Good news for real estate buyers in Paris: the City of Paris has decided not to increase its share of stamp duty on property sales as of March 1st 2014. That portion of stamp duty will remain at 3.8% of the purchase price instead of rising to 4.5%.

Mortgage rates in France have been at historic lows in recent months. However, the outlook for the next move in interest rates has changed markedly over this period. During the summer of 2013, commentators expected French mortgage rates to rise before the end of the year. In the early fall, this was pushed out to […]

In central Paris you are rarely more than 500 meters (1/3 mile) from a métro (subway) station – it’s one of the densest subway systems in the world. Since using the subway is such a convenient way of getting around the city, closeness to a station is a factor influencing property prices.

Real estate transactions in France are subject to stamp duty, which the buyer pays. The rate is currently 5.09% of the price of the property and breaks down into: A departmental (county) tax of 3.80%. Paris is classified as a county. A communal (municipal) tax of 1.20%. Each arrondissement (district) of Paris counts as a […]

Paris notaires (officials who handle property transactions) recently issued figures for real estate sales during the 3rd quarter of 2013. Real estate prices in Paris overall have seen a fall of 2.1% during the past 12 months but, in the 3rd quarter, they were slightly up on the same quarter in 2012. The average price […]

This elegant and sunny 2 bedroom apartment is well located near the Arc de Triomphe on a quiet street off Paris’ grand avenue Foch.  It is on the 4th floor with elevator of a beautifully maintained ornate 19th century building. The property boasts 10 foot ceilings, molding, herringbone parquet flooring and the original fireplace.  The […]

    This charming sunny one bedroom courtyard apartment in a 17th century building is nestled on a quiet street in the Odéon area of Paris’ most highly prized district, the 6th arrondissement.   A row of tall windows in the living room and bedroom look out on the greenery in the quiet vine covered cobblestone […]

This elegant 4 bedroom Haussmanian corner apartment with high ceilings (12 ft.) overlooks the bell tower of the newly renovated Gare de Lyon. On the first floor with elevator of a well maintained 19th century building with concierge, a wide gallery runs the length of the apartment.  The spacious living room faces south and west.  […]

In August, we reported on the much-welcomed tax relief on real estate sales, which was immediately applied to any sale finalized after September 1, 2013. The changes were intended to offset the government’s wholesale revision of the capital gains tax laws in 2012, which had discouraged property owners from selling and thus significantly curbed the […]

The first in a series by our colleague, real estate developer and designer Laura Sanders, who handles fractional ownership for Paris Property Group. In these posts, she tells us about buying her apartment in the Marais and the renovation challenges it posed. After making the decision to raid your savings and buy an apartment in […]