Finding An Apartment in Paris

02 Jul Finding An Apartment in Paris

Being a bit of a Mrs. Kravitz, I love peeking inside people’s homes. Open Houses, ahhh! I have an obsession when it comes to architecture and interior design, even paint colors.

So, when it comes to finding an apartment in Paris I can waste entire days surfing.

The three rental websites I’ve found most useful are: HomeAway, Airbnb, and VRBO.

I found my New York rental through Airbnb and couldn’t have been more pleased. My sister and I have used VRBO and HomeAway. All have been good experiences. No disappointments.

I prefer Airbnb because–embarrassed to admit–their website is the most well-designed. Yes, the prettiest. It’s simple, easy to read, big photos with a simple filtering system. Look at this page, “Studios in Paris ~ Anne’s Picks.” Just fun.

VRBO has more sophisticated filtering systems than Airbnb, but for me, it’s too much to think about.

HomeAway is my sister’s favorite. It’s clean in design, easy to navigate as well. I see that HomeAway and VRBO are owned by the same company. News to me.

There are plenty of places that look respectable for way under $100 a night. It might be a 3-story walk-up, but hey, it’s only $30 a night. Just decide what’s important to you. I have always negotiated with the owners, “what’s your best price?” All but one has given me a better price than quoted online.

One placed advertises: “It’s equipped with wifi, a washing machine and a bread-making machine.” To each his own.

Each time I’ve used one of these sites I’ve wondered, ‘Is this owner legit? Will I arrive only to find an empty lot?’

“I’m Sophie, 31, PhD in culture & communication. I’ll be there when you arrive to make sure you feel at home.”

This one’s GOT to be legit, right? I verify folks by reading the reviews then looking at their Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn profiles. And remember, it goes both ways. Make sure your social media presence is presentable, too. I hope no one is spooked by all the graffiti on my Facebook page.

Use a credit card that guarantees purchases. Several of these sites offer insurance. Home Away and VRBO offer a guarantee policy for up to $10,000 against internet fraud, wrongful denial of entry, blah, blah, blah. Airbnb suggests getting travelers insurance which is very affordable.

First I narrowed down the neighborhoods that sounded the best. I’ve looked in arrondissements 5, 10, 11, 12, 13 – but the 14^th caught my eye:

“Observatoire, the 14th arrondissement, is a lively neighborhood historically linked to great artists and writers . . . a euphoric meeting ground for the artistic world . . . where man relaxes and recaptures his taste for life, his frenzy to dance . . .” 

So, boys and girls, I have chosen five studio apartments. I’ve emailed all the owners with questions. Keep your fingers crossed. Maybe, just maybe, I can book something in the next few days.

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Don’t forget to sign up for email reminders (over there, in the right hand column). Or you can follow me on www.Facebook.com/LisaWeldonNYC. I’ll be sharing daily experiences as I count down to my 30-day trek across Paris. Remember, I encourage you to offer any hints below in the Reply Box.