A 45-year-old executive, already the owner of his main home in the 15th arrondissement, bought a 28 sqm studio in the Batignolles neighbourhood of the 17th for 265,000 euros, or 9,464 euros/sqm. Catherine Ziegler, property hunter at Home Select, negotiated it 8% below the asking price of 288,000 euros. The estimated gross rental yield is 4.5%. The search lasted three weeks.
Mission overview
- Property hunter: Catherine Ziegler
- Area: Paris 17th, Batignolles neighbourhood
- Property type: Studio, 3rd floor, no lift
- Budget: 300,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 265,000 euros (listed at 288,000 euros)
- Surface area: 28 sqm (Carrez law)
- Search duration: 3 weeks
- Buyer profile: Buy-to-let investor, executive, 45 years old
The project
Philippe already owned a three-room flat in the 15th and had borrowing capacity of 250,000 euros, plus 80,000 euros in savings. His aim was clear: buy a well-located Paris studio for a furnished let, with a gross yield above 4% and medium-term scope for growth. He wanted a property needing little renovation, in a lively neighbourhood that would keep voids to a minimum.
Philippe had set on the 17th, drawn by the still-affordable prices of Batignolles next to the rest of the arrondissement and by the ongoing development projects. He had browsed several listings but had no time to view on weekdays, just when the best opportunities come up.
The search strategy
Catherine concentrated on studios of 22 to 32 sqm in an area centred on rue des Batignolles, place du Docteur-Félix-Lobligeois and the streets around the Martin-Luther-King park. This micro-area offers the best balance of price and rental demand in the 17th: close to metro lines 13 and 14 and the Transilien, a young, active population, and lively shops.
For a buy-to-let, Catherine applies her own checklist: a building with low charges, a healthy co-ownership (no façade work or major works voted), a floor low enough to soften the lack of a lift, and a layout suited to a furnished let. In three weeks she found six studios, ruled out three after reading the co-ownership general meeting minutes, and viewed three.
The property found
The studio chosen is on the 3rd floor of a charming 1930s building, with no lift, a 4-minute walk from Brochant station (line 13). It runs to 28 sqm: an 18 sqm main room with parquet, a 5 sqm kitchenette, a shower room with WC, and an entrance corridor with storage. The south-east aspect gives good light. A cellar is included.
It was in decent but dated order: a 2000s kitchen and an ageing shower room. Catherine put the refurbishment at 12,000 euros (kitchen, shower room, paint) to ready it for a furnished let. After the work, the estimated furnished rent is 1,000 euros including charges, a gross return of 4.5%.
The negotiation
The asking price of 288,000 euros put the studio at 10,286 euros/sqm, above the neighbourhood median for a walk-up. Catherine offered 255,000 euros on three grounds: the lack of a lift (a usual discount of 5 to 8% against the same floor with one), the cost of readying it for letting, and the most recent DVF sales of studios in the same area.
The seller, an heir keen to settle the property within an estate, quickly accepted 265,000 euros. The 23,000 euro saving is 8% of the asking price, an effective negotiation that lifts the yield directly.
What this mission illustrates
Buy-to-let demands rigorous yield analysis. Buying at the right price is the first condition of a profitable investment. Catherine saved Philippe 23,000 euros, the equivalent of two years’ co-ownership charges. Every euro negotiated improves the net yield. A specialist property hunter brings this financial logic to bear from the selection stage, drawing on price data and actual local rents.
Reading the co-ownership minutes protects the investor. Three of six studios were ruled out after reading the general meeting minutes, which revealed approved works (façade renovation, roof replacement) with capital calls of 5,000 to 15,000 euros per unit. This routine check heads off the surprises that wreck an investment. It is a reflex our property hunter applies at every viewing.
Batignolles shows the advantage of investing in a changing neighbourhood. The Martin-Luther-King park, metro line 14 and ongoing property projects are reshaping the area and drawing a young, reliable population. Buying in an evolving area, at still-moderate prices, offers medium-term capital growth on top of immediate rental yield. It is the strategy our property hunters recommend to make the most of a mortgage for investment.
Thinking of a buy-to-let investment in Paris? Catherine Ziegler and our team support you from yield analysis to final signature. Contact us to define your strategy.
Frequently asked questions
What rental yield can you expect for a studio in the 17th arrondissement?
A well-located studio of 25 to 30 sqm in the 17th (Batignolles, Épinettes, Ternes) returns a gross rental yield of 3.8 to 4.8% in 2026. The net yield after charges and taxes generally falls between 2.5 and 3.5%. Batignolles, with its lively neighbourhood and strong rental demand, offers the best yields in the 17th.
Is Batignolles a good neighbourhood for buy-to-let in 2026?
Yes. The Batignolles neighbourhood benefits from the recent opening of the Martin-Luther-King park, metro line 14 (Pont Cardinet station), and strong rental demand from young professionals and students. Prices per sqm remain 15 to 20% lower than the Ternes-Monceau area, with growth potential tied to ongoing urban development projects.
Can a property hunter help a buy-to-let investor and not just someone buying a main home?
Absolutely. At Home Select, around 20% of our assignments involve buy-to-let. The property hunter weighs up the potential yield, checks the neighbourhood's rental demand, assesses the renovation needed and negotiates the purchase price to improve the return. The goal is to buy at the right price in an area with strong demand.
Why review the co-ownership minutes before buying a studio in Paris?
The general meeting minutes reveal works already voted and the calls for funds to come, which can weigh heavily on an investment. On this Batignolles mission, three of six studios were ruled out after reading the minutes, some carrying calls for funds of 5,000 to 15,000 euros per unit (facade, roof). That systematic check helped select a sound co-ownership, bought for 265,000 euros instead of 288,000, an 8% negotiation. Home Select has supported 1,200+ buyers since 2011 and charges 2.5% of the purchase price (minimum 10,000 euros incl. VAT), payable only on success.
