It’s the end of summer in Paris.
There is a long line of us overflowing on the sidewalk, clutching overfilled manila envelopes: fresh-faced students with their parents, young couples holding hands, but also professionals in neat-cut suits and gen-Xers who look like they’d rather be anywhere but here.
Passersby exchange amused looks tinted with pity. And relief. They’ve been there before, and they are glad they are not anymore. Tourists look intrigued, some stop to ask what we are waiting for.
Is a celebrity going to step out the unassuming front door?
Some exclusive event maybe?
Parisians don’t ask, they know: we are waiting to visit an apartment, a 120 square feet studio on the 6th floor without elevator, and we want it bad.
Finding An Apartment In Paris: What Locals Know
Ask anyone who has been through the process: finding an apartment in Paris is daunting. It is a time consuming, financially (and sometimes emotionally) draining process.
If you go through the traditional roads, you can count on a good couple of weeks of intense apartment hunting. Your dream of a quaint apartment Ratatouille-style with a sprawling view of Paris’ grey roofs is one that’s hard to come by. Paris is densely populated, with a limited amount of apartment openings, and competition is fierce.
Between the constant flow of students, young and less young professionals doing an internship or starting a new job in Paris, there is always a high demand for smaller (and somewhat more affordable) studios and chambres de bonnes (maid’s rooms).
The beginning of the school year (from August to October) is usually the most difficult time to find an apartment, while June and July can be a bit easier as a lot of people move during the holidays. That said, here are our best tips for finding for an apartment in Paris.
What To Expect
Unless you are one of the lucky few to have access to seemingly unlimited funds, Parisian apartments will offer you a crash course in minimalism. Marie Kondo was born to be a student or young professional in Paris.
Apartments are often smaller than what you are used to unless you live in a city like New York or San Francisco, and, due to the age of most buildings, rarely have an elevator. Most of the smaller apartments are located on the 6th or 7th floor in what used to be housing for maids and valets. Some do not have access to the main core of the building and can only be accessed through a (steep) smaller staircase. If you have difficulties using stairs, that’s something to keep in mind.
Since those were usually single rooms, turning them into full livable spaces has been a creative exercise for landlords. Kitchens are reduced a sink, two heating plates and a bar-sized fridge. Bedrooms often only have room for a single bed and closet space is reductive at best. Bathrooms are an interesting arrangement of the tiniest walk-in showers you will ever see and toilets, maybe, unless those have been relocated to the (shared) hallway.
How To Build A Dossier
During your apartment hunting days, your most prized possession will be your dossier (or file), that manila envelope I was referring to earlier. It is your sesame to open the doors of the apartment you are longing for. One advice: print a good dozen of them organized neatly by your front door ready to go, as well as an electronic version you can send easily. Given the number of requests apartment owners receive, their requirements are high.
The toughest one to come by is that you must earn 3 to 4 times the rent amount and be able to prove it. The average monthly rent in Paris is around 800 euros for a studio or 1200 euros for a 1 bedroom apartment. If you do not earn that amount, you will need a guarantor preferably living in France or potentially in the European Union. Amongst the extensive list of documents required to be eligible, you will need:
> IDs for you and your guarant (guarantor) if necessary, including your residency permit.
> Any work-related document (if you are working), including your contract, last 3 salary stubs, and so on to show the owner that you can pay your rent.
> If you are a student, a copy of your student card.
> A receipt for the last 3 rent payments, or a letter from your previous landlord stipulating that you paid your rent in time and in full.
> Some people like to include a cover letter to explain who they are and that they will take care of the apartment. If your profile is not typical (if you are a foreigner for example), it is not a bad idea.
> A RIB, or bank account details that your bank should be able to provide you.
Since some of those documents can be difficult to access from abroad and might ensue some delays, I would strongly suggest investigating what you need to build your dossier before you leave your country of origin.
A good dossier is unfortunately not the guarantee that you will get that one apartment you fell in love with since a lot of other candidates will likely have good dossiers too. But it’s one step in the right direction.
Where To Look For An Apartment
Once you have your file in hand, clear up your schedule and start looking. The most popular way to find an apartment in Paris is directly from the landlord since you will avoid paying a hefty agency fee. The main websites include PAP and Le Bon Coin. However, you will not have any protection in case of an issue with the owner.
Working with a real estate company can protect you from having to advocate directly if you have a problem with the apartment. Apartment hunting can also be slightly less intensive if you go directly through a real estate agency. Seloger.com is one of the biggest websites that can give you access to real estate ads.
If you are open to sharing your apartment, a good source is Appartager. You can also find roommates who are specifically looking for a foreign roommate on Room4Talk. Since a lot of landlords are opposed to apartment sharing, it is often easier to find one that is already established rather than creating your own.
As soon as you get a response from the owner or the real estate agent, be ready to set up an appointment as soon as possible. Visits are often collective during peak season, and ads are often only online for a couple of days at most before it is filled up.
What To Do If You Do Not Fill The Criteria
If you don’t meet those requirements, do not give up on your dream to live in Paris quite yet!
If you have an issue with finding a guarantor who lives in France or in the EU, some banks can serve as your guarantor (for a fee). You will need to open a bank account with an amount covering the totality of the rent for the year, to which you will not have access. It can be a great solution if you have the capital upfront but no job when you arrive in Paris or do not get a regular paycheck if you are working in freelance.
If you do not have the money to cover your whole stay, you can investigate atypical roommates. If you are less than 30 years old, a growing trend is moving into a senior’s apartment for little to no rent in exchange of services, and the engagement to help around the house and be there in the evening. You can find out more at Ensemble2Generations.
Finally, the easiest solution for a short-to-medium stay would be to rent a room or an apartment on Airbnb or a similar website such as HomeAway, which I recommend to do anyway for your first couple of weeks in Paris while you investigate and figure out a longer term solution.
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