A couple from the 17th arrondissement wanted to move from a 42 sqm 2-bedroom to a 4-bedroom in the same Batignolles neighborhood, with a budget of 740,000 euros. The Home Select property hunter found an 82 sqm apartment on the 3rd floor in 6 weeks, negotiated to 715,000 euros, a saving of 25,000 euros.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Home Select
- Search area: 17th arrondissement, Batignolles / Epinettes neighborhood
- Property type: 4-bedroom apartment, 75-90 sqm
- Budget: 740,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 715,000 euros (-3.4%)
- Search duration: 6 weeks
- Buyer profile: Couple in their thirties, one young child, owner-sellers
The project
Antoine and Clara had bought a 42 sqm 2-bedroom on rue des Batignolles five years earlier for 390,000 euros. The arrival of their daughter, born a year earlier, and Antoine’s shift to part-time remote work had made the space unlivable: the master bedroom converted into a nursery, a sofa bed in the living room, a desk set up in the kitchen. They did not want to leave Batignolles, where they had built their social and professional lives.
Their 2-bedroom, resold for 470,000 euros in a market favorable to small units in the 17th, plus an additional mortgage of 270,000 euros, brought the acquisition budget to 740,000 euros. The challenge: finding a 4-bedroom within a 15-minute walk of their current address, an area where family demand is strong.
The search strategy
The property hunter defined a precise perimeter around parc Martin-Luther-King and rue des Batignolles, encompassing the Epinettes neighborhood to the north. This area of the 17th arrondissement has an average price of 8,500 to 9,500 euros/sqm for 4-bedroom units, more accessible than the Monceau or Ternes areas to the south.
The urgency was twofold: the preliminary sale agreement for the 2-bedroom had been signed with a completion date set at 4 months. The property hunter therefore had a constrained calendar to find the new property, sign the purchase agreement, and align both final deeds. Over 6 weeks, 16 properties were shortlisted, 6 visited, and 2 finalists presented to the couple.
The property found
The selected apartment is located on rue Nollet, 8 minutes on foot from their former address. The 82 sqm 4-bedroom occupies the 3rd floor of a 1920 post-Haussmann building with elevator. The layout includes a 24 sqm living room with decorative fireplace, a 10 sqm separate kitchen, two bedrooms of 13 and 11 sqm, an 8 sqm study and a bathroom.
The building, last renovated in 2020, has a landscaped courtyard and a concierge. The DPE energy rating of C, excellent for a century-old building, reflects insulation work carried out during the renovation. Annual charges of 3,200 euros include collective gas heating, a cost factor managed by the co-ownership.
The negotiation
The property was listed at 740,000 euros, or 9,024 euros/sqm. The property hunter identified two levers: the functional but aesthetically dated kitchen (estimated at 8,000 euros to modernize) and the property’s presence on the market for 4 weeks, slightly above the neighborhood median for this type.
The offer at 700,000 euros was rejected. The seller’s counter-proposal at 725,000 euros led to an agreement at 715,000 euros (8,720 euros/sqm), including the chandelier in the living room and curtain rods. The property hunter then coordinated both notarial offices so that the sale deed for the 2-bedroom preceded the purchase deed for the 4-bedroom by 48 hours, avoiding any need for a bridging loan.
What this mission illustrates
Staying in your neighborhood while gaining 40 sqm. The 17th arrondissement offers enough price diversity between micro-neighborhoods to allow significant upsizing without relocating. The property hunter exploits these price gaps between neighboring streets, as detailed in our price analysis by arrondissement.
Synchronizing two transactions without a bridging loan. Sale-purchase coordination is a technical exercise that the property hunter masters. By aligning the final deed dates within 48 hours of each other, Antoine and Clara avoided bridging loan costs (2 to 4% interest rate) and the anxiety of a period without housing. This arrangement is described in our article on the preliminary sale agreement.
Calendar pressure as a driver. Unlike open-ended searches, a deadline concentrates energy. The property hunter intensifies contacts, multiplies viewings and accelerates decision-making. Far from being a handicap, a constrained calendar often produces better results. See our case studies for other examples of time-limited searches.
Want to upsize without leaving your neighborhood? Contact Home Select: our property hunters orchestrate the transition from start to finish.
Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to sell and buy in the same neighborhood without a bridging loan?
Yes, provided the transactions are well synchronized. The safest method is to sign a preliminary sale agreement on the current property with a completion date of 4 months, then actively search for the new property. The property hunter manages the calendar so that both notary signings follow each other within a few days.
How much additional space can you gain while staying in the 17th arrondissement?
In the 17th arrondissement in 2026, the equity from a well-located 2-bedroom (450,000-500,000 euros) generally allows financing a 4-bedroom apartment of 75-85 sqm in the same neighborhood with an additional mortgage of 200,000 to 300,000 euros. The typical gain is 35 to 45 additional sqm.
Can the property hunter also manage the sale of the current property?
Home Select focuses on finding the new property. For the sale of the current property, the property hunter recommends trusted real estate agents in the neighborhood and supervises the smooth progress of the calendar. The goal is seamless coordination between the two transactions.
