A couple who own property in Bordeaux were looking for a two-room flat in Paris as a furnished buy-to-let, with a target gross yield above 4%. Marie Esmieu-Fournel, property hunter at Home Select, found a 38 m² flat in the Pernety neighbourhood of the 14th arrondissement and negotiated it down from 335,000 euros to 310,000 euros, a saving of 25,000 euros (7.5%), for a gross yield of 4.6%.
Mission overview
- Property hunter: Marie Esmieu-Fournel, property hunter at Home Select
- Area: Paris 14th arrondissement, Pernety, Plaisance, Alésia neighbourhoods
- Property type: two-room flat, 38 m², 2nd floor with lift
- Initial budget: 350,000 euros
- Listed price: 335,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 310,000 euros
- Negotiation: -7.5% (25,000 euros)
- Estimated monthly rent (furnished): 1,190 euros
- Gross yield: 4.6%
- Search duration: 4 weeks
- Buyer profile: Couple aged 48, property owners in Bordeaux, second buy-to-let
The project
Guillaume and Valérie already let a studio in Bordeaux and wanted to add a Paris property to their portfolio. Their approach was analytical: they had compared yields by arrondissement and settled on the 14th as the best balance of return and security on the Left Bank.
The 350,000 euro budget rested on an 80% investor loan (280,000 euros) and a 70,000 euro deposit. The aim: a gross yield of at least 4% as a furnished let (LMNP), with a positive or neutral monthly cash flow after repayments.
The constraint: the couple could rarely come to Paris. They needed a property hunter able to run the search, the viewings and the negotiation from a distance.
The search strategy
Marie Esmieu-Fournel began by modelling the target yield. At 4% gross minimum, with an estimated furnished rent of 1,100 to 1,250 euros a month for a 35-40 m² two-room flat in the 14th, the ceiling on the purchase price was about 340,000 euros.
She focused on three neighbourhoods in the 14th with the best balance of yield and demand: Pernety (close to metro line 13, shops, neighbourhood life), Plaisance (among the lowest prices per m² in the 14th, and rising), and Alésia (line 4, and popular with young professionals).
Marie ruled out anything carrying an investment red flag: an F- or G-rated EPC (a letting ban looming), co-ownerships with major works approved, and ground-floor street-facing flats (longer void periods).
The property found
In the third week, a 38 m² two-room flat caught her eye. On the 2nd floor of a 1960s building on Rue Pernety, it had an efficient layout: an 18 m² living room with a fitted kitchen area, a 12 m² bedroom behind a partition, a shower room and a separate WC.
The 24-unit co-ownership was well run: charges of 110 euros a month (cold water included), individual electric heating (recent radiant panels), no major works in the long-term plan, and a part-time caretaker. The D-rated EPC suited long-term letting.
The location ticked every box for an investor: Pernety metro (line 13) 2 minutes away, shops on Rue Raymond-Losserand, the Cité universitaire 10 minutes by metro, the Hôpital Saint-Joseph nearby. The likely tenant: a master’s student, a medical intern or a young professional.
The flat was vacant. Marie put a realistic furnished rent at 1,190 euros a month once equipped, within the rent control limits for the 14th.
The negotiation
The asking price of 335,000 euros came to 8,816 euros/m². Marie Esmieu-Fournel had three arguments for getting below 320,000 euros: a DVF comparison for Pernety (recent sales averaging 8,200 euros/m² for two-room flats), the electric radiators to be swapped for latest-generation panels (budget 2,500 euros), and the single-glazed street-facing window (replacement estimated at 1,800 euros).
An offer at 300,000 euros was rejected. Marie went to 310,000 euros, stressing that there was no awkward financing condition (the investor loan was pre-approved) and that the signing timeline was short. The seller, a landlord reinvesting outside Paris, accepted.
At 310,000 euros, the price per m² was 8,158 euros, in line with the local market. At a furnished rent of 1,190 euros a month, the gross yield reached 4.6%, above the couple’s target.
What this mission illustrates
The 14th is an underrated arrondissement for investment. Less feted than the Marais or Saint-Germain, the 14th has solid fundamentals all the same: varied rental demand, reasonable prices per m² for Paris, and little risk of depreciation in a well-connected, lively neighbourhood. A property hunter who reads the actual DVF data finds these pockets of value.
Yield is built at the moment of purchase. Marie’s 7.5% negotiation lifted the yield by 0.4 points (from 4.2% to 4.6% gross). Over a 20-year loan, the 25,000 euro saving cuts the monthly repayment by 130 euros and makes the cash flow positive from year one. Negotiation is not a bonus; it is the foundation of profitability.
Remote management works with the right partner. Guillaume and Valérie came to Paris only once. Marie ran the whole search, the viewings and the negotiation. For investors who live elsewhere, a property hunter who handles the project end to end turns a demanding operation into a straightforward investment.
Looking to invest in Paris property from the regions? Contact Marie Esmieu-Fournel at Home Select for bespoke investor support.
Frequently asked questions
What rental yield can you expect in the 14th arrondissement of Paris in 2026?
The gross rental yield in the 14th arrondissement ranges from 3.5% to 5% in 2026, depending on the property type and neighbourhood. The best yields are in Plaisance and Pernety (4-5% for a furnished two-room flat), while the areas near Montparnasse and Denfert-Rochereau offer lower yields but stronger capital growth.
Is the 14th arrondissement a good choice for buy-to-let?
The 14th offers a balanced investment profile: prices per m² 15 to 25% lower than the central Left Bank (5th, 6th), solid rental demand (students from the Cité universitaire, hospitals, Montparnasse businesses), and good transport links. It is an arrondissement where a reasonable current yield can sit alongside sensible capital-growth prospects.
Which properties are most profitable for buy-to-let in Paris?
Studios and two-room flats offer the best rental yields in Paris, particularly as furnished lets (LMNP). A two-room flat of 30 to 45 m² strikes the best balance: a higher yield than a larger flat, lower turnover than a studio, and broad rental demand (students, young professionals, couples). In 2026, a well-located two-room flat in an arrondissement like the 14th returns between 4 and 5% gross.
