The property had been tastefully renovated in 2018: oak parquet throughout, neutral paintwork, fitted kitchen. The common areas were impeccable. The co-ownership had completed a facade renovation in 2023, with a well-funded works reserve.
The asking price was 1,120,000 euros, or 8,960 euros per sqm.
The negotiation
The property matched the criteria perfectly, which is rare for large apartments in the 11th. Our property hunter nonetheless identified two negotiation levers.
The first: the double living room in enfilade, highly sought-after for entertaining, was less practical for a family with four children, as crossing the first salon to reach the second reduced privacy. The second: the co-ownership charges of 4,800 euros per year (caretaker, elevator, common area maintenance) weighed on the monthly budget of a family already stretched by four school tuitions.
Analysis of recent transactions on boulevard Voltaire showed an average price of 8,400 euros per sqm for surface areas over 100 sqm. The initial offer at 1,020,000 euros was rejected. Agreement at 1,050,000 euros, or 8,400 euros per sqm, was reached by presenting a finalized financing file and a commitment to sign the preliminary contract within 7 days. Savings: 70,000 euros.
What this mission illustrates
Large apartments in the 11th exist, but you need to know how to find them. With only 3% of the stock above 100 sqm, every opportunity counts. A property hunter who monitors the market daily for 13 weeks misses nothing, whereas a private individual risks letting the right property slip by due to lack of reactivity.
Large families in Paris are not condemned to move to the suburbs. With the right support and an appropriate budget, it is possible to stay in your neighborhood while gaining the space you need. The 11th arrondissement offers solutions, provided you accept a longer search timeline than in arrondissements where large surface areas are more common.
Perseverance is the first quality of a good property hunter. Thirteen weeks of searching for a single property: that is the price for a perfect result. A professional property hunter maintains the same level of attention from the first to the thirteenth week, ensuring that the mission achieves the best possible outcome.
Are you a large family in Paris? Contact our team to find the space your family needs, in the neighborhood you love.
Frequently asked questions
Can you find a 5-bedroom of more than 100 sqm in the 11th arrondissement?
It is rare but possible. Large apartments in the 11th are mainly found in Haussmannian buildings on boulevard Voltaire, boulevard Richard-Lenoir and the streets near Place de la Nation. They represent less than 5% of the stock for sale. A property hunter significantly increases the chances of finding one.
Is the 11th arrondissement suitable for large families?
The 11th offers many advantages for families: varied public and private schools, parks and gardens (square Maurice-Gardette, jardin Truillot), a dynamic neighborhood life with local shops, and excellent transport links (lines 1, 2, 5, 8, 9). The main challenge is finding sufficient surface area, as the 11th is historically a neighborhood of smaller units.
What budget should you plan for a large family apartment in the 11th?
In 2026, a 5-bedroom of 100 to 130 sqm in the 11th trades between 950,000 and 1,300,000 euros depending on the location and condition. The Bastille-Charonne area is the most expensive (9,500-11,000 euros per sqm), followed by Voltaire-Nation (8,500-10,000 euros per sqm) and Pere-Lachaise (8,000-9,500 euros per sqm).
