A couple of hospital doctors was looking for a 3-room Haussmann flat in the Batignolles neighbourhood, close to Bichat hospital. Catherine Ziegler, property hunter at Home Select, found a 68 sqm flat with original parquet and mouldings on the 4th floor, negotiated at 590,000 euros, 30,000 euros below the asking price, in 6 weeks.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Catherine Ziegler
- Area: Paris 17th, Batignolles
- Property type: 3-room Haussmann, 68 sqm, 4th floor without elevator
- Initial budget: 630,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 590,000 euros (-4.8% from the asking price of 620,000 euros)
- Search duration: 6 weeks
- Buyer profile: couple of hospital doctors, aged 33 and 35
The project
Both worked as doctors at Bichat hospital in the 18th arrondissement. After five years renting in the 18th, they wanted to buy somewhere close to the hospital yet more residential. Batignolles, a 15-minute walk from Bichat, ticked every box.
Their one aesthetic requirement was authentic Haussmann style. After years in functional buildings, they wanted mouldings, Hungarian herringbone parquet and marble fireplaces, and they wanted them original, not reproductions.
The search strategy
Catherine Ziegler knows Batignolles street by street. She picked out the Haussmann avenues at once, rue de Rome, rue Cardinet and boulevard des Batignolles, and targeted buildings put up between 1860 and 1900, recognisable by their cut-stone facades and wrought-iron balconies.
This search had a particular difficulty: 3-room Haussmann flats in Batignolles are scarce, many having been carved into studios or two-bedroom units in the 1970s and 80s. Catherine checked the cadastral history of each shortlisted property to confirm the original layout survived.
In 6 weeks: 7 properties identified in Haussmann buildings, 4 visited, 1 offer.
The property found
The selected 3-room flat occupied the 4th floor (without elevator) of an 1882 Haussmann building on rue Legendre. A surface of 68 sqm: a 22 sqm living room with a black marble fireplace and original trumeau mirror, a 15 sqm master bedroom with Hungarian herringbone parquet, an 11 sqm bedroom/office, an 8 sqm kitchen overlooking the courtyard, and a 6 sqm bathroom with a freestanding bathtub.
The ceiling mouldings at 3.10 m were intact, as were the original double doors with brass handles. The property had not been “modernised,” a rare asset in a neighbourhood where many apartments have lost their character through ill-conceived renovations.
The negotiation
The asking price of 620,000 euros worked out at 9,118 euros/sqm, a little above the Batignolles average for a property without a lift. Catherine built her negotiation on two points: the absence of a lift on the fourth floor, which carries a standard discount of 4 to 6% per floor above the second, and the electrical installation, no longer up to standard, with rewiring estimated at 8,000 euros.
The offer of 580,000 euros was countered at 600,000 euros. Agreement at 590,000 euros, or 8,676 euros/sqm, came within 72 hours. The seller, an heir keen to settle the estate, valued Catherine’s speed and thoroughness; she had prepared every document in advance.
What this mission illustrates
Authentic Haussmann is growing scarce and gaining in value. Flats that keep their original features, mouldings, parquet and fireplaces, resell at a premium of 10 to 15% over standardised renovations. Catherine Ziegler can spot these and judge the authenticity of the period detail.
Batignolles in the 17th arrondissement offers the best Haussmann value for money in Paris. At 8,700 euros/sqm on average, the neighbourhood provides access to authentic Haussmann features at 20 to 30% less than the 8th or 9th.
The absence of an elevator should not be a deal-breaker. For a couple in their thirties with no mobility constraints, accepting a 4th floor without an elevator saves 5 to 8% on the purchase price. It is an intelligent compromise that Catherine Ziegler regularly recommends to her younger clients.
Are you looking for a character property in Paris? Contact our team to be accompanied by one of our experienced property hunters.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Catherine Ziegler at Home Select?
Catherine Ziegler is one of the most experienced property hunters at Home Select, with over 150 completed missions in Paris. Specialised in the Right Bank (16th, 17th, 8th arrondissements), she works with families, investors and expatriates alike. Her field knowledge and network of agents make her a go-to professional in the Parisian market.
Is Batignolles a Haussmann neighbourhood?
Batignolles features a mix of architecture: Haussmann buildings on the main avenues (rue de Rome, avenue de Clichy), more modest faubourien buildings on side streets, and some modern constructions around the Martin-Luther-King park. The Haussmann buildings in Batignolles are generally less ornate than those in the 8th or 16th, which explains prices 15 to 20% lower.
How do you choose between Batignolles and Épinettes in the 17th?
Batignolles is more established and more expensive (9,500-11,000 euros/sqm), with the Batignolles park, rue de Levis for shopping, and a village atmosphere. Épinettes, more working-class and gentrifying (8,500-9,500 euros/sqm), offers a better surface-to-price ratio and higher potential for capital gains. The choice depends on budget and tolerance for urban noise.
