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Buying property in Paris as a foreigner

Buying an apartment in Paris as a foreigner is straightforward: France places no restrictions on non-residents, and the whole purchase can be handled remotely. With a dedicated property hunter, Home Select completes the search in 45 days on average, against six months alone.

Describe your search
Buying property in Paris as a foreigner with Home Select
6%
average negotiation on the asking price
45 days
to find, on average
1,200+
buyers assisted since 2011
4.8/5
on Google (143 reviews)

Home Select has guided international buyers since 2011, with about 50% of its clients living abroad. One difference from the United States or the United Kingdom: in France the buyer pays the property hunter, not the seller. Home Select charges its fee only on success: nothing is due if no property is found.

Are there property hunters in Paris who speak English?

Yes. Home Select, a property hunter in Paris, has ten hunters who work in English, from the first call through to signing at the notary. Home Select also covers German, Spanish, Italian and Persian. An English-speaking buyer never has to bring their own translator or make sense of a French preliminary contract alone.

The English-speaking hunters on the team, with their working languages. Every profile is public: you know who will be handling your search before the first meeting.

  • The whole process in English

    Brief, viewing reports, negotiation case, review of the preliminary contract: documents and conversations happen in your language, legal points included.

  • The other professionals too

    Home Select works with notaires and mortgage brokers used to international files, able to explain a conditional clause or a financing plan in English.

  • Time zones accounted for

    Meetings set to your time zone, viewings streamed live on WhatsApp, FaceTime or Zoom, and written reports for those who cannot make the call.

  • A practice, not a claim

    Home Select has 50% of its clients living abroad: United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Emirates, Singapore. English is a daily working language here, not a listed option.

See the full team

Why a property hunter when you're buying from abroad

  • Off-market access

    Around 15% of Paris properties sell without ever being advertised online. Only a hunter based in the city can reach them on your behalf: Home Select relies on a network of 15,000 partner agents to do so.

  • The time difference

    In Paris, well-priced properties sell within 24 to 48 hours. From abroad you cannot react fast enough. Your hunter acts in real time on the ground.

  • Unable to visit

    Flying in for every viewing is not realistic. Your hunter visits, filters and sends a detailed video report for each shortlisted property.

  • Administrative complexity

    Preliminary contract (compromis), conditions precedent, notaire, diagnostics: the French framework is dense and unlike most countries. Home Select translates every step into plain English.

  • Financing for non-residents

    A French mortgage as a non-resident needs a tailored application and a 20 to 30% deposit. Home Select's partner brokers specialise in international profiles.

How to buy in Paris from abroad?

  1. Video viewings

    Live or recorded, with a complete tour of the property, the building and the neighbourhood.

  2. Detailed reports

    HD photos, video, a technical review of the property, the co-ownership accounts and a breakdown of the charges.

  3. Remote negotiation

    A reasoned offer, with price and terms negotiated on your behalf and no need to travel.

  4. Signing by proxy

    Preliminary contract and completion by proxy. Home Select coordinates with the notary and your lawyer.

  5. Specialist broker

    An introduction to brokers who specialise in non-resident financing and will sharpen your application.

  6. Refurbishment management

    If the property needs work, Home Select coordinates with architects and local contractors.

Top-floor living space in a Paris building with exposed beams and overhead light

What you handle, what Home Select handles

Buying from abroad does not mean handing everything over. Here is the real split on a typical search, and the four logistics points that come up in every conversation.

Home Select's side

  • Source on the public market and off-market: Home Select alerts its 15,000 partner agents
  • View every shortlisted property and film it with a detailed report
  • Analyse the co-ownership, service charges, energy rating and works needed
  • Draft the offer and run the negotiation: Home Select achieves 6% on average
  • Coordinate notary, broker and bank through to the signing of the deed

Your side

  • Set out the project and the budget at the first video meeting
  • Gather the documents the bank and the notary will ask for (list below)
  • Approve or rule out properties from the videos and viewing reports
  • Decide the offer price and how hard to negotiate
  • Sign, in person or by power of attorney

The logistics of buying remotely

  • Video meetings

    The first meeting, the progress reviews and the viewing debriefs all happen by video, in English or French. No travel is needed to start a search.

  • Power of attorney

    You can sign both the preliminary contract and the deed by notarised power of attorney, drawn up before a French notary, a consulate, or a local notary with an apostille. This is the route taken by most non-resident clients of Home Select.

  • The notary

    A notary is compulsory and works for the security of the transaction, not for either party. You may appoint your own: splitting the fee between two notaries costs the buyer nothing extra.

  • Banking

    A French bank account is not required in order to buy, but most lending banks ask for one in practice and it makes the transfers simpler. Non-resident lending exists, usually with a higher deposit.

The documents to prepare

Gathering these before you start saves two to three weeks. Banks and notaries require sworn translations for documents issued outside France.

  • Identity and status

    • Valid passport or national identity card
    • Proof of address less than three months old in your country of residence
    • Marriage certificate, prenuptial agreement or civil partnership where relevant

  • Income and assets

    • Last three payslips, or accounts if self-employed
    • Last two tax returns from the country where you are tax resident
    • Bank statements for the last three months
    • A statement of your savings and outstanding loans

  • For a mortgage

    • Employment contract or letter of employment
    • Proof of deposit and where it came from
    • Amortisation schedule for any existing loans
    • Sworn translations of documents issued abroad

The complete guide to buying from abroad

Two searches run remotely

Real searches, with the country of residence, the budget, the area, the timeline and the result.

  • British family based in London

    Country of residence
    United Kingdom
    Brief
    Main home, ready before the family arrived
    Property found
    4-room, 85 sqm with balcony, Grenelle (15th)
    Price
    €780,000, down from €820,000 asking
    Negotiation
    4.9%, a €40,000 saving
    Timeline
    9 weeks
    Viewings
    Filmed viewings, no trip before completion
    Read the full case study

  • Couple based in Singapore

    Country of residence
    Singapore
    Brief
    Long-term (wealth) purchase
    Property found
    2-room, 45 sqm, 10th arrondissement
    Price
    €395,000
    Negotiation
    5.9%, on a property sold with a sitting tenant
    Viewings
    Entirely remote, the couple never left Singapore

Our case studies of buyers living abroad

Which expats use a property hunter?

  • Returning from abroad

    Coming back to France and looking for your main home. Home Select gets ahead of your return.

  • Parisian pied-à-terre

    For your regular stays in Paris. Home Select focuses on neighbourhoods that suit a second home.

  • Buying for the long term

    A long-term (wealth) purchase in Paris, handled from abroad with full support.

  • Relocating to Paris

    Your company is sending you to Paris. Home Select finds your home before you arrive.

  • International buyers

    You are not French but want to buy in Paris. Full support in English from start to finish.

50%
expat clients
1,200+
buyers helped
10
English-speaking hunters
45 days
average search

The Paris market in 2026: what a foreign buyer should know

The median price in Paris stands at €9,800/sqm in 2026 (€10,300/sqm on average, DVF, 12 months to end of June 2026), ranging from about €8,100 to €14,400 depending on the arrondissement. Here are the price brackets in the areas most in demand among international buyers.

Area Price per sqm Neighbourhoods
6th arr. €14,000 - 16,000/sqm Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Luxembourg
7th arr. €12,000 - 15,000/sqm Invalides, Rue Cler, Gros-Caillou
8th arr. €11,000 - 13,000/sqm Golden Triangle, Champs-Élysées
16th arr. €11,000 - 14,000/sqm Trocadéro, Passy, Auteuil
9th arr. €10,000 - 12,000/sqm SoPi, Nouvelle Athènes

Sources: DVF/DGFiP, October 2026

Around 15% of Paris transactions happen off-market, with no online listing. Reaching these properties requires a hunter based in the city, which is decisive when you are buying from another time zone.

Home Select is featured in the 2026 comparison of property hunters for expatriates published by lepetitjournal.com, the reference outlet for French citizens living abroad. On the rules that apply to non-resident buyers, the reference source remains the French tax administration, whose International: an individual section is published on impots.gouv.fr; on the purchase process itself, the Notaires de France publish their property purchase guide.

Home Select fees: transparent and success-based

Rate
Home Select charges 2.5% of the net purchase price
Minimum
Home Select applies a €10,000 minimum incl. VAT
Terms
100% on success
First meeting
Free, no obligation

Unlike the United States, where the buyer's agent is paid by the seller, in France the buyer pays the property hunter. Home Select obtains 6% on average off the asking price, which usually more than covers the fee: on an €800,000 property, that is €48,000 saved against €20,000 in fees.

View full fee schedule

They bought from abroad

  • “Excellent service by great professionals. We dealt with Catherine Z who was extremely helpful, patient and professional. Being in NY we managed to find an apartment in Paris and do the whole purchasing process within 4 months which was quite an aggressive schedule. Home Select had all the right contacts to make everything happen remotely and very smoothly. We strongly recommend them, as Home Select accompany you all the way to the finish line until the keys are handed over.”

    Thibaut N.
    Google review, 2025

  • “A great experience with Home Select. Gwenaëlle's professionalism, availability and attentiveness allowed us to find an apartment in 2 months. Her support and advice were key and perfectly suited to an international search from Chicago. We highly recommend her services.”

    Stéphanie et Nicolas P.
    Google review, 2026

  • “We would like to thank Anne who, in a very short time, helped us find the apartment we were looking for. Despite the distance, as we live abroad, Anne was able to view properties for us and organise very targeted viewings during our trips to Paris. Her attentiveness to our project, her advice, her expertise and her motivation gave us complete satisfaction. Do not hesitate to contact her to find your future property”

    Jane W.
    Google review, 2022

See all client reviews

Go further

Buying remotely

Can an expat buy a Paris apartment remotely?

Yes: there is no nationality restriction on buying property in France, and French tax residency is not required. Home Select has 50% expat clients: bilingual French-English service, video visits, power of attorney to sign remotely, and a 2.5% fee paid only on success. Home Select finds the property in 45 days on average.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner buy property in Paris?
Yes, with no restrictions whatsoever. France places no conditions of nationality or residency on property ownership: you do not need a visa, a residence permit or French citizenship to own an apartment in Paris, and a non-resident buys under exactly the same conditions as a French resident. No extra tax or surcharge applies at purchase because you are foreign. The whole process can also be handled remotely, with live video viewings and signing by power of attorney. Home Select has around 50% of its clients living abroad when they buy, and completes the search in 45 days on average.
Who pays the property hunter in France, the buyer or the seller?
In France the buyer pays the property hunter, unlike the United States or the United Kingdom where the buyer's agent is typically paid by the seller. Home Select, a property hunter in Paris, charges 2.5% of the net purchase price (minimum €10,000 incl. VAT), only on success, and obtains a 6% average negotiation that usually more than offsets it.
Are there English-speaking property hunters in Paris?
Yes. Home Select, a property hunter in Paris, has ten property hunters who work in English, and the team also covers German, Spanish, Italian and Persian. The service runs in English from the first call through to signing at the notary: brief, viewing reports, negotiation case and review of the preliminary contract. Each hunter's languages are listed on their public profile on the team page. Home Select also works with notaires and mortgage brokers used to international files, able to explain a conditional clause in English.
Can an English-speaking buyer handle the whole purchase in English, deeds included?
The search, the negotiation and every explanation happen entirely in English. The notarial deeds themselves are drawn up in French: that is a requirement of French law, not a limit of Home Select. The notaire will provide a translation or read the deed with an interpreter if you ask, and your hunter walks you through every clause beforehand, so nothing is discovered on signing day.
Do I need to be a French tax resident to buy?
No. Non-residents are fully entitled to buy in France. The tax that applies to your purchase and any future rental income depends on the tax treaty between France and your country of residence; Home Select connects you with bilingual notaires and tax advisers so nothing is left unclear.
How do I arrange a mortgage as a non-resident?
Several French banks lend to non-residents, typically with a 20 to 30% deposit and a debt ratio capped at 35% of income. Foreign-currency earnings are accepted with a discount. Secure an agreement in principle before the active search; Home Select's specialist broker partners sharpen international applications.
Can I buy without travelling to Paris?
Yes, and many Home Select clients do. Between live video viewings, detailed written reports and signing by proxy (procuration) at the notaire, both the preliminary contract (compromis de vente) and the final deed (acte authentique) can be completed entirely from abroad.
How do I buy in Paris from Geneva or elsewhere in Switzerland?
Exactly as from any other country, with one advantage: the time zone is the same, so live video viewings happen during your office hours. No restriction applies to Swiss residents, and the whole purchase runs remotely: mandate signed electronically, filmed viewings, offer, preliminary contract and final deed by power of attorney. French banks lend to non-residents with a 20 to 30% deposit, Swiss-franc income being counted with a discount. Home Select counts Switzerland among the top countries of its international client base and completes the search for these buyers in 45 days on average, as it did for a couple based in Switzerland whom Home Select assisted with a pied-à-terre in the 6th arrondissement.
What are the real costs of buying in Paris as a foreigner?
No cost is added because of nationality. Plan for the purchase price, notaire fees of 7 to 8% on an existing property (including 5.81% transfer duties) and a property hunter fee of 2.5% (minimum €10,000 incl. VAT, only on success). On an €800,000 flat that is roughly €60,000 in notaire fees and €20,000 for the hunter.
Will I pay French wealth tax on a Paris apartment?
Only above a threshold. The impôt sur la fortune immobilière (IFI) is charged to non-residents on their French real estate once its net taxable value passes €1.3 million, on a sliding scale beyond that, with outstanding mortgage debt deductible from the base. It looks at your French property alone, not at your worldwide wealth, so a single apartment valued below that threshold falls outside it. On a prime Paris purchase the question is worth settling before you sign rather than after: Home Select introduces you to bilingual tax advisers at the start of the search.
What tax will I pay when I sell my Paris apartment?
French capital gains tax applies to any property that is not your main residence: 19% income tax plus 17.2% social levies on the gain. Taper relief reduces both the longer you hold, clearing the income tax after 22 years and the social levies after 30. Sellers resident in the EEA, the United Kingdom or Switzerland pay a reduced 7.5% solidarity levy in place of the 17.2%; residents of the United States do not qualify for that reduction. The France to United States tax treaty then relieves double taxation through a foreign tax credit, which is your own adviser's territory rather than Home Select's.
Can I let my Paris apartment short-term when I am not using it?
Not freely, and this is the assumption that catches foreign buyers out most often. In Paris, short-stay letting is capped at 90 nights a year when the property is your main residence (Le Meur law, since 1 January 2025). For a second home, Paris requires a change-of-use authorisation granted against commercial compensation, which in practice puts it beyond reach for most individual owners. Conventional letting, furnished or unfurnished, carries no such limit. Say at the brief how the home will be used between your stays: it changes which buildings and which arrondissements are worth visiting.
How do I transfer the funds from abroad?
The money goes through the notaire's escrow account, which requires it to come from an account in the buyer's own name, with a traceable origin. Two things decide what the transfer really costs you. Timing: an international wire takes several working days and has to be started well before completion day, or signing is pushed back. Exchange rate: on a Paris purchase, the gap between a high-street bank's rate and a currency transfer specialist's runs into thousands of euros. Home Select introduces you to its currency transfer, financing and tax partners, chosen for their experience of international files.
Find your apartment

  • Paris buyer's guide

    The eight steps to buy in Paris, from financing to the notaire, explained for foreign buyers.

  • Searching on your behalf

    Who can run the search for you, what each option can do, and what it costs.

  • English-speaking buyer's agent

    Six verifiable checks to run on any Paris firm before you sign a search mandate.

  • Home Select fees

    Home Select charges 2.5% of the net purchase price, paid only on success. A transparent fee structure.

  • Contact Home Select

    Describe your project to Home Select: your dedicated bilingual hunter calls you back within 24 hours.

  • The Home Select France library

    Buying elsewhere in France from abroad: financing, tax, buying remotely, one shelf per theme.

Read more about buying from abroad

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Your project starts here

A 30-minute conversation about your search. First call free, no commitment. Home Select has 16 property hunters ready to find your home in Paris.

Home Select, property hunter in Paris since 2011.

Describe your search See the fees
Parisian Haussmann interior

Who writes this page

Home Select, a buyer’s agent in Paris, was founded in 2011 by Jean Mascla. Home Select has 16 hunters covering Paris and the Paris region, working for buyers only. The figures quoted on this page come from the 1,200+ searches Home Select has completed since 2011 and from public French land registry (DVF) data.

Verifiable credentials

  • Professional licence CPI 7501 2018 000 028 939 (CCI Paris Île-de-France)
  • Company registration SIREN 531223931 (RCS Paris 531 223 931)
  • Professional indemnity Suffren Assurances Associés
  • Membership Member of the FCI (French federation of property hunters)
  • Press coverage 20 Minutes (first in its top 5 Paris apartment hunters), Le Petit Journal, L'Essentiel de l'Éco
More about Home Select
Jean Mascla

Content reviewed by , Founder of Home Select, property hunter in Paris since 2011, and updated on .