American expatriate in Paris 16th: a 120 sqm 5-room apartment found in 6 weeks for 1,350,000 euros

An American executive based in New York, in the middle of a move to Paris, bought a 120 sqm five-room flat in the 16th arrondissement for 1,350,000 euros, 8% below the listed price of 1,470,000 euros. The Home Select property hunter ran the entire search and negotiation, with the buyer making only two trips to Paris.

Mission summary

• Property hunter: Home Select
• Area: Paris 16th, Passy / La Muette
• Property type: 5 rooms, 120 sqm, 4th floor with lift
• Initial budget: 1,500,000 euros (agency fees included)
• Listed price: 1,470,000 euros
• Negotiated price: 1,350,000 euros (-8%)
• Search duration: 6 weeks
• Buyer profile: American expatriate, 39 years old, professional relocation, family of 4

What was this American executive relocating from New York looking for in the 16th?

A five-room flat of at least 110 sqm for four people, on a 1,500,000-euro budget, with four months before the move. Our client, the 39-year-old CFO of a pharmaceutical group, was relocating from New York to his company’s European headquarters at La Défense.

He was arriving with his wife and two children aged 6 and 9, schooled in the American system. A place at the Lycée International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye had been weighed up, but the family preferred to live in Paris to ease their settling in.

The 16th arrondissement met their criteria: proximity to La Défense (line 1 from Charles-de-Gaulle Étoile in 8 minutes), international sections in local secondary schools, a family setting with the Bois de Boulogne, and a stock of large family flats.

The main challenge was timing: the move from New York was set for four months out. The whole search had to run remotely, with at most two trips to Paris for final viewings.

How do you search for a five-room flat in Passy from New York?

In two phases, with 16 properties pre-viewed by the hunter over six weeks and a single viewing weekend for the buyer. Phase 1, entirely remote: identifying properties, pre-viewings filmed with live commentary (living room, light, view, noise), and complete files sent over (floor plans, diagnostics, AGM minutes, charges). Phase 2: the client coming to Paris to view the 3 finalists in one weekend.

The search focused on the Passy-Muette-Ranelagh triangle, the area combining the best schools, proximity to métro line 9 and the RER C, and a calm setting with open views. The brief was demanding: at least 5 rooms and 110 sqm, a high floor with a lift, a well-run Haussmann building, and a decent energy rating (C or D at most).

Of those 16 properties, 7 were covered by detailed videos sent to the client, and 3 were shortlisted for the viewing weekend.

What does the 120 sqm flat on Rue de l’Annonciation look like?

A 120 sqm five-room flat on the 4th floor with a lift, in an 1895 Haussmann building on Rue de l’Annonciation in Passy. A 35 sqm double living room with a running balcony along the street (south-west facing), three bedrooms of 15, 13 and 12 sqm, a refurbished 12 sqm closed kitchen, two shower rooms and a separate WC. An 8 sqm cellar.

The building had been restored in 2022 (façade, common areas, staircase). The energy certificate showed a C rating, rare in Parisian Haussmann buildings, thanks to double glazing fitted by the previous owner and a recent individual gas boiler.

Co-ownership charges came to 420 euros/month (concierge, lift, upkeep of common areas). No major works were voted or planned for the next three years.

How did the price of this Passy five-room flat drop by 120,000 euros?

The price went from 1,470,000 to 1,350,000 euros, an 8% cut and a 120,000-euro saving, nearly three times the property hunter’s fees. Two levers did it: the DVF comparables and the 11 weeks the flat had spent on the market without a firm offer.

The listed price of 1,470,000 euros worked out at 12,250 euros/sqm, slightly above the market for Passy (DVF median of 11,500-12,000 euros/sqm for comparable five-room flats). That long a listing period in a sought-after area signals slight overpricing.

The opening offer of 1,300,000 euros was rejected. After discussion, agreement came at 1,350,000 euros, or 11,250 euros/sqm: below the DVF median for five-room-plus flats in the 16th (12,000 euros/sqm, April 2026 data).

The preliminary agreement was signed by notarised power of attorney while the client was still in New York. He came a second time for the signing of the final deed, three months later.

What can be learned from a remote purchase in the 16th from the United States?

Three lessons: filmed pre-viewings weed out 90% of properties with no travel, the 16th remains the reference choice for international families, and a property left on the market for more than 8 weeks in a good area signals a price worth negotiating.

Remote purchasing works well with a property hunter. Video viewing tools, combined with the property hunter’s on-the-ground knowledge, filter out 90% of properties without travel. For an expatriate in the middle of a move, it is the only workable method when time is short.

The 16th arrondissement remains the obvious choice for international families. Schools, space, safety, transport to La Défense and the business district: the 16th ticks every box. But prices vary widely from one micro-neighbourhood to another, as set out in our buying guide for foreigners.

A property on the market for more than 8 weeks in a good area points to a price worth negotiating. Owners who refuse to adjust end up accepting a deeper cut than an early correction would have cost. It is a signal every experienced property hunter knows how to use.

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