In brief
In 2026, the Home Select property hunter supported a British family relocating from London in buying a 95 sqm four-room flat with an 18 sqm terrace in Boulogne-Billancourt, negotiated from 940,000 down to 890,000 euros, a 5.3% saving, garage included, in 8 weeks. The search ran across two areas, Paris 16th and Boulogne, where the price per sqm is around 25% lower (8,400 euros/sqm against 11,000 euros/sqm in the 16th, April 2026 DVF data): a trade-off Home Select has documented since 2011 for its 1,200+ buyers, with fees 100% on success.
Key takeaways
- British family relocating from London acquired a 95 sqm 4-room apartment with 18 sqm terrace in Boulogne-Billancourt for 890,000 euros
- Boulogne-Billancourt runs about 25% below the 16th per sqm, close to 30% more floor area for the same budget
- Negotiation of 50,000 euros (5.3% off listed price) covered notary fees and international relocation costs
- Properties with terraces represent less than 5% of supply and sell on average twice as fast as standard properties
A British family relocating to France bought a 95 sqm four-room flat with an 18 sqm terrace in Boulogne-Billancourt for 890,000 euros, negotiated at -5.3% from the listed price of 940,000 euros. The Home Select property hunter ran the search in 8 weeks, working Paris 16th and Boulogne in parallel.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Home Select
- Area: Boulogne-Billancourt, Silly / Jean-Jaurès
- Property type: 4 rooms, 95 sqm + 18 sqm terrace, 6th floor with lift
- Initial budget: 1,000,000 euros (agency fees included)
- Listed price: 940,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 890,000 euros (-5.3%)
- Search duration: 8 weeks
- Buyer profile: British couple, 2 children (ages 5 and 8), relocating from London
Why did a family relocating from London give up on the 16th arrondissement?
Because four-room flats with terraces in the 16th consistently topped 1.3 million euros, beyond their budget. And the terrace was not negotiable after eight years in a Victorian house with a garden in Richmond.
The couple worked in finance in London. The husband’s transfer to a post at La Défense brought them to the Paris area, and their first search focused on the 16th arrondissement, a logical choice for La Défense. The Home Select property hunter then suggested widening the search to Boulogne-Billancourt, which borders the 16th and is served by the same métro lines.
How do you search the 16th and Boulogne-Billancourt in parallel?
By opening two channels at once across both areas: a network of local agents specialising in properties with outdoor space, and daily monitoring of new listings. The tally over 8 weeks: 12 properties viewed, 7 in Boulogne and 5 in the 16th.
The dual perimeter covered Paris 16th (Auteuil, Passy) and Boulogne-Billancourt (Silly, Jean-Jaurès, Escudier). The terrace requirement made the search structurally hard: barely 5% of properties on the market have outdoor space over 15 sqm. Portal alerts were backed up by direct calls to the managing agents of recent developments, where terraces are more common. Those in the 16th with terraces were all over budget or disappointing (a 6 sqm terrace billed as “large outdoor space”): the best options were in Boulogne, in buildings from the 2000s and 2010s with genuinely usable terraces.
What does a 95 sqm four-room flat with terrace on Rue de Silly contain?
Three bedrooms, a 32 sqm living room opening through a bay window onto an 18 sqm south-west-facing terrace with views to the Eiffel Tower, and a basement garage included in the price, on the 6th floor of a 2008 building.
The flat has three bedrooms of 14, 12 and 11 sqm, a bathroom and a shower room, a separate WC. The building is in excellent order (façade, common areas, lift) and the energy performance certificate shows a C rating, standard for a 2008 build to RT2005 standards. Charges come to 320 euros/month (concierge, lift, grounds). The Rue de Silly location offers access on foot to line 9 (Marcel Sembat, 7 minutes) and tramway T2 (Musée de Sèvres stop, 10 minutes). The Bois de Boulogne is 800 metres away.
How were 50,000 euros negotiated on a flat listed at 940,000 euros in Boulogne?
By setting recent DVF transactions in the area against the asking price, 8,500 to 9,200 euros/sqm for recent four-room flats without outdoor space: the terrace justified a premium, but not the 9,895 euros/sqm being asked. Final price: 890,000 euros, a 5.3% negotiation.
The listed price of 940,000 euros worked out at 9,895 euros/sqm excluding the terrace, or 8,319 euros/sqm across the full 113 sqm including it. The offer of 870,000 euros was rejected. Agreement came at 890,000 euros, a saving of 50,000 euros that covered the notaire fees and the international move. The included garage added an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 euros in value.
Boulogne-Billancourt or Paris 16th: what does a family with a terrace gain?
About 25% on the price per square metre, close to 30% more floor area for the same budget: 8,400 euros/sqm in Boulogne against 11,000 euros/sqm in the 16th in the April 2026 DVF data, for 5 extra minutes by métro.
Widening the search to Boulogne-Billancourt can unlock a budget-constrained project. For a four-room flat with a terrace, the price gap per sqm between the 16th and Boulogne is around 25%. The extra commute is marginal: 5 minutes by métro.
Properties with terraces call for a specific, proactive search. They make up less than 5% of supply and sell on average twice as fast as standard properties. A property hunter who tracks recent builds and developments with terraces holds a decisive advantage, as set out in our guide to Paris terraces and rooftop views.
Support for expatriate families goes well beyond the property search. The Home Select property hunter also pointed this family towards bilingual schools in the area and the formalities for non-resident Europeans. The purchase is only one part of a wider relocation.
Preparing to relocate to the Paris area from abroad? Describe your project. Our property hunters cover Paris and the inner suburbs to find the best compromise for you. First consultation free, fees 100% on success.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
01 Why does Boulogne-Billancourt attract expatriate families?
Boulogne-Billancourt combines immediate proximity to Paris (métro lines 9 and 10, tramway T2), good schools (including bilingual ones), green space (Bois de Boulogne, Parc de Billancourt), and more generous flats than inner Paris for the same budget, around 8,000 to 9,500 euros/sqm against 10,000 to 12,000 euros in the neighbouring 16th.
02 Can a property hunter search in both Paris and the suburbs?
At Home Select, our property hunters cover inner Paris and the inner suburbs, including Boulogne-Billancourt, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Levallois-Perret and Saint-Mandé. This dual coverage allows an objective comparison of options and helps find the best value against the client's priorities.
03 What budget for a 4-room apartment with terrace in Boulogne-Billancourt?
A four-room flat of 85 to 100 sqm with a terrace in Boulogne-Billancourt sells for between 800,000 and 1,100,000 euros in 2026. Properties with terraces are rare, less than 5% of available supply, which justifies a premium of 10 to 15% over those without outdoor space.
04 Why widen a search from the 16th to Boulogne-Billancourt?
For a four-room flat with a terrace, the price gap per sqm between the 16th and Boulogne-Billancourt is around 25% (8,400 euros/sqm in Boulogne against 11,000 euros/sqm in the 16th, April 2026 DVF data), close to 30% more floor area for the same budget, for a marginal extra commute of 5 minutes by métro. In this mission, four-room flats with terraces in the 16th consistently topped 1.3 million euros, beyond the family's budget. By widening the search to Boulogne, which borders the 16th and shares the same lines, the Home Select hunter found a genuine 95 sqm four-room flat with an 18 sqm terrace at 890,000 euros, garage included.
