A retired couple wanted to leave their suburban house for a flat with character in Paris, in the Passy neighbourhood. The Home Select property hunter found a 110 sqm art deco 4-room on the 5th floor with views of the Trocadéro and negotiated it to 1.15M euros, 95,000 euros below the initial price, after 10 weeks of searching.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Home Select
- Area: Paris 16th, Passy / Trocadéro
- Property type: 4-room art deco, 110 sqm, 5th floor with elevator
- Initial budget: 1,250,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 1,150,000 euros (-7.6% from the listed price of 1,245,000 euros)
- Search duration: 10 weeks
- Buyer profile: Retired couple, ages 67 and 69, former homeowners in Versailles
The project
After 30 years in a 200 sqm house in Versailles, this couple wanted to move closer to Paris for its cultural life and to be near their children, settled in the 15th and 7th arrondissements. The sale of their Versailles house gave them a comfortable budget.
Their criteria reflected a love of old buildings: nothing modern, no 1960s or 70s construction. They wanted character, Haussmann or art deco, with generous proportions, plenty of light and a lift (with reduced mobility in mind). Passy suited their way of life: good shops, the Bois de Boulogne nearby for walks, and familiar surroundings.
The search strategy
The 16th arrondissement is vast and varied. The property hunter concentrated the search on the Passy-Trocadéro-La Muette triangle, leaving aside the more modern areas (Front-de-Seine, Porte de Saint-Cloud). The target was art deco buildings of 1925-1935, recognisable by their moulded concrete facades and decorated entrances.
A survey on the ground identified 14 art deco buildings of the right standard within the area. The property hunter contacted the managing agents of these buildings directly to flag the search, alongside standard monitoring on the property portals.
Over 10 weeks: 8 flats found, 5 viewed, 2 of them in listed art deco buildings.
The property found
The chosen flat took the 5th floor of a 1928 art deco building on rue de l’Alboni. The entrance hall, with its gilded mosaic and geometric wrought-iron staircase, spoke to the architectural quality of the whole. 110 sqm: a 35 sqm double living room with three panoramic windows, 2 bedrooms of 15 and 13 sqm, a 9 sqm study, a 10 sqm separate kitchen, a bathroom and a separate WC.
The preserved period features, herringbone parquet, arched glazed doors, decorated cast-iron radiators, gave the flat a rare appeal. The original lift had been modernised in 2018.
The negotiation
The flat had been on the market for 11 weeks at 1,245,000 euros, or 11,318 euros/sqm. The seller, a non-resident heir, had set an optimistic price on the basis of a high valuation. Eleven weeks without an offer confirmed it was out of step with the market.
The property hunter presented a comparative analysis showing recent art deco sales in Passy between 10,200 and 10,800 euros/sqm. The kitchen and bathroom, both from the 1990s, needed renovation estimated at 35,000 euros. The E energy rating added a regulatory point.
The opening offer of 1,100,000 euros was rejected. The parties settled at 1,150,000 euros, or 10,455 euros/sqm, after 3 weeks of discussion, helped along by the seller’s weariness at the lack of other offers. The saving was 95,000 euros.
What this mission illustrates
Art deco buildings are a niche with strong heritage value. In Paris, art deco accounts for less than 8% of the housing stock, concentrated in the 16th, the 7th and the 15th. These flats draw discerning buyers willing to pay a premium for architectural character, which underpins their long-term value.
Moving from a house to a flat calls for reassurance as much as expertise. Leaving 200 sqm with a garden for 110 sqm on an upper floor is a real upheaval. A property hunter knows how to find flats that make up for the lost space through the quality of their proportions, light and setting.
Flats on the market for more than 10 weeks leave the most room to negotiate. A seller who has had no offers in 3 months is open to a serious proposal, even 7 to 8% below the asking price. A comparison of recent sales turns that openness into an agreement.
Looking for a flat with character in Paris? Contact our team for a targeted search focused on exceptional properties.
Frequently asked questions
What characterizes an art deco apartment in Paris?
Parisian art deco buildings (1920s-1940s) are distinguished by their sculpted concrete facades, geometric ironwork, entrance halls decorated with mosaics and stained glass, and luminous apartments with large bay windows. The 16th arrondissement, particularly Passy and Auteuil, concentrates the finest Parisian examples. These properties are negotiated at a 5 to 15% premium compared to standard Haussmann buildings.
What is the typical buyer profile in Passy in the 16th?
Passy mainly attracts affluent families and well-off retirees seeking a quiet residential setting near the Trocadéro and the Bois de Boulogne. Anglo-Saxon expatriates are also well represented thanks to the proximity of international schools. The average buyer budget in Passy exceeds 1M euros.
Is the 16th arrondissement still a good real estate investment?
The 16th experienced a price correction of 5 to 8% between 2020 and 2024, making it now more accessible than it has been. The Passy and La Muette neighbourhoods remain safe long-term investments with sustained demand and a near-zero vacancy rate. There is real potential for appreciation on well-located character properties.
How much can you negotiate on an art deco apartment in Passy in 2026?
The margin depends on how long the property has been on the market and the gap to the asking price. On this mission, Home Select negotiated a 110 sqm art deco flat on rue de l'Alboni from 1,245,000 euros to 1,150,000 euros, a 95,000 euro saving (7.6%) and a price brought down to 10,455 euros/sqm. The property had been listed for 11 weeks without an offer: that delay, combined with a kitchen and bathroom to renovate (an estimated 35,000 euros) and an energy rating of E, served as leverage. Home Select secures 6% average negotiation on the seller's price.
