A French couple returning from five years in Singapore bought an 88 sqm four-room flat in the 15th arrondissement for 760,000 euros, negotiated at -6% from the listed price of 810,000 euros. The Home Select property hunter ran the entire search from Singapore, with the couple making just one trip to Paris for the final viewings.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Home Select
- Area: Paris 15th, Commerce / Félix-Faure
- Property type: 4 rooms, 88 sqm, 5th floor with lift
- Initial budget: 850,000 euros (agency fees included)
- Listed price: 810,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 760,000 euros (-6%)
- Search duration: 7 weeks
- Buyer profile: French couple, aged 38 and 40, 2 children (ages 4 and 6), returning from expatriation
The project
The couple had left Paris in 2020 for a five-year posting in Singapore. Executives in an agri-food group, they were preparing their return to France, set for September 2025. The aim: buy a family flat in Paris before they arrived, to move in straight away without a temporary rental.
The 15th was the natural choice. They had lived there before leaving and knew the schools, shops and feel of the area. Their eldest daughter, aged 6, was due to start her first year of primary school in September, and enrolment depended on the home address. The timing was tight: the final deed had to be signed before the school year began.
The added challenge was running everything from Singapore, with a 6-hour time difference and no chance to view in person regularly.
The search strategy
The Home Select property hunter set up an entirely remote process, honed over dozens of similar missions with expatriates. Phase 1: a precise briefing by video conference (one hour, on a Saturday morning Singapore time). Phase 2: viewings filmed live with audio commentary, with diagnostics, AGM minutes and scaled floor plans sent over at once. Phase 3: a single trip by the couple to view the 3 shortlisted properties in one weekend.
The brief was typical of a family returning from abroad: at least four rooms with three separate bedrooms, at least 80 sqm, a high floor with a lift (a habit picked up in Singapore, where people live in high-rises), and walking distance to a primary school and a park.
The perimeter took in the Commerce-Félix Faure-La Motte-Picquet triangle, the most family-friendly part of the 15th, with Square Saint-Lambert close by, Parc André-Citroën within cycling distance, and several well-regarded school clusters within 500 metres.
Over 7 weeks, the property hunter pre-viewed 13 properties, made detailed videos of 5, and kept 3 for the in-person viewing weekend.
The property found
An 88 sqm four-room flat on the 5th floor with a lift, in a 1955 bourgeois building on Rue du Commerce. A 24 sqm living room over the street (south-facing, open views over the rooftops), three bedrooms of 14, 12 and 10 sqm, a 9 sqm closed kitchen, a bathroom and a separate WC.
The previous owner had renovated the flat: fitted kitchen, refurbished bathroom, sanded parquet. The energy certificate showed a C rating, good for a building of this era, thanks to external wall insulation added during the 2021 façade renovation. Double glazing gave adequate acoustic comfort despite the bustle of Rue du Commerce.
Co-ownership charges came to 290 euros/month (concierge, lift, upkeep). The nearest primary school was 300 metres away, Square Saint-Lambert 400 metres.
The negotiation
The listed price of 810,000 euros worked out at 9,205 euros/sqm. The property hunter studied DVF transactions in the area: the median for recently renovated four-room flats in the Commerce-Félix Faure perimeter stood at 8,600-8,900 euros/sqm. The asking price was thus 3 to 5% above the market.
The negotiation rested on two points: the DVF comparison and the fact that the seller, an institutional investor winding down a property portfolio, valued a quick sale over the top price. The offer of 740,000 euros was countered at 780,000 euros. Agreement at 760,000 euros (8,636 euros/sqm) was helped by the strength of the financing, the couple having a 300,000 euros deposit.
The preliminary agreement was signed by power of attorney from Singapore. The couple travelled only once, for the final deed at the notaire’s office at the end of August, three weeks before the school year began.
What this mission illustrates
Returning from abroad is the ideal time to buy. Expatriates usually have savings built up abroad (tax advantages, lower cost of living) that allow a substantial deposit. Combined with French mortgage rates, this makes buying more rewarding than renting from the second year on, as set out in our article on returning from expatriation and buying property.
The school calendar sets a strict countdown. Primary school enrolment in Paris depends on the home address. For expatriate families returning for the September term, the final deed must be signed by the end of August at the latest, which means starting the search no later than May or June.
The 15th arrondissement is the family neighbourhood par excellence on the Left Bank. It holds the highest concentration of 4- and 5-room flats in all of Paris, at prices 20 to 30% below the neighbouring 7th. For families returning from abroad and used to space, it is often the best balance of surface area, budget and quality of life.
Are you preparing your return to France and want to buy in Paris? Describe your project. Our property hunters organise the remote search and manage everything through to key handover. First consultation free, fees 100% on success.
Frequently asked questions
How to buy an apartment in Paris from abroad before returning?
Buying from abroad is organised in three steps: obtaining an agreement in principle from a French bank that accepts non-residents (HSBC, BNP Paribas International), mandating a property hunter for viewings and negotiation, and signing the preliminary agreement via notarised power of attorney. Most of our expatriate clients travel only once or twice.
Why is the 15th arrondissement popular with families returning from expatriation?
The 15th arrondissement offers three assets for families returning from abroad: large family flats (the 15th has the most 4- and 5-room flats in all of Paris), good schools with international sections (Lycée Buffon, Collège Camille-Sée), and a safe, calm setting comparable to the residential districts of major Asian cities.
Should you buy or rent when returning from expatriation?
Buying is generally the better choice on returning from abroad if the expected stay in Paris exceeds 5 years. Expatriates often have a substantial deposit (savings built up abroad, expatriation bonuses) and French mortgage rates remain competitive. Renting suits better if the return is uncertain or another move abroad is likely within 3 years.
