THE EXPERT PROPERTY-FINDING SERVICE FOR PARIS
Press archive
Perfect Paris
This article appeared in Woman & Home
October 2005
Rose Fleury, 36, a full-time mum from London, bought a one-bedroom apartment in Paris with her friend (Angela Grosvenor, 45) for shopping trips and gourmet food breaks. It cost £142,000.
“I’ve always loved this city – my two-year-old daughter is even called Paris. It’s special to me for many reasons: food, shops, beauty, history and romance as well as its people.
I decided to buy with my friend Angela, who adores Paris too, and the low price of property compared to London meant we could buy a pied-à-terre. We put equal money – my share came from equity from my UK home and savings – but a lack of knowledge of the local property market and schoolgirl French meant we were getting nowhere looking for our dream apartment.
Then I read an article in an English paper about a home finding service called London Paris Dream Home. We briefed them on what we wanted: a rentable, light and airy, one-bedroom apartment in the central Marais district for up to 200,000 euros (£137,800) and they put us in touch with an English-speaking solicitor. On our next trip to Paris we fell in love with a property they found for us and five weeks later we were the proud owners!
In between visits we rent it out through an agency for 700 euros (£483) a week. The rate of occupancy has been great and covers our outgoings.
It’s been a dream come true to buy my own apartment in a beautiful city that I love.”
PROS: A gourmand’s paradise, plus world-class shopping, art, architecture and museums for culture vultures.
CONS: Paris is an acquired taste, which requires learning the language and getting used to the famously brusque manners. Also, the rainy Paris winters can be depressing.
GETTING THERE: Air France flies from £79 return; Eurostar from £60 return.
CONTACT: Rose and Angela’s apartment is available to rent through www.homerentalconnections.com. Contact the London Paris Dream Home property finding service on (020) 7820 1337
