How to Find an Apartment in Paris

Researching The Area

Familiarize yourself with Parisian geography. Understanding the area itself can help you make a choice about where the best place will be for you to settle. The city of Paris is located in the central northern quarter of France. It covers 4,638 square miles and has over twelve million inhabitants, making it the most populous city in France. Paris is roughly oval shaped, and is divided into twenty "arrondissements" or municipalities, which form a clockwise spiral (arrondissement 1 is located in the center, and spirals out from there). Each arrondissement has its own pros and cons related to population density, property prices, attractions, safety, and culture. The Seine river cuts through the center and bottom half of Paris.

Get to know the market. The prices in each area differ dramatically, so you need to familiarize yourself with the various districts in order to begin your search The cheapest arrondissement is 19, with average rental prices of 23.7 € (Euros) per square meter (about 26 US dollars); the most expensive is 6, with average rental prices of 37.9 € per square meter (about 42 US dollars). Prices also differ depending on whether you want a furnished or unfurnished apartment. For example, furnished rentals in central Paris range from 30 – 40 € per square meter (about 34 - 45 US dollars) , while unfurnished rentals cost approximately 27 – 37 € per square meter (about 30 - 41 US dollars).

Start networking. Using social media, in particular, is a great way to learn a lot about the area as well as make connections with others who can help you track down apartment leads. Join Facebook and other social networking groups for expats. You can ask questions about the area and get advice, as well as keeping an eye out for postings regarding open apartments. Be sure you have "friended" anyone you know in France, and post a status asking anyone to let you know if they have leads to open apartments. It is not uncommon for landlords to post on their own social media channel rather than paying to advertise their apartments, so a good network can go a long way in helping you find an open place.

Choosing a Location

Budget for your rent. Your personal income and expenses will determine how expensive of an apartment you can afford, which will determine which arrondissements are within your budget. In order to save time and energy, determine how far your budget can go before you start researching spaces. One helpful formula to keep in mind is (monthly rent) = (monthly salary) x (1/3). In general, landlords in Paris (and other developed nations) will evaluate potential tenants by looking at their monthly salary. Your rent should be no more than 1/3 of your salary. Once you know your budget for your apartment, consider which arrondissement meets your needs best.

Plan for your needs. It makes sense to start looking around where you'll be working or going to school, but you should also keep in mind other personal or family needs that might influence where you choose to live. The 1st arrondissement is tempting because its the one most foreigners are most familiar with (it boasts many major tourist attractions), but that also makes it expensive and overcrowded with tourists. The 3rd and 4th arrondissements are similar to Soho in Manhattan, with lots of shopping, bistros, and nightlife. The 8th is pricey and luxurious, and is where Oprah Winfrey tends to stay when she visits Paris-- so consider whether this not only fits your budget but your lifestyle. The 14th and 16th are known as quiet, residential areas, making both nice choices for a family or people not interested in the young, edgy scene in many other arrondissements.

Keep an open mind regarding location. While you might be tempted to only look in the neighborhood you'll be working, don't restrict yourself to living only within walking distance of your office. Paris has one of the best public transport networks in the world, with buses, trams, taxis, rail, bicycle, and even boats available to get you where you need to go. Many expatriates seem to settle in the 7th, 8th, 15th and 16th arrondissements, but you shouldn't let that deter you from exploring others. Each of the 20 arrondissements offer distinct draws, so do your research on each one to determine which is best for you (and your family, if you have one).

Choosing an Apartment

Time it right. Depending on when you sign a lease, you may spend more or less money than you would otherwise spend. Many people move to Paris in the fall, particularly students beginning a new semester in university, and consequently there are less apartments to choose from and the prices are higher.

Choose your criteria. It's important to have a sense of your "wants" and your "dealbreakers." Because the housing market is quite limited in Paris, try to keep your dealbreakers list very short. Consider what you actually need in an apartment, versus what you want. Unless you plan to eat out every day, a functional kitchen is important, but you don't need granite countertops. If you work from home or have small children, a quiet building may be essential. Try to keep an open mind about space. Properties in Paris are very small and very expensive; you are very unlikely to find a large and spacious apartment.

Find open properties that fit your requirements. The Paris rental market is known for being very competitive, so you have to know where to look for open properties and be ready to make a move as soon as one becomes available that fits your needs. There are many rental agencies you can register with, but they are notoriously expensive and unreliable. Only use one if you have the money to spare. If you are in France, you can often find good places by watching postings on local coffee shop notice boards, notice boards in Anglo centers like Shakespeare & Co. or the American Church in Paris, or in local magazines like Fusac. The most popular website for apartment listings is www.pap.fr, but properties listed there are often rented as soon as they go live. Other good sites to watch include www.fusac.fr, www.craigslist.fr and www.leboincoin.fr. Word of mouth is often the best way to find a place that fits your requirements. If you are a student looking for a small studio, network with students at local universities so that you can be notified if a space becomes available. Otherwise, find Facebook groups and other online communities for expats, where people will often post about available spaces.

Visit as many apartments as you can as soon as you can. Its important that you show up to actually view apartments, which will tell you a lot about the area and living situation, and also give you an advantage over other renters. If you see an advertisement for an apartment that seems remotely acceptable, call right away and schedule an appointment to view it. Housing discrimination in Paris is illegal (that is, refusal to rent to non-French renters, as well as discrimination on other bases like gender, religion, or race), so most landlords prefer to rent to the first person who wants an open apartment in order to avoid being accused of discrimination. That means if you show up first and make an offer, you are more likely to get to sign a lease.

Come prepared. When you visit an apartment, even if you don't know for sure that you'll love it, come prepared with the proper paperwork (known as your dossier). You will give this paperwork to the landlord immediately after viewing the apartment if you love it, and he or she will begin the process of determining if you are an acceptable tenant. Your dossier consists of a copy of your passport and visa (if you're not from the European Union); your last three pay check stubs or a contract that states your salary; and for most places, a signed letter from a French resident who will act as your guarantor, along with their payslip. If you don't know any French residents who can act as guarantor, but have already secured a job, often your employer will sign as your guarantor. If not, you can try using a rental agency called Paris Attitude, which is English-speaking and only lists apartments that do not require a French guarantor. Otherwise, though, avoid using agencies, which tend to charge exorbitant prices. Be aware that you will be very unlikely to be able to negotiate a lower rent price, since spaces are in such high demand, and you will need two months' rent as security upon signing a contract.