A French first-time buyer couple living in Tokyo purchased a 113 sqm apartment in the 10th arrondissement of Paris for 1,120,000 euros, 30,000 euros below the asking price, by mobilizing two Home Select property hunters, Marie Esmieu-Fournel and Frederic Girard, during a single week of presence in France.
Mission overview
- Property hunters: Marie Esmieu-Fournel and Frederic Girard
- Area: 1st to 10th, northern 16th, 17th (Parc Monceau)
- Property type: 3-bedroom apartment, 113 sqm, 4th floor
- Budget: 1,250,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 1,120,000 euros (minus 2.6% from the 1,150,000 euros asking price)
- Search duration: 1 week of viewings (preparation in advance via video conference)
- Buyer profile: First-time buyer couple, expats in Japan, return planned for September
The project
Bruno and Nathalie live in Tokyo. Their return to France was scheduled for September. They had a single week in March to find, visit and sign for an apartment in Paris. The budget was comfortable, 1,250,000 euros with a significant deposit, but the time constraint was extreme: five business days to go from the first meeting to an accepted offer.
Their brief was precise. An apartment of at least 90 sqm, bright, on the top floor, with two bedrooms facing the courtyard or a quiet street, a home office space, hardwood floors and beautiful ceiling heights. Nathalie is particularly sensitive to noise, which immediately ruled out any property on a busy road. The search area was broad, from the 1st to the 10th arrondissement, with possible extensions into the northern 16th and 17th near Parc Monceau, provided there was quick transport access to the Gare de Lyon.
The search strategy
Given the scope of the area and the one-week deadline, Frederic Girard decided to work in tandem with Marie Esmieu-Fournel. The two property hunters divided the arrondissements between them and launched their searches one week before the couple’s arrival, using the Home Select application and their direct contacts with local agencies. The instruction was clear: highlight the quality of the file, first-time buyers with a solid deposit, no financing contingency, decision guaranteed within the week.
The approach was straightforward. When one of the two property hunters went on a viewing with Bruno and Nathalie, the other scheduled the next day’s appointments. This permanent rotation maximized the number of viewings without ever overwhelming the buyers.
The first viewing, in the 5th arrondissement, appealed to the couple. The property was listed at 1,400,000 euros, above their budget. They took time to reflect. The property sold in the meantime. A second promising viewing on Wednesday: a quiet apartment near the Champs-Elysees, but requiring major renovation work. The couple made a low offer to account for the renovation costs. While waiting for the response, the search continued.
The property found
On Thursday, a Home Select colleague flagged an off-market property: the apartment of an acquaintance, not yet on the market. Frederic and Marie arranged a viewing for Friday afternoon.
The apartment is located in the 10th arrondissement, near the canal Saint-Martin. The building is impeccable, with common areas completely renovated. On the 4th floor, the 113 sqm property has three bedrooms, all facing the courtyard or a private mansion. Quiet, bright, dual aspect. An unexpected bonus: a Franco-German school nearby, which perfectly matched Nathalie’s bilingual education project, as she is of German origin.
The negotiation
On Saturday morning, the last day before departure, Bruno and Nathalie still had no response on their first offer. The two property hunters negotiated a deadline extension with the owner until noon. The owner, herself about to move to a Nordic country and needing the sale proceeds as a deposit for her next purchase, accepted an offer of 1,120,000 euros, 30,000 euros below the 1,150,000 euros asking price. The absence of a financing contingency and the strength of the financial backing made the difference.
The preliminary agreement was signed immediately afterward. Bruno and Nathalie flew back to Tokyo knowing that an apartment was waiting for them in September.
What this mission illustrates
The tandem approach for urgent mandates. When the deadline is short and the perimeter is wide, mobilizing two professionals is not a luxury: it is a method. At Home Select, this dual-hunter approach is reserved for situations where time constraints demand it. It doubles the pre-viewing and sourcing capacity without ever compromising the quality of support. This is one of the advantages of a structured network of property hunters.
Off-market access as a decisive factor. The final property was not on any listing portal or in any agency window. It was identified through the Home Select internal network, thanks to information circulating between colleagues. In a market where the best properties sell before publication, this access to off-market listings transforms a single week of searching into a concrete result.
Remote post-purchase support. After the signing, Frederic advised Bruno and Nathalie on renovation work, accompanied their interior architect for measurements, and Marie found them a notary. When buyers live 12 hours away by plane, the property hunter becomes a permanent on-the-ground relay, a service that goes well beyond the simple apartment search.
Do you live abroad and are preparing a purchase in Paris? Contact us: our sixteen property hunters support dozens of expat families each year in their acquisition projects.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy an apartment in Paris from Japan in one week?
Yes. At Home Select, we helped a couple living in Tokyo sign a preliminary agreement in five days. The method relies on intensive preparatory work before the client's arrival (pre-viewings, shortlist validated remotely) and the mobilization of two property hunters working in tandem to cover a wide perimeter. The couple acquired a 113 sqm apartment in the 10th arrondissement for 1,120,000 euros.
Why mobilize two property hunters on a single mandate?
When the deadline is tight and the search area is broad, two property hunters double the pre-viewing and negotiation capacity. While one visits with the clients, the other prepares the next day's appointments. This tandem approach, which we use at Home Select for urgent mandates, made it possible to cover the 1st through 10th and 16th-17th arrondissements in a single week.
How does a property hunter handle an off-market purchase for expats?
The property hunter activates their network of contacts, including agents, notaries and owners, to access properties not yet listed. In this specific case, a Home Select colleague flagged an off-market apartment on Thursday, the viewing took place on Friday, and the offer was submitted on Saturday. The absence of a financing contingency and the strength of the financial profile convinced the seller to accept immediately.
