A family of four living in a 3-bedroom in the 14th arrondissement was looking for a house with a garden in the southern suburbs, between Antony and Bourg-la-Reine. Marie Esmieu-Fournel, property hunter at Home Select, identified a 95 sqm townhouse with a 120 sqm garden in Antony, negotiated from 602,000 euros to 565,000 euros, a saving of 37,000 euros (6.2%), in 8 weeks.
Mission overview
- Property hunter: Marie Esmieu-Fournel, property hunter at Home Select
- Area: Antony, Bourg-la-Reine, Sceaux, southern Hauts-de-Seine
- Property type: Townhouse, 95 sqm, 120 sqm garden, 3 bedrooms
- Initial budget: 620,000 euros
- Asking price: 602,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 565,000 euros
- Negotiation: minus 6.2% (37,000 euros)
- Search duration: 8 weeks
- Buyer profile: Couple with two children (ages 4 and 7), homeowners in the 14th
The project
Claire and David, homeowners of a 62 sqm 3-bedroom apartment on rue d’Alesia, had decided to leave Paris. With two boys at an age where they need to run everywhere, the lack of outdoor space had become unbearable. Their non-negotiable criterion: a garden, even a modest one.
The search perimeter targeted the southern suburbs accessible by RER B, the line that would connect them to their respective offices (Denfert-Rochereau for her, Chatelet for him). Antony, Bourg-la-Reine and Sceaux ticked all the boxes: quality of life, transport links and quality schools.
The budget of 620,000 euros included the estimated net proceeds from selling their Parisian apartment (340,000 euros) and a supplementary mortgage. The constraint was that they wanted the sale and purchase to be synchronized to avoid a bridge loan.
The search strategy
Marie Esmieu-Fournel first mapped the three communes to identify the neighborhoods truly compatible with the brief. In Antony, the area between the RER station and the Parc de Sceaux concentrated the most sought-after houses, but also the most expensive. The Fontaine-Michalon neighborhood, less well-known but equally practical, offered prices 10 to 15% lower.
In Bourg-la-Reine, the property hunter targeted streets to the west of avenue du General-Leclerc, quieter than the center. In Sceaux, the budget was too tight for family houses in the town center.
Marie activated her local network: notaries in the area (who see estates before agencies), independent agencies in Antony and Bourg-la-Reine, and building concierges who know house owners considering a sale.
The property found
In the seventh week, a 95 sqm townhouse appeared in the Fontaine-Michalon neighborhood of Antony. A 1930s rubble stone house on two levels: on the ground floor, a 25 sqm living room, a 10 sqm kitchen opening onto the garden, and a WC; upstairs, three bedrooms of 14, 12 and 10 sqm, a bathroom with double basin, and a 5 sqm landing-office.
The 120 sqm south-west-facing garden was the property’s main asset. The house also had a garage and a cellar. The Antony RER B station was 12 minutes on foot, and the elementary school was 400 meters away.
Points of caution: the roof needed inspection (last renovation dated from 2008), the kitchen needed a complete refit, and the energy rating was D, improvable with loft insulation.
The negotiation
The asking price of 602,000 euros equated to 6,337 euros per sqm, slightly high for the Fontaine-Michalon neighborhood. Marie Esmieu-Fournel built her argument in three parts: the DVF comparison of recent transactions in the area (average at 5,900 euros per sqm), the condition of the roof (inspection and potential partial repair quoted at 8,000 to 12,000 euros), and the kitchen renovation (estimated at 15,000 euros).
First offer at 550,000 euros, rejected. The seller accepted the second proposal of 565,000 euros, conditional on confirmed financing within 10 days. Marie had prepared the file in advance: the mortgage agreement was obtained in 8 days. The preliminary agreement was signed at the Antony notary office.
In parallel, Marie coordinated the sale of the 14th arrondissement apartment through Home Select’s Offre Duo service. The property found a buyer in three weeks, allowing the couple to lift the sale condition without resorting to a bridge loan.
What this mission illustrates
The property hunter fills the local knowledge gap. Claire and David did not know Antony beyond the RER station. Marie Esmieu-Fournel identified a neighborhood they would never have targeted on their own, and which proved perfectly suited to their daily life. For a Parisian buying in Ile-de-France, this local expertise is decisive.
Coordinating a sale and purchase secures the entire operation. Thanks to the Offre Duo service, the sale of the Parisian property and the house purchase were synchronized. No bridge loan, no double rent, no stressful transition period. This is a concrete advantage when changing your lifestyle.
The notarial network provides access to pre-market properties. This house was not yet with an agency when Marie identified it through a local notary. Estates and confidential sales often pass through notary offices before reaching portals, a channel that only an on-the-ground professional can activate.
Considering leaving Paris for the southern suburbs? Contact Marie Esmieu-Fournel at Home Select for a targeted search between Antony, Bourg-la-Reine and Sceaux.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average price of a house in Antony in 2026?
In 2026, the average price of a house in Antony ranges between 5,500 and 7,500 euros per sqm depending on the neighborhood, the plot size and the condition of the property. A house of 90 to 110 sqm with a garden sells for between 520,000 and 750,000 euros. The most sought-after areas (proximity to the RER B, town center) are the most expensive.
How long does it take to buy a house in the southern suburbs of Paris?
With a property hunter, the average search duration for a house in the southern suburbs is 6 to 10 weeks. Without support, Parisian buyers discovering the suburban market often take 4 to 8 months, mainly because they do not know the micro-neighborhoods and overvalue certain areas at the expense of others that may be better suited.
Do you need a property hunter to buy in the suburbs when you live in Paris?
This is precisely the scenario where a property hunter provides the most value. A Parisian searching in the suburbs generally does not know the micro-neighborhoods, the quiet streets, the noisy roads, the schools or the current urban development projects. The property hunter has this ground-level knowledge and helps avoid costly location mistakes.
