Buying

Purchase step 1: Search and find

Together we find your dream property. This sounds easy ... but it is not. It all starts with your wishes. You may already have a good idea about what you want. Or you do not know exactly what you want. In practice we often have to find that out together. And secondly, you are not the only one ... because all other buyers will eyeball that one apartment that you are looking for. Good quality real estate in Paris disappears from the market in a heartbeat. By hiring ParisScarabee Househunters you ensure that you get what you are looking for.

We start with a free intake interview during which we explore the possibilities. We discuss your wishes and your budget, and whether and how these two correspond to the options in Paris. If our approach appeals to you and you do indeed want our assistance in finding and buying a property in Paris, we will draft a tailor-made agreement. It describes our services in more detail. In it, we will also define your search criteria and our remuneration.

What type of home are you really looking for?

Then we go for it! During an intensive first viewing day, we will visit a selection of apartments in Paris that are likely meet your criteria. In order to come to that selection, we have first identified a larger number of potentially suitable apartments out of the available offer. For each of those properties on sale, we have called the broker or the owner. We got more information and drilled further down, to narrow the selection to properties that could really match your requirements.

During your first viewing day in Paris you get to visit the resulting selection. We get you there in the right place and time and we do all the visits with you. You only have to appear fresh at the start in Paris. Depending on the offer and your wishes, we will then see 6 up to sometimes 12 apartments per day. We might find your dream apartment on this first day. But often, after the first time, some adjustments are necessary, for example because you have come to appreciate certain neighborhoods better than others, or because you like other types of apartments than you initially though.

We plan three of these intensive viewing days, spread over time. If after three viewing days we have not found anything that fits your wishes and budget, we will evaluate why that is the case. Then we decide what the next steps are. Sometimes it's just a matter of not having enough supply in the real estate market at the right time or at the right price. Then we continue our search as we were briefed. But you may also want to adjust your search criteria based on the offer and your recent experiences.

Seen a nice property? Make an offer now!

We are present at every viewing. We ask the right questions and pay attention to the important issues. Because the seller or his broker often speak little or no English, we usually do that in French. If we view an apartment which is very worthwhile, and you could not be there yourself, then we ask you to come over to Paris as quickly as possible after we visited it on your behalf. We are of the opinion that it is essential that you yourself have seen an apartment before you buy it.

As soon as we found a flat that really makes you tick, we help you make an offer. That usually has to be on the spot and in French, because good apartments sell quickly in Paris.

Moreover....

You will quickly develop your French language skills … but beware: the real estate world in Paris has its very own jargon. Look here for examples of this Parisian "real estate secret language".

Purchase step 2: bidding, negotiating and buying

Negotiating with a French seller or a broker from Paris, knowing what the right price is, knowing what your rights and obligations are, getting the contractual clauses understood and drafted as they should... and that mostly and largely in French ... it seems difficult, but with us, you will succeed. Together with you we determine the right price and the best negotiation strategy towards the seller or his broker. Negotiations are usually in French ... and often by telephone. We ensure that your bid is clear, univocal and properly written. And thanks to our involvement, the seller doesn’t have to fear for any additional barriers he might otherwise encounter with a non-French buyer. If there is room for price negotiations, we will find it. But, in Parisian real estate, one sometimes simply has to bid the asking price. Thanks to our many years of experience and our entry points into the Parisian housing market, we know what a fair asking price is. And we know when to be bold and when to be humble.

Link with notary and broker

We can put you in touch with a good and reliable Parisian notary. But if you already have one, we can also work with your preferred notary.

Where necessary, we verbally translate and explain all French documents for you. If you wish, you can authorize us to sign on your behalf so that you do not have to come to Paris for the formalities. On your behalf, we are in close contact with the notary and the seller or his broker.

Purchase step 3: Getting your flat ready to live in

You need water, gas and / or electricity. You want connections to telephone, cable and internet ... in short, you need everything to get your daily life in Paris up and running. These things all work slightly differently in Paris than in most other countries. What to think of a home and house insurance policy? On the day that you sign the deed of purchase, you must already be able to prove that your home in Paris is well insured - with an insurance in France. Because it is usually an apartment, you will be confronted with the Parisian version of an Owners' Association. We help you to find your way through that and ensure that you are registered and receive the necessary codes and data. Sometimes there is a concierge who you need to get to know. Or there are neighbors with whom you want to discuss something. How about television, telecom and internet connections? And you might find it useful to open a French bank account. We tell you exactly how you can smoothly approach these new challenges of living in Paris.

Purchase step 4: practical questions afterwards

Even after you have moved into your apartment in Paris, unfamiliar questions can arise. The first time you receive a tax assessment at your Paris address for property taxes (taxe foncière and taxe d’habitation). What should you do with those forms? Or you want to ask the insurance company a question in French. We will continue to answer these and many other questions for you long after you first received the keys to your Paris apartment.