Property hunter in Paris

Paris has 1.1 million homes for 2.1 million residents. Each year, only 3% of the housing stock changes hands. Competition among buyers is fierce, especially in the most sought-after arrondissements: the 6th (Saint-Germain-des-Prés), the 7th (around the Eiffel Tower), the 16th (Trocadéro) and the Marais. Without access to the professional network, a buyer sees only a fraction of what is actually on the market.

A professional property hunter has a network of partners: estate agents, notaries, managing agents, building concierges and property developers. At Home Select, that network amounts to 15,000 active contacts who send us more than 100 off-market properties every day. It is this sourcing power that allows us to find the right apartment in 45 days on average, against six to nine months for a search undertaken alone.

Beyond the search itself, the property hunter handles the negotiation (a 6% average saving on the asking price), the technical due diligence (surveys, general meeting minutes, a health check on the co-ownership) and the support all the way to completion at the notary's office. It is a complete service, from the first brief to the handover of the keys.

For international buyers, two points are worth knowing. France places no restrictions on foreign or non-resident buyers. And unlike the United States or the United Kingdom, where the buyer's agent is paid by the seller, in France the buyer pays the property hunter: at Home Select, 2.5% of the price (minimum €10,000 incl. VAT), charged only on a successful purchase.