A couple living in Dunkirk purchased a 38 sqm 2-room apartment in the 9th arrondissement of Paris in 3 weeks of searching. Catherine Ziegler, property hunter at Home Select, identified the property through the off-market network and negotiated the price from 335,000 euros down to 317,000 euros, a saving of 5.4%.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Catherine Ziegler
- Area: Paris 9th, Trudaine / Rochechouart neighbourhood
- Property type: 2-room apartment, 38 sqm, 3rd floor without elevator
- Initial budget: 330,000 euros
- Listed price: 335,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 317,000 euros (minus 5.4%)
- Search duration: 3 weeks
- Buyer profile: Couple in their fifties, primary residence in Dunkirk
The project
This couple of senior executives had lived in Dunkirk for twenty years. Their children were studying in Paris and they wanted a pied-à-terre for their regular visits: cultural weekends, family gatherings, and in time a base for retirement.
Their main constraint was distance. Round trips between Dunkirk and Paris to view flats did not fit their working lives. They had searched the portals themselves for six months, but the good listings always sold before they could arrange a trip.
The search strategy
Catherine Ziegler set a tight brief: a 2-room flat of 35 to 45 sqm, in the 9th or 10th arrondissement, lively neighbourhoods well served by the metro and the TGV at Gare du Nord, with character, parquet and mouldings, and as little overlooking as possible.
The remote purchase routine was in place from day one. Catherine filmed a viewing of each pre-selected property and sent a written technical report covering the condition of the flat, the building, the charges, the DPE and the noise environment. The couple had the whole package within two hours of the viewing and approved or rejected each property from a distance.
In three weeks, Catherine viewed nine flats and submitted four complete files.
The property found
A 38 sqm 2-room flat on the third floor of an 1890 building, no lift. A 12 sqm bedroom over the courtyard, an 18 sqm living room with a period fireplace and two street-facing windows, an open fitted kitchen, and a bathroom renovated in 2021. Hungarian herringbone parquet, mouldings, a ceiling height of 2.90 metres. DPE rated D.
The flat had been listed quietly by an expatriate owner keen to avoid a stream of viewings. Catherine found it through a partner agency in the 9th she works with regularly.
The negotiation
The asking price of 335,000 euros worked out at 8,816 euros per sqm, in line with the Trudaine market. Two things made negotiation possible: the lack of a lift on the third floor, which puts off a share of buyers and eases competitive pressure, and the D rating, pointing to future insulation work, estimated at 8,000 to 12,000 euros for the windows and ceiling under the roof.
Catherine offered 310,000 euros, backed by DVF comparables. After an exchange with the owner through their agent, the parties settled at 317,000 euros, or 8,342 euros per sqm. The couple came to Paris for a single day: confirmation viewing in the morning, preliminary contract at the notaire’s office in the afternoon.
What this mission illustrates
Remote buying works when the property hunter is the client’s eyes and ears. A third of our mandates come from buyers living outside the Île-de-France region or abroad. Filmed viewings and technical reports let them decide quickly without needless travel. It is one of the real advantages of a property hunter in Paris.
The 9th arrondissement is an excellent choice for a pied-à-terre. Near two TGV stations, the Gare du Nord and the Gare Saint-Lazare, lively without being touristy, and rich in good period stock, the 9th arrondissement strikes a rare balance of charm, convenience and appreciation potential.
A flat with no lift is a negotiating opportunity. On the third floor, the lack of a lift deters about 30% of buyers, easing competition and opening a negotiating margin that a lift-served flat does not. For an active couple using the place a few days a month, it is a non-issue.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you buy a pied-à-terre in Paris when you live outside the Paris region?
A property hunter manages the entire search remotely: property selection, viewings with photo and video reports, technical analysis, negotiation. The buyer only travels for the confirmation viewing of the selected property and the signing of the preliminary contract. At Home Select, 25% of our clients live outside the Île-de-France region.
What budget should you plan for a pied-à-terre in Paris in 2026?
A 2-room apartment of 35 to 45 sqm sells between 280,000 and 450,000 euros depending on the arrondissement and floor. The central arrondissements (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th) and the 7th are the most sought-after for pieds-à-terre. The 9th and 10th offer a good quality-price compromise with properties starting from 300,000 euros.
Is a pied-à-terre in Paris a good asset investment?
A pied-à-terre in Paris combines personal use and asset appreciation. The average capital gain observed over 10 years in Paris is 15 to 25% depending on the arrondissement. The property can also be rented as furnished accommodation when unoccupied, generating a gross yield of 3 to 4% in standard rental, more in short-term rental if local regulations permit.
Does a flat with no lift negotiate better in Paris?
Yes. The lack of a lift, especially from the third floor up, deters about 30% of buyers, which eases competitive pressure and opens a negotiation margin. In this mission, the 38 sqm 2-room flat on the third floor without lift in the 9th was negotiated from 335,000 down to 317,000 euros, or 5.4%, using that lever combined with the D energy rating. For a couple using the place a few days a month as a pied-a-terre, the absence of a lift is a non-issue and becomes an advantage at purchase.
