My partner Seb and I are currently in the process of buying an apartment. The apartment we'd like to buy is small, but it is just the right size for us for the next few years. It is in a great neighborhood - in the 11th arrondissement of Paris - and is close to a major transport hub.
As in any city, one must first understand the real estate lingo before signing a contract. In Paris, apartments are not referred to by the number of bedrooms they have, but rather the number of rooms they have outside of the bathroom and the kitchen. This means that agents can be sneaky by calling a studio "a one room apartment" instead of just "a studio."
The first and foremost thing one looks for in a Parisian apartment is the size - in square meters. Both our current and next apartments are about 24 square meters (260 square feet.) Small one bedrooms in Paris can range from 20 square meters (215 sq feet) to 40 square meters (430 sq feet.)
Here are some other tips, just in case you're planning to move to Paris:
Happy hunting! And, once we've signed the deal, pictures of our new flat to come...
As in any city, one must first understand the real estate lingo before signing a contract. In Paris, apartments are not referred to by the number of bedrooms they have, but rather the number of rooms they have outside of the bathroom and the kitchen. This means that agents can be sneaky by calling a studio "a one room apartment" instead of just "a studio."
The first and foremost thing one looks for in a Parisian apartment is the size - in square meters. Both our current and next apartments are about 24 square meters (260 square feet.) Small one bedrooms in Paris can range from 20 square meters (215 sq feet) to 40 square meters (430 sq feet.)
Here are some other tips, just in case you're planning to move to Paris:
- Most ads will specify whether the apartment is on the street, the courtyard, or both (which is called "double exposition.") Because of the way Parisian buildings are designed, most buildings have a small courtyard inside.
- Many buildings in Paris do not have elevators. If you see an ad specifying that a flat is on the 6th floor, but the ad does not specify the possession of an elevator, be sure to ask!
- In french, a "cuisine americaine" or "American kitchen" means an open kitchen in the living room. Sometimes this is nice, but sometimes it is code for "tiny kitchenette with a midi fridge and hot plate."
- Nearly every building is condominium-style, and every apartment owner must pay a certain amount in co-ownership charges per month. This money goes to things like repainting the stairwell, paying the person who takes out the garbage, paying the caretaker if there is one, and maintenance of the elevator if there is one. Be sure to ask how much the charges are.
Happy hunting! And, once we've signed the deal, pictures of our new flat to come...
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