Apartment hunting in Paris's 11th arrondissement: a family story

An apartment that had become too small

Lea and Tristan had been living on Rue Oberkampf for several years. Both in their thirties and working full-time, they shared a 50 sqm flat with their two children: Lou, aged two, and Noe, barely three weeks old. Three rooms, a double pushchair in the hallway, toys everywhere, not a square metre to spare. The situation was no longer sustainable.

Both travelled regularly for work. Spending their rare free moments trawling listings, attending viewings, and chasing up estate agents was simply not an option. They decided to hand the search over to a property hunter.

The brief

Sophie Riviere, property hunter at Home Select, took on the case on 18 May 2019. The brief was precise:

• Approximately 90 sqm, three bedrooms
• Large living room with open-plan kitchen
• Period building, bright, quiet setting
• Lift above the second floor
• Ground-floor storage for the pushchair
• Area: between Republique and Faidherbe-Chaligny
• Budget: 1,300,000 euros, with some flexibility

Lea and Tristan knew their neighbourhood inside out. They wanted to stay in the 11th, close to Lou’s school and their daily routines. The geographic constraint was tight, but Sophie knew the area thoroughly.

The first weeks

Early viewings were disappointing. Properties rarely matched the brief: inflated floor areas, major renovations not factored into the budget, dark courtyards, no lift. Sophie filtered upstream, only presenting properties that genuinely warranted a visit.

In three weeks, Sophie had visited around fifteen apartments. Only two were presented to the couple.

The disappointment on Rue Saint-Pierre Amelot

On 12 June, Sophie identified a promising property on Rue Saint-Pierre Amelot. Good floor, generous volumes, south-facing, light renovation needed. Lea and Tristan visited, were enthusiastic, and made an offer at asking price without negotiating.

They were in competition. The sellers, also a couple, had crossed paths with other buyers during a viewing and felt a personal connection. Lea and Tristan’s offer was set aside in favour of those buyers.

This is the reality of the Paris market: sometimes, price alone is not enough. Human chemistry plays a role that nobody controls. Sophie knew this. She warned the couple that these situations happen, that they needed to absorb the blow and keep going.

Three quiet months followed. Summer slowed the market. Nothing suitable came up. Lea and Tristan began to doubt.

Square Gardette

On 14 September, Sophie spotted an apartment on Square Gardette, just a few streets from their current home. She visited alone first, as always.

105 sqm. A through living room with four windows overlooking the tree-lined square. A 15 sqm kitchen opening onto the lounge. Three large bedrooms on the quiet street side. Original parquet, mouldings, period fireplace. Ground-floor storage for the pushchair and bikes. Third floor with lift.

Sophie called Lea immediately. The couple visited the next day. Walking into the living room, Lea looked at Tristan. No words needed.

Negotiation and complications

The couple made an offer slightly below the asking price. Accepted.

But the transaction hit bumps. A dispute over cellar ownership delayed exchanges between notaries. The sellers requested an extended occupancy period after signing. The agency brokered a financial compromise that satisfied both parties.

The preliminary contract was signed two weeks after the offer. The final signing at the notary’s office took place six months later, the following spring. Lea and Tristan used the delay to plan some light renovation work.

What this mission illustrates

This search sums up what we experience daily at Home Select. A tight market, properties that sell fast, disappointments to absorb, and ultimately the right opportunity appearing because you are ready, reactive, and well supported.

Sophie visited over twenty apartments to present just three to Lea and Tristan. That is the invisible work of a property hunter: filtering, comparing, protecting clients’ time and energy.

Today, Lou and Noe each have their own bedroom. The double pushchair is stored on the ground floor. And from the living room windows, you can see the trees of Square Gardette.