Nicolas and Lucie, a French couple living in England, purchased a 47 sqm 2-room apartment in the 8th arrondissement, steps from the Champs-Elysees, to grow their property portfolio. The purchase, managed by Catherine Ziegler, was concluded based on photos: Nicolas and Lucie only discovered the apartment in person at the signing of the preliminary agreement.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Catherine Ziegler
- Area: Wide scope: 1st (Louvre), 5th (Pantheon), 8th, 14th (Montparnasse), 7th
- Property type: 2 rooms, 47 sqm, bright, quiet, renovated 1960s residence
- Budget: Consistent with a renovation budget, without financing contingency
- Negotiated price: Offer very close to asking price, accepted within 48 hours
- Search duration: 2 months (including a brief change)
- Buyer profile: Expatriate couple, already owners of a studio in the 17th
The project
Nicolas and Lucie owned a studio in the 17th, near Parc Monceau. They wanted to invest in a second, slightly larger property to accommodate their future children. Living in England, they knew Paris well, both having studied there, and naturally turned to a property hunter to manage the search remotely.
The initial brief: a 2-room apartment of about 25 sqm, quiet, bright, well laid out, on a high floor, in an upmarket building, with a bonus feature (balcony or view). The couple wanted a prestigious address: Madeleine, Ecole Militaire, Opera, Montparnasse, without fixing a rigid zone. Their financing was solid, with no financing contingency.
The search strategy
Catherine Ziegler put out a wide call to her contacts, highlighting the strengths of the file: cash purchase, no contingency clause, quick decision-making. The broad location was a double-edged sword: more potential choice, but harder to target.
The first listings sent were systematically rejected by the couple. Catherine quickly identified the implicit criteria: brightness was a determining factor, the condition of the common areas had to be impeccable, and the price per square metre had to remain reasonable. A contact offered her an off-market property in the 7th: a view of the dome of the Invalides, near Avenue de La Motte-Picquet. Nicolas travelled, confirmed the offer, and brought in a contractor to quote for the works. Lucie validated a few days later. Everything was in place, but the owner ultimately decided not to sell, without explanation.
The property found
A few weeks later, from a holiday abroad, Nicolas and Lucie sent Catherine the link to a listing. The property was above the initial budget and did not match the brief: 1st floor, 1960s building, no period features. But it had an extraordinary view and the couple was ready to make the financial effort.
The apartment was located steps from the Champs-Elysees, in a perfectly renovated 1960s residence: immaculate common areas, recent elevator. The 47 sqm 2-room apartment was bright, quiet, and dual-aspect. The possibility of opening the kitchen onto the living space to enhance the view offered attractive layout potential.
Catherine was the first to visit, in the middle of July, a quiet period that works in favour of buyers. The estate agent informed her that the owner, herself living abroad in a different time zone, wanted to sell quickly.
The negotiation
Based on Catherine’s dozens of photos and videos, Nicolas and Lucie made an offer very close to the asking price, even before travelling. The absence of a financing contingency and the speed of decision made the difference. The owner accepted within 48 hours.
Nicolas and Lucie only discovered the apartment in person at the signing of the preliminary agreement. No disappointment: Catherine’s exhaustive photographic coverage had already fully reassured them. The renovation works were planned with several contractors put in competition during subsequent visits.
What this mission illustrates
The brief evolves during the search. The final property matched almost none of the initial criteria: floor, building era, budget, surface area, everything had changed. It was Nicolas and Lucie who spotted the listing, not the property hunter. This highlights the importance for clients of maintaining their own alerts, in addition to the property hunter’s work. The complementarity between professional on-the-ground expertise and the client’s personal monitoring is a success factor we regularly observe at Home Select.
Purchasing based on photos as a structured method. Buying without having seen the property is not a gamble when the pre-visit is rigorous. Catherine produces reports with dozens of photos and videos, accompanied by an honest assessment including flaws. This level of documentation allows expatriates to make an informed decision without travelling. We describe this method in our guide on buying property in Paris remotely.
The quiet period as a window of opportunity. Visiting in July, when the market slows down, means less competition, more time to position an offer, and sellers eager to close before the autumn. Catherine was the first, and potentially the only one, to visit, which allowed making an offer under optimal conditions. This is a tactical advantage that our property hunters systematically exploit.
Do you live abroad and want to invest in Paris? Contact us: our property hunters manage the entirety of your remote search.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy an apartment in Paris without having physically visited it?
Yes. At Home Select, Catherine Ziegler sold a 47 sqm property in the 8th to a couple living in England based on dozens of detailed photos and videos taken during the pre-visit. Nicolas and Lucie only saw the apartment in person at the signing of the preliminary agreement, without any disappointment. This method works when the property hunter provides exhaustive photographic coverage and an honest report including any flaws.
Why does a client sometimes send the winning listing to their property hunter?
Because the brief evolves during the search. Nicolas and Lucie spotted a property that did not match the initial criteria (1st floor, 1960s building, over budget) but offered an extraordinary view. The property hunter, bound by the mandate, would not have proposed it. It is the complementarity between the client's personal alerts and the property hunter's on-the-ground expertise that produces the best result.
Is an offer without financing contingency enough to secure a sought-after property?
It is a major advantage, but not sufficient on its own. Speed is also essential: making the offer within hours of the viewing, along with a price consistent with the market. For Nicolas and Lucie, it was the combination of all three (no contingency clause, fast offer, price very close to asking) that convinced a seller who was herself an expatriate and eager to close.
