The Peculiar Paradox of Parisian Property Procurement

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For a long time, Rita and I have dreamed of finding a romantic, small, affordable Parisian pied-à-terre - and this September I am in Paris, chasing our dream!

 As I wander the streets, I see the abundance of real estate agencies dotting many corners. Their windows, plastered with images of quaint apartments seem to beckon passersby with promises of "le rêve parisien."

One might assume that in a city teeming with "agents immobiliers," securing a modest little place would be as simple as ordering un pain au chocolat. 

In actuality, you have to prepare to have your assumptions challenged and your patience tested!

When I approached my first agency, I did it with the optimism of a sugar craving tourist eyeing a Parisian pâtisserie.

The window was filled with advertisements, but the door, marked "Ouvert", remained stubbornly locked. 

At the second agency, I was greeted by a bored-looking receptionist who informed me that all agents were "en réunion".

At the next several agencies,  they had indeed open, but none of the desirable apartments, displayed in the windows, were on the market anymore

By the umptieth agency, I had developed a theory: 

Parisian real estate agents with actual apartments for sale are quantum particles, existing in a state of both presence and absence simultaneously. They collapse into definite existence only when observed by their fellow agents, but never by potential buyers.

As I trudged from one closed door to another (it's almost impossible to get in touch with an estate agency by phone or email!), I couldn't help but reflect that our quest for a pied-à-terre could be seen as a kind of philosophical journey. 

Were we truly seeking a physical space, or were we chasing the illusion of permanence in a transient world? 

As I today sipped my espresso at a café just next to yet another closed real estator, seeing the crowds passing by, I tried to seek refuge in rethinking our failure in finding an apartment.

After all, I thought, isn't the essence of Paris found not in ownership, but in the fleeting moments of beauty and frustration that make up the city's unique rhythm?

And so, I will walk on with this nugget of hard-won knowledge: If you wish to buy property in Paris, pack not only your checkbook but also an ample supply of existential fortitude. 

You'll need it!

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