Apartment Hunting Parisian Style

So I have finally found a Parisian apartment! Funnily enough it is actually the first apartment I looked at, but things just didn't fall into place straight away. Apartment hunting in Paris has definitely been a learning experience with many ups and downs. On the one hand it has been a great way to discover the city and get used to the metro. It has also been fun to get a glimpse into different people's apartments. On the other hand it has been a very stressful and tiring experience. The market here is extremely competitive and especially difficult for those looking for an apartment, as landlords often have their pick from many candidates. It is really a lot like gambling. Almost any decent apartment gets snatched up within a day or two, so if you're not one of the first people to view it you'll likely have little chance of getting it. Even the less spectacular places go pretty quickly because there are constantly students, new immigrants, etc. looking for a place in the city of lights. Basically if you see a decent apartment, it is in your best interest to make some sort of spoken agreement immediately to ensure that the opportunity doesn't pass you by. This may sound a bit deceitful, but it is really the only way to go about things if you want to get a suitable apartment. Landlords are used to this kind of behaviour and they usually have numerous candidates waiting in the wings anyways. For the most part as a tenant you can't be sure of anything until keys have been handed over, and as a landlord you can't take a candidate seriously until money has been handed over.

So here are some general pieces of advice I would give anyone looking for an apartment in Paris:

1) Church bulletin boards and FUSAC magazine (can be found online) have the most reliable and quality postings. Some legitimate ads can be found on craigslist but sometimes it is a hassle to sift through all of the fake ones.
2) If you are looking for a short-term place, make sure that you specify that when talking to landlords because many won't rent out a room for less than a year.
3) If you sublet you will probably not get APL (government assistance) and you will most likely be asked to pay in cash.
4) It is common practice for the tenant to pay a deposit (caution) once a deal has been made. This deposit is usually the same amount or more than one month's rent and is supposed to be returned to you before your departure as long as there has been no damage to the apartment.
5) If something is described as a 'studette,' it is probably about 6 square metres or less and there likely won't be enough room to fit your belongings in it.

Looking back on my apartment-hunting experience it was definitely a great way to practice my French and discover different areas of Paris. It has also left me feeling more prepared for any future apartment hunting I may have to do. But during the past few days it definitely started becoming more frustrating than fun. Let's just say that I am relieved to have finally settled in somewhere. It's nice to have a place that I can call home for the next four months, especially one that is so beautiful! More updates on my apartment to come...