In brief
In June 2025, Home Select supported a couple relocating from Bordeaux in buying a 62 sqm three-room flat on rue Oberkampf (Paris 11th), found in 3 weeks and negotiated from 580,000 to 555,000 euros, a 25,000 euro saving (4.3%), at 8,952 euros per sqm. A financing certificate ready from day one and a fast-tracked signing timeline won over a seller who was himself in a hurry. A Paris property hunter since 2011 and a member of the FCI, Home Select shows a 45-day average and has supported more than 1,200 buyers (4.8/5 on Google).
Key takeaways
- A 62 sqm three-room flat in Oberkampf (Paris 11th) was found in just 3 weeks and negotiated to 555,000 euros, saving 25,000 euros (4.3%)
- Having a mortgage financing certificate ready from day one was the key accelerator for the urgent relocation search
- The seller was also relocating abroad, creating a convergence of interest that facilitated a rapid and fair transaction
- The couple moved from Bordeaux and completed the entire process from first viewing to final deed in under 12 weeks
Home Select helped a couple relocating for work to buy a three-room flat of 62 sqm in the Oberkampf neighbourhood of the 11th arrondissement. Frédéric Girard, property hunter, found it in 3 weeks. The price was negotiated from 580,000 to 555,000 euros, a saving of 25,000 euros, or 4.3%.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Frédéric Girard
- Area: 11th arrondissement, Oberkampf neighbourhood
- Property type: three-room flat, 62 sqm
- Initial budget: 600,000 euros
- Asking price: 580,000 euros
- Purchase price: 555,000 euros (-4.3%)
- Search duration: 3 weeks
- Buyer profile: Couple in their forties, relocating from Bordeaux
Why did this couple relocating from Bordeaux buy rather than rent in the 11th?
Because with a substantial deposit and a start date fixed for 1 September, renting first and buying later meant paying twice. The 11th was the obvious choice, midway between the office on boulevard Haussmann and their daughter’s school.
Sébastien and Aurélie had lived in Bordeaux for ten years. Sébastien’s promotion to his company’s Paris headquarters meant relocating within three months. Rather than rent temporarily and then look to buy, the couple wanted to buy directly, the more rational choice given their substantial deposit and the cost of Parisian rents.
Geographically they wanted the 11th arrondissement, midway between Sébastien’s office on boulevard Haussmann and the school they had chosen for their 7-year-old daughter. Time was short: the start date was set for 1 September.
How do you find a three-room flat on rue Oberkampf in three weeks?
By completing the mortgage file before the first viewing: the couple held a financing certificate from day one. Six viewings were lined up within three days, all inside the Oberkampf-Ménilmontant-Parmentier triangle.
Frédéric Girard ran the search fast-track. The mortgage file was completed in advance with the Home Select broker, so the couple held a financing certificate from day one. Presented with every offer, it established their credibility with sellers at once.
Frédéric concentrated on the Oberkampf-Ménilmontant-Parmentier triangle. Within three days he had lined up six viewings. Two properties were ruled out because the actual surface area fell short of the stated Carrez measurement, and a third for noise from a bar on the ground floor.
What set this 62 sqm three-room flat on rue Oberkampf apart?
A dual east-west aspect on a 24 sqm living room, rare in Paris, in a renovated 1920s building whose façade was restored in 2023. The seller, transferred abroad, also wanted to close quickly.
The fourth property viewed met the brief: a three-room flat of 62 sqm on the 4th floor with a lift, in a renovated 1920s building on rue Oberkampf. The 24 sqm living room had a dual east-west aspect, giving it exceptional light for Paris. The kitchen, redone in 2022, opened onto the living room. The two bedrooms, of 13 and 11 sqm, looked onto the courtyard.
Co-ownership charges came to 220 euros a month. The façade had been restored in 2023 and the building was in excellent condition. The C-rated energy performance certificate placed the property in the upper range of energy efficiency for the neighbourhood.
The seller, transferred abroad, wanted a quick sale, a convergence of interest with the buyers that eased the discussions.
Why did 25,000 euros come off without an aggressive discount in the 11th?
Because the argument was the calendar, not the price: mortgage file ready, cooling-off period shortened, a commitment to sign fast. Facing a seller who was himself relocating abroad, that was worth 25,000 euros, 4.3% of the 580,000 euro asking price.
Frédéric built the offer to appeal to a seller in a hurry. The main argument was not an aggressive discount but a tight timeline: the mortgage file was ready, the cooling-off period would be kept short, and the buyers committed to a fast signing at the notary.
The offer of 545,000 euros came with the financing certificate and a detailed projected timeline. The seller countered at 560,000 euros. The final agreement at 555,000 euros, or 8,952 euros per sqm, suited both parties: a fair price for the seller, a 25,000 euro saving for the buyers.
The preliminary sale agreement was signed eight days after the first viewing. The final deed followed ten weeks later, and the couple moved in two weeks before Sébastien’s start date.
What must you prepare to buy in Paris in three weeks during a relocation?
Preparing the mortgage file in advance is the single biggest accelerator in a search. Sébastien and Aurélie held a financing certificate from day 1. This document, often overlooked, establishes the credibility of the offer and lowers the perceived risk for the seller. It is a decisive advantage in professional relocations, where time is short.
A convergence of interest between seller and buyer makes the best transactions. Here, a seller in a hurry and buyers in a hurry shared one goal: to close quickly. Frédéric built his offer around that convergence rather than on a purely financial negotiation.
Three weeks are enough when the brief is precise. Sébastien and Aurélie had set their criteria rigorously: neighbourhood, surface area, budget, school. That precision let Frédéric quickly rule out off-target properties and focus viewings on serious candidates.
Are you being relocated to Paris and want to buy quickly? Contact our team to organise your search.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
01 How do you buy a flat in Paris quickly during a professional relocation?
A property hunter speeds up the search by going straight to available properties through professional networks. At Home Select, the average mission takes 45 days, and 4 weeks when run at speed, against about 6 months when searching alone. Having the mortgage file ready in advance is essential.
02 Should you buy or rent when arriving in Paris on a job transfer?
Buying makes sense if the transfer lasts at least 4 to 5 years and if the personal deposit represents at least 15% of the price. In the 11th arrondissement, prices per sqm have remained stable over 5 years, which secures a purchase even in the event of an early resale.
03 What is the actual timeframe between the first viewing and signing at the notary in Paris?
Between the first viewing and the signing of the final deed, you should allow 3 to 4 months: 1 to 4 weeks for the search, 10 days of cooling-off period after the preliminary agreement, then 2 to 3 months for obtaining the mortgage and lifting the conditions precedent.
04 How much was negotiated on this three-room flat in the 11th during the relocation?
On this mission Home Select negotiated a 62 sqm three-room flat on rue Oberkampf from 580,000 to 555,000 euros, a 25,000 euro saving (4.3%), at 8,952 euros per sqm. The decisive argument was not an aggressive discount but a tight timeline: the mortgage file completed in advance, a financing certificate presented from day one and a commitment to sign quickly, matching a seller who was himself relocating abroad. Home Select averages 6% negotiation and a 45-day average across its missions.
