musiclover

Hi,

I am searching for an apartment to live for a year in Paris. I now have some choices and I asked my friends (also foreigners) who live in paris but they have quite different comments. So, I am asking for help here. Thanks!

There are three apartments I am interested:
1.Studio euro 890/mo. 32m2, at Rue Paul Bert 11° Arrdt.

2.One-bedroom apt. euro 900/mo. 29m2, Rue Saint-Maur, 10° Arrdt.

3.One-bedroom apt. euro 900/mo.30m2, close to Sentier metro 4° Arrdt.

My friend has viewed 2 &3, she likes 2 very much. The only worry is the safety for me living alone because she said the area doesen't look safe. So, she suggests me to see 1 but she doesn't know the area but guess it is okay.

Can anyone provide some comments, advices? Thanks so much!

Neopolitan

I guess I'm wondering what she saw that would make her feel the one area isn't safe. Did she see a murder committed? Did someone run out and snatch her purse? I hope she's not confusing old buildings with a feeling that a place isn't safe.

Christina

believe me, you can get a gut feeling for an area without seeing a murder, and it has nothing to do with old buildings as Paris is full of them, many quite nice. Personally, none of these are areas I would want to spend a year in. But, if I had to choose solely on area I'd choose the one in the 11th. Rue St Maur is very very long, but if you are sure the address is in the 10th, that limits it a lot. I don't like the area around Sentier metro at all. The other areas aren't that different, probably, but I'd still choose the 11th which is around Charonne.

grantop

Hi, are any of these apartments listed on-line with some photos we could review? Is the friend that didn't like the looks of the 10th someone who lives in Paris and can comment first hand?

musiclover

She said the street is very noisy and much dirtier than other streets. Besides, she only saw very few Parisians on the street.
And my another friend said that the house rate of this area is the cheapest, so maybe it is the reason?


Are you familar with this area? Thanks!

MorganB

Those prices seem very high. Are you renting a furnished apartment with all bills paid? My apartment is twice the size and only about 100 euros more than those but is a standard unfurnished rental.

If you know the street number go to http://www.pagesjaunes.fr and plug in the addy. Then use the picture view to see the building. You can then "walk about" looking at pictures of surrounding bldgs and up and down the street. There's also a satellite view.

kellyee21

I agree, for the size of the apt the prices are a little high. I also live in Paris and I pay 971E for a 45 m2 furnished apartment near La Bastille. We have been looking a bit and it seems the prices are higher somewhat than we pay now for something similiar, but I still think you can do a little better than what you have so far. Have you looked at www.pap.fr ? I took a glance and they have some bigger apts in the 900-1000 E range, no telling what condition they are in of course...

Good luck with your search !

musiclover

Thanks for your advices! The prices are not include electricity etc. But, the furnishing is very good. I include the links below.

1.http://sublet.lodgis.com/en/paris/de...73e757f1aa689d
2.http://sublet.lodgis.com/en/paris/de...9aa8fc07fc9895
3.no photo, it is a private rental. How secure to rent from an owner I don't know.

Many thanks!

musiclover

Also, I need pay %1.11 for agent fee. Do you think if it is a good deal? And which agent you two use for searching apartments.

The reason I use an agent is because that I don't want to come to Paris so early in September (my work starts in October). I thought I could spend some money to save time, or maybe it is the same because I may spend more during the weeks of my search in Paris. But, my friends all suggest me to come to Paris early to find an apartment without an agent. How easy to get an apartment if I go there around Sep.15-20, for one starting on Oct.1? I would spend euro 700-850 for a studio more than 26m2, but in a relatively safer area, and close to metro which will pass Chatlet.

Many thanks!

Neopolitan

Frankly I think it is impossible to determine if prices are too high just based on the square footage. I've seen tiny apartments that I'd be willing to pay three times what other same sized ones rented for. I personally have a lot of other qualifiers besides just the size of the place.

You're younger than I am, I'm sure, but I'd think twice before having to sleep on top that little platform up a ladder for a year in your first one.

And is there an elevator to the 6th floor for that second one?

musiclover

Thanks, Neopolitan. Yes. That is what I don't like for the first one. I was thinking to move the bed down to sleep.
And there is elevator for the second one, I in fact like this one the best, and my friends visited it and called it "beautiful" and "very well furnished"...but, it seems the location is not good enough for the price requested.