Finding the Right Apartment Requires Someone on the Ground
Updated: Sep 1
Here's how we know! We’ve had two real life experiences recently, with different outcomes completely. For one, the perfect apartment came on the market with a quiet listing that we wouldn’t have known about if it hadn’t been for our relationship with the realtor. We jumped on it, saw it before anyone else, and our clients’ offer was accepted before any others could come in.
Another client was about to buy an apartment when they asked us to visit it, just as a precautionary measure. We did and we found that the listing was accurate and the inside of the apartment met all of their expectations. However, what didn’t show up on the listing was the street, the building and the immediate neighborhood – which were a different matter. When they saw the video they decided not to pursue it. And we know they made the right choice.
Buying a Paris apartment from overseas often requires two things at once: speed and judgment. You need someone on the ground who can get there quickly, and who knows what to look for once inside. Why?
1. The best apartments may not wait
A desirable apartment can receive interest immediately, sometimes before it is publicly listed. Waiting until your next trip to Paris may mean missing it altogether. (This happened to Ann several times, when she was trying to buy her first Paris apartment long distance.)
Someone local can arrange a visit quickly, ask the initial questions and help you decide whether it deserves serious consideration.
2. Not every apartment makes it onto the websites
Paris real estate still runs heavily on relationships. Agents and property finders often share apartments with trusted contacts before advertising them more broadly.
Being connected to the right people doesn’t guarantee access, but it can mean hearing about a promising apartment earlier.
In our case, we work with a network of the best real estate agents, and a wonderful buyer’s agent, who has helped many of our clients buy their dream apartment and whose contact we are happy to share.
3. Listing photographs tell only part of the story
Wide-angle photographs can make rooms appear larger and brighter. They rarely show what is directly outside each window, how overlooked the apartment is, the condition of the common areas or the building next door.
We could show you lots of examples but would probably get into trouble! But we look at the entire picture, not just the prettiest room.
4. You need to see every view, not just “the view”
What can you see from the living room, bedrooms, kitchen and bathrooms? Is there open sky? Or is there a wall three metres away? Are you looking into another apartment? Does the courtyard feel peaceful or dark and enclosed?
These details affect how an apartment feels every day and are almost never fully represented in a listing.
5. The building matters almost as much as the apartment
We look at the entrance, stairwell, elevator, courtyard and general condition of the building. We notice signs of deferred maintenance and ask about upcoming building works, copropriété restrictions and anything else that could affect the renovation or future cost of ownership.
This is not a technical inspection, but it can reveal questions that need proper investigation before you proceed.
6. A beautiful address can still be on the wrong block
The neighborhood description may sound perfect but the individual block can make all the difference. The apartment itself may be close to a noisy café, school entrance, delivery bay, construction site or less appealing stretch of an otherwise desirable street. Think of our clients who almost bought the wrong apartment.
We look at what is actually around the apartment; and whether the immediate surroundings suit the way you want to live. In fact, more often than not, it’s the neighborhood the kills the deal – and it’s not something you’d know from the pretty pictures of the inside.
7. Someone needs to recognize the potential
An awkward floor plan, dated kitchen or badly placed bathroom can make a good apartment easy to dismiss. Sometimes those problems can be solved beautifully; sometimes they can’t be, or at a cost that makes the purchase far less attractive.
Not only do we look beyond these awkward layouts (and we have seen plenty) but we assess the apartment through the eyes of designers and renovators, not salespeople.
8. You need a realistic sense of what comes next
Could the kitchen be moved? Is a second bathroom realistic? Where could air-conditioning go? Can the circulation be improved? What original details are worth saving?
We can identify the possibilities, the likely constraints and the questions that need to be answered before you commit.
9. A video call is very different from a listing video
During a live visit, we can walk you through the apartment slowly, revisit rooms, show you the ceilings, windows and less flattering corners, and answer your questions in real time.
The goal is not to persuade you. It is to help you feel as though you have truly seen it. We’ve been told over and again that our video calls are the most helpful tool.
10. Sometimes the best answer is a no
We have helped clients move quickly on apartments they ultimately bought. We have also advised clients not to buy because of the building, neighborhood, layout, renovation limitations or hidden costs.
Avoiding the wrong apartment can save far more than the cost of an evaluation.
How can we help?
We offer a Pre-Purchase Apartment Visit
If you find a Paris apartment that interests you, our team can visit it on your behalf and give you an independent, design- and renovation-focused assessment.
We can:
Arrange and attend the viewing
Walk you through the apartment by live video
Assess its layout and renovation potential
Look at the building and immediate surroundings
Show you the views and conditions from every window
Identify questions, concerns and likely limitations
Give you our candid opinion about whether it merits purspursuing
We are not real estate agents, technical inspectors or notaires, and we do not sell property or receive a commission on the purchase. We are simply there to help you see more clearly, ask better questions and make a more informed decision.
We know from experience that the right Parisian apartment may require you to move quickly -- which doesn’t mean you should move blindly. With someone knowledgeable on the ground, you can respond sooner, see what the listing doesn’t show and decide with far more confidence whether the answer is yes or no.
Found an apartment you’re considering? Send us the listing, and we’ll let you know how quickly we can see it. Paris@huffharrington.com
Comments