Denis, a young retiree from the finance world, had been living in a serviced apartment for 3 years after selling his house in Bourg-la-Reine. Local estate agencies found him nothing. In the end, an agent recommended Marie Esmieu-Fournel, property hunter at Home Select. The result: a fully renovated four-room flat in Sceaux, found in 3 months, with a 6,000 euro negotiation, the whole search begun during the Covid lockdown.
Mission summary
- Property hunter: Marie Esmieu-Fournel
- Area: Bourg-la-Reine, Sceaux (Hauts-de-Seine)
- Property type: Four-room flat, renovated, 3rd floor, balcony-terrace, parking
- Search duration: 3 months (May to July, during and after lockdown)
- Negotiation: -6,000 euros
- Financing: cash, no loan condition precedent
- Buyer profile: Retiree, grown-up children, referred by an estate agent
The context: 3 years of dead ends
Denis had sold his large family house in Bourg-la-Reine a few years earlier. His children had grown up, and he was now on his own. He focused his search within a very tight perimeter: Bourg-la-Reine, 10 minutes maximum from his serviced apartment.
He registered with several estate agencies. Offers were rare and ill-suited. Three years passed. Denis was still in his serviced apartment, his furniture in storage.
One day an estate agent, aware that his portfolio held nothing that matched, pointed him to Marie Esmieu-Fournel at Home Select.
A mandate signed during lockdown
Marie and Denis never met in person: France was in lockdown. The mandate was signed in May 2020, as the first outings were being permitted. Everything was done by phone.
Denis’s criteria were precise: a house or flat with 3 bedrooms, a main living area of at least 50 m² (implying a total surface of 120 to 150 m²), perfectly quiet, within 10 minutes of his serviced apartment, with parking. Renovation accepted. The budget matched these requirements.
The difficulty: a tiny search perimeter
Bourg-la-Reine is a small municipality. The centre is home to an RER station that generates noise, and quiet was an absolute condition for Denis. Properties near the station were eliminated immediately. Those further away were rare and went quickly.
Marie set up alerts and put her local network to work to reach off-market properties. When lockdown lifted, she put several options to Denis. He was exacting: too far, too close, too noisy. He agreed to widen the search to Sceaux, on the Bourg-la-Reine side.
The property: a renovated four-room flat in Sceaux
One July morning, an alert flagged a freshly listed flat in Sceaux. Marie called the agency: the property had come back on the market after the previous buyer’s loan was refused, having first been sold off-market.
The flat was on the 3rd floor of a 1970s co-ownership of small buildings with gardens. Renovated from floor to ceiling: three bedrooms, a 49 m² living room, balcony-terrace, new electrics, automated shutters, soundproofing, fitted kitchen, parking. A perfect profile for a buyer who wanted to move in at once.
Marie slotted the viewing between two appointments to avoid losing a day. Denis was convinced within 30 minutes.
The negotiation and Marie’s vigilance
Denis tried a modest negotiation of 6,000 euros. Marie pointed out the risk of losing the property to other viewings booked for the next day, but the price was in line with the renovation work done. The offer was accepted the same day.
Marie’s support then proved crucial in dealing with a pushy estate agency.
The agency pushed Denis to use the seller’s notaire. Marie opposed this and provided an independent contact. The agency refused to organise a second viewing before the preliminary contract. Marie insisted and secured it: 1 hour 30 minutes for Denis to confirm his choice. Before the final signing in August, the agency was closed and had not arranged the pre-completion inspection. Marie emailed the notaire, copying Denis, and secured access to the flat within minutes.
What this mission illustrates
The property hunter does what the agency does not. The agencies in Bourg-la-Reine never found a property for Denis in 3 years. Marie found one in 3 months. The difference: the hunter works exclusively for the buyer, covers the entire market, and is not limited to their own portfolio.
Support goes beyond the search. Independent notaire, imposed inspection visit, pressure on a failing agency: Marie protected Denis’s interests at every stage. This is the invisible added value of the property hunting profession.
Estate agents recommend good property hunters. It was an agent, aware of his limitations, who directed Denis to Home Select. The two professions complement each other.
Looking for a property in Hauts-de-Seine? Entrust your search to our property hunters: 1,200+ buyers assisted since 2011.
Frequently asked questions
Can an estate agent recommend a property hunter?
Yes, it happens more often than you might think. When an estate agent realises that a buyer cannot find what they are looking for in their portfolio, they may refer them to a property hunter who will search the entire market. The two professions are complementary: the agent represents the seller, the hunter represents the buyer.
Can you buy a flat without a loan condition precedent?
Yes, if the buyer pays in cash without taking out a mortgage. This is common among retirees who finance the purchase with proceeds from the sale of their previous property. The absence of a loan condition precedent makes the offer more attractive to the seller, as it eliminates the risk of financing falling through.
Why is it important to have your own notaire when buying property?
The seller's notaire protects the seller's interests. Having your own notaire ensures an independent review of the file: verification of the co-ownership, easements, diagnostics and clauses of the preliminary contract. The two notaires share the fees at no extra cost to the buyer. At Home Select, we systematically recommend that our clients choose their own notaire.
Why does a property hunter find a property the agencies could not?
An estate agency offers its own portfolio of properties and represents the seller. A property hunter works exclusively for the buyer and covers the entire market, including off-market. Denis had searched for three years through several agencies in Bourg-la-Reine with no result. Marie Esmieu-Fournel, at Home Select, found a fully renovated four-bedroom flat in Sceaux in three months, then protected Denis's interests by insisting on an independent notaire and a second viewing before the preliminary contract.
