In brief
In 2026, Home Select supported a Paris-based investor in buying a 25 sqm walk-up studio on the 5th floor in the Martyrs neighbourhood of the 9th arrondissement of Paris, acquired for 218,000 euros instead of 237,000, an 8% negotiation built on an E-rated EPC (upgrade to D estimated at 6,000-8,000 euros). Let furnished at 750 euros a month, the studio returns a 4.1% gross yield. A property-hunting firm founded in 2011 and a member of the FCI, Home Select has 16 buying agents and secures a 6% average negotiation on the seller's price.
Key takeaways
- A 25 sqm studio in the Martyrs neighbourhood of Paris 9th was bought for 218,000 euros, 8% below asking price
- Walk-up studios on upper floors trade at a 10-15% discount but rent at virtually the same price as those with a lift
- The E-rated EPC was used as a negotiation lever, with upgrade works estimated at only 6,000 to 8,000 euros
- After 7,000 euros of works and 4,000 euros of furnishing, the total operation yields 4.1% gross as a furnished rental
A Paris-based investor bought a 25 sqm studio in the Martyrs neighbourhood of the 9th for 218,000 euros, after negotiating 8% below the asking price of 237,000 euros. Let furnished, it returns a gross yield of 4.1%.
Mission overview
- Property hunter: the Home Select property hunter
- Area: Paris 9th, Martyrs / Trudaine
- Property type: studio, 25 sqm, 5th floor, no lift
- Initial budget: 250,000 euros
- Listed price: 237,000 euros
- Negotiated price: 218,000 euros (-8%)
- Search duration: 4 weeks
- Buyer profile: executive in his forties, investor, already owner of his main home
What budget had this Paris executive set for his first buy-to-let?
250,000 euros all-in, notary fees included, for a studio or two-room flat let furnished under the LMNP regime and returning more than 3.5% gross. That ceiling pointed to studios of 20 to 30 sqm in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 18th.
The client already owned his main home in the 15th arrondissement. He wanted a central arrondissement and medium-term scope for capital growth.
Why target an upper-floor walk-up studio in the 9th?
Because the segment sells at a 10 to 15% discount yet lets for much the same price: studio tenants are rarely put off by stairs. Our property hunter focused on the 9th, the best balance of yield and growth. The Martyrs-Trudaine area draws young executives and liberal professionals, with a vacancy rate close to zero and rents rising steadily for five years.
The plan was to target upper-floor studios with no lift, a segment that sells at a 10 to 15% discount against those with a lift, yet lets for much the same price.
What does an E-rated EPC change for a Haussmannian studio in the 9th?
It can still be let in 2026, but it costs 6,000 to 8,000 euros of work to reach a D rating: ceiling insulation under the roof and new windows. That was the main concern on the property chosen, a 25 sqm studio on the 5th floor of an 1885 Haussmannian building, no lift. An 18 sqm main room with a fitted kitchenette, a 3 sqm shower room, a separate WC. A ceiling height of 2.60 m (top-floor Haussmannian), one street-facing window with a clear view over the rooftops. It was in decent but dated order: a 2000s kitchen and shower room, tired paintwork. EPC rated E.
The E-rated EPC was the main concern. Under the Climate law, E-rated properties can still be let in 2026, but their value may suffer over time. Our property hunter had the work costed by a contractor before any offer went in.
What yield does an E-rated EPC make possible on this studio in the 9th?
4.1% gross: the E rating, the missing lift and three weeks without an offer brought the price from 237,000 to 218,000 euros, or 8,720 euros/sqm, against a furnished rent of 750 euros a month. The asking price of 237,000 euros came to 9,480 euros/sqm, above the average for a 5th-floor walk-up in this area (DVF comparables between 8,500 and 9,200 euros/sqm). Three levers were used: the E-rated EPC and the work needed to secure long-term letting; the lack of a lift on the 5th floor; and the time on the market, three weeks without an offer, a sign of overpricing.
An offer at 215,000 euros drew a counter at 225,000 euros. Agreement at 218,000 euros works out at 8,720 euros/sqm, in line with comparables.
After 7,000 euros of work (insulation, windows, refurbishment) and 4,000 euros of furnishing, the operation comes to 229,000 euros excluding notary fees. The studio is let at 750 euros a month on a long-term furnished basis, a gross return of 4.1% on the purchase price.
Why do walk-up studios in the 9th return more?
Because the 10 to 15% discount taken at purchase does not carry into the rent: the yield improves by that much. Added to the E-rated EPC lever, that mechanism took the deal to 4.1% gross on the purchase price. Three lessons stand out from this mission.
The EPC is a powerful lever in 2026. An E rating frightens many buyers, but for a well-located studio the upgrade work is often modest (5,000 to 10,000 euros). That fear creates opportunities for informed investors, backed by a property hunter who can gauge the real cost of the work.
Walk-up studios are the most profitable segment in Paris. The discount on purchase (10-15%) does not carry into the rent: a studio tenant accepts stairs, especially when the top floor brings light and a view. It is a strategy our property hunters routinely recommend for buy-to-let in Paris.
The 9th offers a rare balance of yield and growth. Unlike the 19th or 20th (higher gross yields but uncertain growth), the 9th arrondissement pairs a solid yield with capital growth backed by the area’s commercial and cultural life.
Have a buy-to-let project in Paris? Our property hunters assess the real profitability of each property and negotiate to maximise your yield. Tell us about your project
Sources
Frequently asked questions
01 What rental yield can you expect from a studio in the 9th arrondissement?
A furnished studio of 20 to 30 sqm in the 9th arrondissement generates a gross yield of 3.8 to 4.5% in long-term furnished rental. The monthly rent for a 25 sqm studio ranges between 750 and 900 euros including charges, depending on condition and floor. The net yield after charges and taxes (LMNP real regime) is around 2.5 to 3%.
02 Why is the 9th arrondissement attractive for buy-to-let?
The 9th has three things going for it as a buy-to-let location: strong rental demand (central, well-connected, popular with young professionals), prices per sqm 10 to 15% lower than the 6th or 7th for the same centrality, and growth potential tied to the area's commercial life (rue des Martyrs, Grands Boulevards). The vacancy rate is close to zero.
03 How does a property hunter help with buy-to-let?
The property hunter assesses the real profitability of each property (charges, taxes, rental potential) before the viewing even takes place. They negotiate the purchase price to maximise the yield, check the condition of the co-ownership and the property, and make sure the EPC allows letting without mandatory works. At Home Select, 20% of our assignments are buy-to-let.
04 Is an E-rated EPC a good negotiation lever in Paris in 2026?
Yes. An E rating puts off many buyers, which creates openings for informed investors. On this 9th-arrondissement mission, the E-rated EPC, combined with the lack of a lift on the 5th floor and three weeks on the market with no offer, secured the 25 sqm studio at 218,000 euros instead of 237,000, an 8% negotiation, with only 6,000 to 8,000 euros of works to reach a D rating. At Home Select, the average negotiation reaches 6% of the seller's price and the 2.5% fee (minimum 10,000 euros incl. VAT) is due only on success.
