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The French Property Hunters Federation

Home Select is a member of the French Property Hunters Federation (FCI), the leading professional body governing the property hunter profession in France. Membership commits Home Select to a strict ethical charter covering transparency, the exclusive defence of the buyer, professional competence and confidentiality.

Describe your search
Carved entrance door of a Haussmann building in Paris
6%
average negotiation on the asking price
45 days
to find, on average
1,200+
buyers assisted since 2011
4.8/5
on Google (140 reviews)

Since it was founded in 2011, Home Select has placed ethics and high standards at the heart of every search, and its FCI membership is the concrete proof. A property hunter is the French equivalent of a buyer's agent: mandated and paid by the buyer alone, on success (see the page English-speaking buyer's agent in Paris).

What is the FCI?

The French Property Hunters Federation (FCI) is the professional organisation that brings together certified property hunters in France. Created to structure and professionalise a fast-growing profession, the FCI holds its members to a rigorous ethical charter. It guarantees buyers that the property hunter at their side follows precise rules on transparency, competence and independence. In 2026, the FCI gathers the most recognised firms in the sector and is the main point of reference for anyone looking for a trustworthy property hunter in Paris or the Ile-de-France.

  • Define and enforce an ethical charter shared by all members
  • Establish measurable quality standards to guarantee a consistent service
  • Represent the profession before public authorities and property bodies
  • Facilitate exchanges between members, particularly access to off-market properties
  • Organise continuing training for member property hunters
  • Monitor legal and regulatory developments for the benefit of the profession
  • Promote public recognition of the property hunter profession

A concrete commitment: Home Select is an active member of the FCI and has 16 property hunters who apply the profession's standards and help raise its profile. Day to day, this involvement translates into a level of quality that goes beyond the regulatory obligations: every search is conducted according to the principles of the FCI charter, from the first meeting to the signing at the notaire's office.

Why choose an FCI hunter?

An FCI hunter

  • Is bound by an ethical charter overseen by their peers
  • Meets defined quality standards that are regularly audited
  • Has access to the FCI off-market network for exclusive properties
  • Trains continuously on legal developments and the market
  • Guarantees the exclusive defence of the buyer's interests
  • Holds a verified professional card and professional liability insurance

A non-FCI hunter

  • No ethical charter imposed or verified
  • Variable service quality with no external oversight
  • A more limited professional network, with no shared off-market access
  • No peer review and no disciplinary commission
  • Risk of a double mandate (representing seller and buyer at the same time)
  • Legal guarantees that are sometimes incomplete or hard to verify

Home Select's six quality commitments

  • Complete transparency

    Home Select states its fees of 2.5% of the net purchase price (minimum €10,000 incl. VAT) from the very first conversation. You receive detailed reporting at every stage: properties analysed, viewings carried out, market feedback and the progress of the negotiation.

  • Exclusive defence of the buyer

    Never double-hatted: Home Select represents your interests alone, never the seller's. This independence sits at the heart of the FCI charter and guarantees that every piece of advice, every negotiation, serves your interest only.

  • Professional competence

    Home Select puts its 16 property hunters through a continuing training programme covering property law, town planning, taxation and the technical analysis of properties. This standard of competence, written into the FCI charter, ensures expert guidance at every stage of your project.

  • Confidentiality

    Your personal, financial and wealth information is strictly protected. No data is shared with third parties without your explicit consent. This duty of confidentiality, reinforced by the FCI charter, applies during and after the search.

  • Objective advice

    Home Select will advise you against a property if Home Select believes it does not match your criteria, hides a defect or is overpriced. Home Select's role is to protect you, not to close a transaction at any cost.

  • Insurance and guarantees

    Professional liability insurance and the professional 'T' card issued by the CCI, with no client funds held: the purchase money never passes through Home Select, it goes straight to the notaire. Every legal protection is in place. These guarantees, verified on joining the FCI, cover the search from start to finish.

Parisian Haussmann facade with wrought-iron balconies and arched windows

Home Select's legal guarantees

  • Professional card

    "T" card issued by the CCI, renewed every 3 years, certifying the right to practise as a property intermediary

  • No client funds held

    Home Select receives no client funds: the purchase money goes straight to the notaire, which exempts Home Select from the financial guarantee under the Hoguet law

  • Professional liability

    Professional liability insurance covering every search, advisory and negotiation assignment

The guarantee

What is the FCI and what does it guarantee?

The FCI (French federation of property hunters) brings together licensed hunters bound by a code of ethics, a professional licence and insurance. Home Select is a member: professional licence (carte T) no. CPI 7501 2018 000 028 939 issued by the Paris CCI, up-to-date professional liability insurance, 100% success-based fees since 2011.

Frequently asked questions

How can I verify that a hunter is an FCI member?
You can consult the member directory published by the French Property Hunters Federation. You can also ask the hunter directly for their FCI membership card, which is renewed each year. Finally, do check that Home Select holds a valid professional 'T' card, professional liability insurance and, if it holds client funds, a financial guarantee: these are compulsory prerequisites for joining the FCI.
What if a hunter does not abide by the charter?
The FCI has a disciplinary commission made up of independent professionals. Any breach of the charter can be reported by a client or by a fellow member. The commission examines the facts, hears the parties and can impose sanctions ranging from a warning to permanent exclusion. This internal oversight mechanism is one of the main advantages of engaging an FCI-certified property hunter.
Is a non-FCI hunter necessarily a poor choice?
Not necessarily. Some competent professionals have not yet joined the federation. FCI membership is nonetheless a verifiable mark of seriousness: the hunter has voluntarily chosen to commit to an ethical charter, to submit to peer review and to meet defined quality standards. For a buyer, it is an objective selection criterion that considerably limits the risks.
What are the fees of an FCI property hunter such as Home Select?
Home Select, a property hunter in Paris, charges 2.5% of the net purchase price, with a minimum of €10,000 incl. VAT. They are due only on success, that is when the final deed is signed at the notaire's office. Nothing is charged upfront. This transparent pricing policy complies with the requirements of the FCI charter, which insists that fees be stated clearly from the first contact.
Does Home Select train new hunters?
Yes. Home Select regularly trains new property hunters in house, in line with FCI standards. The training path covers in-depth knowledge of the Paris market, search and negotiation techniques, the legal framework of property transactions and professional ethics. Thanks to this rigorous training, Home Select maintains, with a team of 16 hunters, a consistent level of service and a 4.8/5 Google rating.
How does the FCI differ from other property organisations?
The FCI (French Property Hunters Federation) stands apart from other organisations in the sector through its exclusive focus on the property hunter profession. Unlike generalist bodies that bring together estate agents, property managers and developers, the FCI concentrates on defending the buyer's interests. Its members undertake never to represent the seller, which removes any conflict of interest. This makes the FCI the reference body for anyone looking for a certified property hunter in Paris.
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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 .