Buyer's guide · Paris 2026

Buying an apartment
in Paris

The METROREALTY method to buy at the right price and with complete peace of mind. Budget, financing, search, viewings, offer, preliminary contract and deed: every step explained by our advisers.

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Guide contents

1Defining your project and budget
2Financing your purchase
3Searching and delegating your search
4Accessing properties before they are listed
5Viewing with method
6Making an offer and negotiating
7The preliminary contract and cooling-off period
8Reading the surveys
9The final deed and notary fees
10Agency fees

Go to the buyer checklist

A project framed before the first viewing

Complete budget, approved financing, ranked criteria: a prepared buyer views less, decides better and negotiates with arguments.

A price checked against real sales

Every asking price is compared with DVF sales in the street and the building. That is the basis of a fair offer.

A transaction secured until the keys

Offer, preliminary contract, surveys, financing, deed: each step has its deadlines and pitfalls. We follow them with you until the keys are handed over.

Step one

Defining your project
and budget

Before viewing, you need to know what you are looking for and what you can really spend. In Paris, the median apartment price ranges from €8,100 to €14,629 per m² depending on the arrondissement (DVF sales, first half of 2026).

The five questions to settle

Main residence, pied-à-terre or buy-to-let?
What floor area and how many bedrooms, today and in five years?
Which neighbourhoods, and which criteria are non-negotiable (floor, lift, outdoor space, quiet)?
What timing: do you need to sell before you buy?
What total budget, fees included?

The complete budget

On top of the price come the acquisition costs (transfer duties and notary fees, about 7 to 8% of the price for an existing property), loan guarantee costs and, where relevant, renovation work. To put a price in context, see prices by arrondissement and our properties for sale.

METROREALTY advice

Sort your criteria into three columns: essential, important, nice to have. This ranking is what lets you decide quickly when the right property comes along.

Step two

Financing
your purchase

Prepared financing makes an offer credible. The rates below are those recorded by our valuation tool (Meilleurtaux barometer, "good rate", November 2026); they change every month and depend on your profile.

Loan term	Recorded rate	Monthly payment for €300,000 borrowed
15 years	3.87%	€2,200
20 years	3.96%	€1,812
25 years	4.01%	€1,585

Monthly payments excluding borrower insurance, rounded to the euro. Each of our properties for sale includes a budget and monthly payment simulator at the month's rate.

The banks' rules

Debt ratio capped at 35% of income, insurance included.
Loan term of 25 years at most for an existing property.
A deposit covering at least the acquisition costs is generally expected, about 8 to 10% of the price.
An agreement in principle from the bank or a broker strengthens your offer against other buyers.

Example

To borrow €300,000 over 20 years at the recorded rate of 3.96%, the monthly payment is about €1,812 excluding insurance. With a 35% debt ratio, this requires net household income of about €5,200 per month.

Step three

Searching and
delegating your search

In Paris, well-located properties at the right price go quickly. An effective search is prepared: clear criteria, alerts, speed, and a contact who knows the ground.

The brief

Budget, neighbourhoods, floor area, floor, outdoor space, timing: your criteria are written down and ranked.

Market watch

Portals, agency networks, our properties for sale: new listings are filtered every day.

Shortlisting

Only properties meeting the essential criteria are put forward, with nearby DVF sales.

Viewings

Your adviser visits with you, or before you if you are far from Paris.

The report

Strengths, weaknesses, price compared with the market: you decide on facts.

A search mandate lets you entrust this process to METROREALTY: a dedicated adviser searches for you, including among properties not yet published. See how to buy an apartment in Paris with METROREALTY.

How to be in the loop

Be known to an agency with a precise project and approved financing.
Reply quickly: a viewing offered today is decided today.
Accept viewing a property without professional photos, sometimes still occupied.
Let your adviser check the price just as for a listed property.

Properties entrusted to us as a confidential sale are shown first to active buyers who have shared their project with us.

Step four

Accessing properties
before they are listed

Some Paris apartments are sold before any public listing: the seller wants discretion, or the agency already knows buyers who are ready.

METROREALTY advice

A property shown before listing is not necessarily a bargain: it is a chance to arrive first. The price is judged against the same comparable sales.

Step five

Viewing
with method

A viewing is not limited to the apartment. The building, the co-ownership and the neighbourhood weigh just as much in the value and in your future comfort.

In the apartment

Light and orientation, ideally at two different times of day.
Noise from the street and neighbours, with windows closed and open.
Condition of the wiring, plumbing, heating and windows.
Actual Carrez floor area and genuinely usable rooms.
Cellar, storage, scope for renovation.

In the building and co-ownership

Façade, roof, stairwell, lift.
Amount of service charges and property tax.
Minutes of the last three general meetings: works approved or planned.
Works fund, any arrears, ongoing proceedings.

Example

Two apartments of the same size in the same street: one on the fourth floor with a lift, the other on the first floor overlooking a courtyard. DVF sales in the building and street often show a clear price gap between the two; your adviser quantifies it before the offer.

Step six

Making an offer
and negotiating

The purchase offer is made in writing. It states the price offered, how long it is valid, the financing and any conditions. A reasoned offer is more likely to be accepted than a low offer with no explanation.

	Unprepared offer	Reasoned offer
Price	A discount percentage picked at random	A price justified by DVF sales and the property's condition
Financing	"Loan in progress"	Agreement in principle or financing certificate
Timing	Vague	Proposed dates for the contract and completion
Seller's view	One more negotiation	A serious buyer who is ready

Points to watch

Never make an offer on a property you would not buy at the price offered.
Set a short, clear validity period.
Keep a margin for acquisition costs and any renovation work.
Have your adviser review the offer before sending it.

Step seven

The preliminary contract
and cooling-off period

Once the offer is accepted, the preliminary contract (compromis or promesse de vente) is signed at the notary's office or through the agency. It sets the price, the timing and the conditions precedent.

Signing the preliminary contract

The surveys and co-ownership documents are attached. You read them before signing.

10-day cooling-off period

From the day after the deed is notified, you can withdraw without reason or penalty, by registered letter.

Deposit

Usually 5 to 10% of the price, paid to the notary and deducted from the price on the day of completion.

Conditions precedent

Obtaining the loan within the agreed period (often 45 to 60 days), no easement or pre-emption.

Preparing the deed

The notary gathers the documents and clears the City's pre-emption right.

What to check

The loan amount and maximum rate written into the condition precedent.
The dates: cooling-off, loan approval, completion.
The list of any furniture sold with the property.
Who pays for works approved before and after signing.

Step eight

Reading
the surveys

The technical survey file is provided by the seller and attached to the preliminary contract. It covers the property's energy performance, safety and floor area.

Energy rating (DPE)
Energy label from A to G, valid for ten years. G-rated homes can no longer be let since 2025, F from 2028 and E from 2034: a key point for a buy-to-let.

Asbestos
Required if the building permit predates 1 July 1997.

Lead
Lead exposure report for buildings constructed before 1949.

Electricity and gas
Required if the installation is more than fifteen years old.

Risks and floor area
Risk report, termites in zones set by prefectoral order, and Carrez floor area measurement in co-ownerships.

An unfavourable survey does not prevent a purchase: it can be costed. Your adviser helps you estimate the work and reflect it in the price.

Step nine

The final deed
and notary fees

The final deed is usually signed two to three months after the preliminary contract. The price and fees are paid to the notary, who hands the keys to the buyer.

Notary fees

For an existing property, "notary fees" amount to about 7 to 8% of the price: they consist mainly of transfer duties paid to the département and the State, plus the notary's fees and disbursements. For a new-build property, they are about 2 to 3%.

On completion day

Final inspection of the property just before signing.
Meter readings and handover of the keys.
Loan funds and the deposit are paid to the notary before the appointment.
The notary then sends the title deed, after registration.

Step ten

Agency
fees

Our fees are paid by the buyer and calculated on the net seller price. The rates, including VAT, decrease with the price: a flat €4,000 below €40,000, 10% from €41,000 to €100,000, 8% from €100,001 to €200,000, 7% from €200,001 to €350,000, 6% from €350,001 to €800,000, 5% above, without cumulating brackets. They are included in the price shown in each listing and in our fee schedule.

The price shown on each of our listings includes the fees. Our fee schedule is available at any time, and it also applies to the search mandate.

Specific cases

First-time buyers, families,
international buyers

The steps stay the same; the priorities change.

First purchase

Review your deposit and borrowing capacity before any viewing.
Look into the schemes available: the zero-rate loan (PTZ), subject to conditions, and the City of Paris's Prêt Paris Logement.
Aim for efficient floor plans: a well-designed studio or one-bedroom beats a large, badly laid-out space.

Families

Check the school catchment of the address and nearby nurseries.
Think about the lift, pram storage, cellar and service charges.
Explore family-friendly arrondissements: 15^th, 12^th, 17^th.

International buyers

Non-residents face no purchase restrictions; the deed is signed before a French notary.
Banks often ask for a larger deposit and a French bank account.
Signing can be done by power of attorney. See buying from abroad.

For a buy-to-let, our guide to investing in Paris covers yield, tax and the choice of arrondissement.

Appendix

METROREALTY buyer checklist

Follow your purchase step by step.

Before searching

Define the project, neighbourhoods and essential criteria.
Work out the full budget, acquisition costs included.
Obtain an agreement in principle for the financing.

During the search

Set up alerts and register with an agency.
View shortlisted properties twice.
Ask for the general meeting minutes and the service charges.

Offer and contract

Compare the price with DVF sales in the street.
Write an offer with proof of financing.
Read the surveys before signing the preliminary contract.

Until completion

Meet the loan approval deadline.
Arrange the transfer of funds to the notary.
Carry out the final inspection before signing.

Frequently asked questions

Your questions about buying in Paris

What budget should I plan to buy an apartment in Paris?

The median price ranges from €8,100 to €14,629 per m² depending on the arrondissement (DVF sales, first half of 2026). On top of the price come about 7 to 8% acquisition costs for an existing property, loan guarantee costs and any renovation work.

How much deposit do I need?

Banks generally expect a deposit covering at least the acquisition costs, about 8 to 10% of the price. A larger deposit improves the rate and borrowing capacity.

How long between the offer and getting the keys?

Allow two to three months on average between signing the preliminary contract and the final deed, the time needed to obtain the loan and gather the documents.

Can I withdraw after signing the preliminary contract?

Yes. The buyer has a 10-day cooling-off period from the day after the preliminary contract is notified, without reason or penalty.

Who pays the agency fees?

What is a search mandate?

It is a contract by which you entrust your search to an agency: an adviser searches for you, including among unpublished properties, views, checks the price and supports you until completion.

Can an international buyer purchase in Paris?

Yes, without restriction. The deed is signed before a French notary, possibly by power of attorney. Banks often ask non-residents for a larger deposit.

Selling as well? Read our seller's guide.

Buying an apartmentin Paris