Apartment search in Paris

First thing come to mind, its not so easy. "C 'est pas tres facile!" and its going to be very very costly!
I'm writing this blog considering you as new to the city. Paris- awesome city with sparkling lights and beautiful girls. But behind every French face, there are things they do for living and compenciating the cost of living in Paris.

First and most important of it is finding good home in Paris. Its slow and long process!

Step 1.
Roam around the town to figure out good area for you. Consider locality and living in place.
a. Like if you consider cheap is good. Look for sub-urban area in district 92, 98, 95, 20 and so on.
b. If you are ok to live in little dirty but close to city centre with 75XXX as postal code. Look for Barbes, La Chappel, Gare de Nord area. 750  09, 10, 18
c. If you love to see Eiffel tower everyday, wish to spend few more bucks and find place in district 750 08,07,06,15, 16
d. If you love latin districts, look for area 750 05, 06, 14
e. Remember to consider your place of work for location. Its very important to have place near by your work location.

Step 2.
Now you decided couple of areas which are ok for you to live.
Start search with online site given below:
Remember, all agency's ask for the fees to book the apartment for you. You have to go via agency if you don't know much in Paris. Its usually around 1 month rent of the apartment. But it varies with agency and conditions.
a.

http://www.parisattitude.com/

or

http://www.parisattitude.com/search2.asp
==> For tourists who speak English and don't know French. It don't ask you guaranteeing for apartment. They ask only money. Remember, they ask you more then actual rates in market as you can't speak French and communicate with apartment owner. 
Its good for small time stay and quick booking of apartment.


b
other among my search list
http://sublet.lodgis.com/en-gb/paris/listing/

==> Again in English but good site for quick search. Rates are little reasonable with very nice info on site.


c.

http://www.paristay.com/
Nice site to start with. In English and many other languages to use.

d.
http://www.leboncoin.fr/locations/offres/ile_de_france/paris/?f=a&th=1
In French but its easy if you use language translator. Refer to direct posts from owners and so you can save 1 month agency fees. Its easy that way. But its again complicated to arrange meet with owner and proof you are the one who can pay the rent on time and have enough money to feed his apartment.

e. http://www.seloger.com/
==> In French. Little complicated. Its filled up with many agencies listing apartment details here. Site is free but you have to pay to agency who is booking apartment for you.

f. http://www.pap.fr/
==> In French. Easy site. They call it Particular to particular. Again its more of less same as seloger.com

3.
Keep contacting as many owners as possible and see the apartment. Its like keep on hitting the balls in dark so finally you may have one of them hitting the target. Keep applying to apartment which are good for you.
I feel, few apartment owners are too arrogant to choose their tenant as if they are choosing the son-in-law (gendre) ! Its funny but owner may ask you :

1. How old you are
2. Family or living alone
3. what is your income
4. Letter from company where you work
5. Guarantee for payment of rent
6. How long you live in Paris
7. What contract you have with company
8. bla
9. bla

I feel its none of their business. But as you know 'Beggar don't have choices!!' . He can't choose if to get 1 coin or 10 coins! Its same way here. You are a beggar and your boss is apartment owner. 

Don't be afraid and share all info to apartment owner.

4. 

Now its wait and watch game. Owner is going to check all list of application and choose the final strongest contestant to be his tenant.

I imagine this like a animal matting game. Its usual case in dogs, snakes and lions! If the female want to have sex with male from her own species. She send a specific kind of scent/aroma in nature. All interested males goes to the common place where she would be waiting for them to arrive. Now, poor and little ones goes away as they don't dare to fight with strong contestants. Even sometime female could be strong enough for them to handle. Strong one come face to face to show the fist of their jaws! They understand the strongest one and he is declared as the winner by female. I guess, its usual case in all species except humans. Humans go with weird kind of selection. 

Ooops, I'm goes away from root topic. So, Owner will finally choose the best person to be his tenant. 

They will have to do formal things like, creating the agreement with help of lawyer, arrange agency fees if any, handover of apartment, list of working and non working furniture and instruments in apartment. 

Along with it tenant has to sign the insurance for apartment. Matmut is good one to do it. 

Finally, you gets the key to apartment and start shifting to new home!!!

I may write another blog on home shifting in Paris. I understand it well the complication and depth in such activities. Experience is the best way to understand things!!! Hope you get it just by reading ;) 

Bon chance!

Related articles

• holidays rentals in Paris (locationsvacances.wordpress.com)
• 2010 Paris Furnished Apartment Market Report (prweb.com)

Drop me email or comments if you need any assistance in particular!