Looking for a flat in Paris

The following points are meant to be guidelines for a foreigner which needs to find a flat in Paris.


1) If you are not seriously obliged to stay for a long while, consider seriously to invest some money in excess than you planned and go to a Apart Hotel. Believe me, you'll get a high return on capital invested, as you avoid the stress connected to be looking for a flat in Paris.

2) If you really cannot do without staying for longer than 3-4 months (hence you can't opt for a "temporary solution"), first of all begin taking ginseng or magnesium pills in the morning, you will need it.

3) There are several websites where you can find for-rental adverts. Of course in French. If you address yourself to English alternatives, consider that it is unlikely that you would get a legal contract.

4) When you find an interesting advert, call immediately, even if it is late night or very early morning. Consider that 65% of your calls will result into a "sorry, it is rent already".

5) When you get an appointment to visit a flat, dont be surprise to find out that another 20-30 people got an appointment for the same flat, at the very same time: demand exceeds supply so much that flat owners feel entitled to do whatever.

6) Don't forget to bring a copy of your working contract with you. If you don't afford a high salary (you are an intern for example), you have the right to have a person granting in economical terms on your behalf. This person should be a French, meaning that he/she has to pay taxes in France. If, as a foreigner, you don't have anyone corresponding to this profile and you haven't had the time to find a wealthy French boyfriend/girlfriend, forget about a lovely small studio on your own and get ready to share a three-four bedroom flat with at least 6 others.

7) When you deal with the flat owner, obviously in French, make sure you pronounce everything in a proper manner otherwise they would not understand. Be careful especially when you are on the phone. If your French is not good enough, chances are that the speaker will abruptly hang up in the middle of the conversation.

8) As you visit a flat, make sure that: the flat is heated, the fridge works, there is a sort of kitchen in place and that there is a working internet connection. Even ask if you may try to log on. Beware of people saying to you "there's not internet yet, but I've just applied for a flat wifi service": in that case, expect to wait a couple of months before having it in place. If you're lucky enough, you'll be able to smuggle your neighbors' wifi passwords. Forget about the washing machine and the elevator unless you have a very high disposable budget on housing.

9) Consider that you will be ask to pay at least 2 months in advance.

10) When you'll have your flat, most of the time you will face conditions that you have never expected in a EU Member State (at least, for Italian readers, be prepared to face what you were told as a child by your granny "when I was young and I didn't have a washing machine, nor a car, nor proper heating..).

11) Bottom line: before packing everything and go back home, have a walk downtown Paris. You'll be in the most beautiful place in the world, you'll forget about everything else and get the inner strength to move on with your Parisian life.

http://www.appartager.com/
http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites
http://www.recherche-colocation.com/paris.html

Go and have a look at the Parisian American church's dashboard: it normally hosts rentals and job offers and it's constantly updated (65, Quai d'orsay. VII arr.).