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NARRATOR: Abby has had a long-standing love affair with Paris.
I actually memorized a map of Paris
before I ever stepped foot in the country.
NARRATOR: Now she's ready to take her relationship
with the City of Light to the next level.
I'm sick of renting.
I'm gonna buy an apartment in Paris.
But finding the perfect place
in one of the priciest cities in the world...
Adequate, but it's not exactly
up to my standards for a kitchen.
NARRATOR: ...is a job best left to professionals.
There's no such thing as the perfect Paris apartment.
ABBY: Oh, this is the kitchen.
Sideways, Daniel, sideways.
This is really tight.
NARRATOR: See what happens when "House Hunters International"
settles down in Paris, France.
Absolutely! Champagne for everyone.
[ Doorbell rings ]
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
It's a beautiful square here.
You know, one of my favorite restaurants is in this square.
NARRATOR: After years of poring over maps of Paris,
a job transfer brought corporate lawyer Abby Gordon
to her dream city.
ABBY: I thought I would be here for two or three years,
so I was willing to splurge on an apartment as a renter.
It is gonna be weird to leave this place, right?
I'm in a fabulous neighborhood in Saint-Germain,
which is the 6th arrondissement in Paris.
I've been living on the same street for five years.
The café downstairs, you know, "bonjour" every morning.
It got to a point where I realized
I would be in Paris long-term,
but I thought I could be spending
the same amount of money
and be putting it towards equity in a home that I own myself.
I just don't think it's even worth it
to look in the 6th, right?
It's such an expensive neighborhood.
If I want to stay around the same budget,
I will need to downsize,
and not just downsize a little bit but downsize a lot.
I will miss this neighborhood.
It's quite chic.
I love the shops.
Still, it's better to buy.
You're right. It's got to be worth it.
And I can always come back to visit.
I've never seen an apartment in Paris
that's in 100% move-in condition,
according to my standards,
so I think, if it's a place I own,
if it's a place that's really mine that I love,
I'll be okay with it, but it's hard to know.
Well, it's bye-bye, old apartment,
hello, house hunt, right?
ABBY: When I sign the deal, I think I'll be relieved.
Being a homeowner will help define my future in Paris.
I'll feel like this is actually my home.
NARRATOR: The ancient city of Paris has a way
of charming residents and visitors alike.
How would I describe Paris to someone who's never been?
The most romantic city in the world,
the most beautiful city in the world,
the most addictive city in the world.
The Paris property market at the moment
is in its usual state of helter-skelter in that
there's actually very little properties
on the market right now.
Tell me a little bit
about what kind of property you want, where you want to be.
I want to be able to walk to restaurants,
to shops, to central Paris.
Tell me what your style is.
There was a reason why I moved to Paris --
because it's beautiful, it's quaint.
If it's a great layout and one bedroom,
then I'm definitely prepared to downsize.
But I'm gonna really need to make it mine.
I'm gonna need to have a reason
why I'm happier in the smaller apartment.
Tell me about your budget.
I'm looking at about $500,000 maximum.
Considering renovation.
I've put $100,000 aside for renovations.
So, are you gonna be doing this on your own?
No, actually, I have a friend, Daniel,
who's gonna come with me,
so I have someone to bounce ideas off of
and give me some honest opinions.
He will tell me his real opinions.
He won't hide what he's thinking.
DANIEL: She really just needs a friend
that can give her a gut check
and make sure that she's making the right decision.
Well, there's always a trade-off.
No matter how you look at it,
you're gonna have to trade one thing for another,
unless we can find the perfect Paris apartment,
which I've never seen.
It's definitely going to be a challenge
to find a property that's gonna compare
with the apartment that Abby's been living in
because her location is fabulous
and it's quite a large apartment.
NARRATOR: So Adrian leaves the refinement of Saint-Germain
and begins the hunt across the River Seine in the Marais,
an artsy district that's a little more budget-friendly.
ADRIAN: So, Abby, you realize where you are, right?
ABBY: It's right in the heart of the Marais,
and yet it's a quiet street.
The reason I want you to see this apartment
is 'cause I think it really fits you,
even though it's a little small.
ABBY: How small?
375 square feet.
That's a closet!
It's city living!
But you've got Paris at your feet.
I love this area.
There are a ton of boutiques and restaurants and bars.
I can't complain about the location, right?
No, it's an incredible location.
It's a little bit over your budget.
It's $525,000.
Is that negotiable at all?
I believe it can be, yes.
Okay, you want to go see it?
Let's see it.
Okay, here we are.
Come on in. Have a look.
It's good space for the living room.
Look at all this light.
I like the big windows.
View's not bad.
Pretty buildings.
You can order takeout from the window.
They'll just throw it up.
Here's your kitchen.
It's not exactly a modern kitchen.
A small fridge.
But you've got everything downstairs, don't forget.
That glass wall is absolutely hideous.
That would have to go.
If you knock it down,
then the kitchen's in the middle of the apartment.
That's true.
Well, you want me to give you a hammer now?
We'll start knocking it down?
[ Laughter ]
ABBY: That hideous glass wall
is something out of the 1970s instead of the 1700s.
It's awful!
This can be a fantastic apartment.
It's got beautiful bones,
and that's what you want to look at.
It's not as small as I thought it would be.
ADRIAN: So, what about --
you take down the glass block wall,
and you put in some sort of French doors
or sliding glass doors.
I don't want you to lose this light,
but something so that if you have guests, you have privacy.
But wait. Where's the bathroom?
Through that narrow little door in the corner.
But you'll have to walk through the bedroom
to get to the bathroom?
Yes, and it's actually one of the downsides to the apartment.
Oh, my God.
Sideways, Daniel, sideways.
This is really tight.
It'll keep you slim and trim.
So, can you imagine yourself living in this space?
That's the question, right?
The apartment itself, it definitely has potential.
It has character.
I'm worried about how much money it's gonna cost me
to renovate this place
to make it livable by my standards.
If you choose this apartment,
just assume that's what you have to do.
ADRIAN: This particular apartment really fits Abby's needs,
even though I know she wasn't wild about some of the decor
in the apartment.
But this apartment has great bones,
and she can do a lot with it.
DANIEL: It's in a great location.
ABBY: Mm-hmm.
If I could afford it, I'd buy it.
[ Laughs ] I don't know if I can afford it.
The only reason I'm moving is to have something better.
It might not be bigger, but it needs to be better.
You're in the middle of almost insanity.
That's true.
NARRATOR: In central Paris,
finding Abby an apartment that requires no work
could break the bank.
It's $595,000.
DANIEL: Oh, look at this table. Let's just sit here.
This is great.
NARRATOR: American expat Abby Gordon has decided
now is the time to invest in her long-term future in Paris.
I'm sick of throwing away money on rent
when I could be actually putting money into an investment.
ABBY: I will have more responsibilities,
but I'll feel like this is actually my home.
You know, in Paris, in order to buy a place,
there's gonna be a lot of adjustments.
But it'll be so fun to have your own place
and decorate it the way you want it
and just really give it your personal touch.
DANIEL: Abby, though, has very specific taste about what she wants,
and has vision.
I'm ready to downsize.
I'm ready to simplify my life a little bit.
But if she doesn't find the right place,
she's gonna have to move out, and then, who knows,
have to, you know, shack up with me.
Well, to finding the great apartment for you.
Cheers.
NARRATOR: But for this Francophile,
finding the spacious Parisian je ne sais quoi
for $500,000 presents a challenge.
ABBY: Not exactly a modern kitchen.
Well...
NARRATOR: Adrian thought Abby
was all set to renovate.
ABBY: I'm worried about how much money it's gonna cost me
to renovate this place
to make it livable by my standards.
And she seems to have forgotten the $100,000
she set aside for fixes.
This can be a fantastic apartment.
It's got beautiful bones,
and that's what you want to look at.
Abby's gonna have to make lots of compromises
because she can't afford to purchase an apartment
like the one she's living in.
NARRATOR: So Adrian stays in the lively Marais
but goes in the opposite direction
with a turnkey property
with a ton of Parisian charm
she thinks could be what Abby is searching for.
ADRIAN: This is a very lively neighborhood.
There's tons of people, tons of cafés.
Oh, I almost got hit by a bike.
You're in the middle of almost insanity.
That's true.
But is the apartment right on the street?
No, the apartment's on the courtyard,
so it's gonna be really nice and quiet.
Yeah, this is so cute. Look at the street.
Hold on. We're here. We're here.
Oh, wow.
It's 400 square feet.
It's the size you're looking for,
and it's just under your total budget.
It's $595,000.
It doesn't need renovation?
It needs no renovation. Absolutely new things.
Although it would be tempting
to find a place that was just in move-in condition,
I made a deal with myself
that at least I would make the apartment my own,
I would make it perfect, I would put my stamp on it.
ADRIAN: We made it.
This is it.
Four flights. [ Laughs ]
Huh. It's cute. I like the exposed beams.
Aren't they gorgeous?
They're beautiful.
It gives the place a lot of character.
Oh, this is the kitchen.
Cute but small.
And you're cooking in the entrance.
I mean, this is the entrance.
Plenty of storage.
There's a big sink.
There's a four-burner stove.
So, you don't have any counter space.
I guess what I'm concerned about
is that there's not much room
to change anything, right?
It is the way it is. It's narrow.
Let's go look at the bedroom.
Let's do it.
Okay, before you make too many decisions...
[ Laughs ] It's pretty.
The view is beautiful.
ADRIAN: It's great.
ABBY: It's a beautiful view.
Look at those rooftops.
It is pretty much what I'm looking for.
I guess my one concern
is that, because of the layout,
there's not that much room to change anything, right?
Where would we have our dinner parties?
[ Laughter ]
ADRIAN: But the district is very, very popular.
It's the heart of the Marais.
So, location, location, location.
This is a very lively, vivant neighborhood
with lots of cafés and restaurants,
and the moment she were to step out of her door,
everything would be there, and so it's a big advantage.
I know I need to downsize.
Something's got to go, right?
Right.
I don't think that you realize that that is a full kitchen.
The only thing that's missing is a dishwasher.
And the full refrigerator.
Well, it's a half fridge.
Mini-fridge is what I call it.
I live with a mini-fridge.
No, it's beautiful.
And you do have such character here.
It feels like Paris.
I would feel badly doing anything to the place.
It's really great the way it is.
Whether it's exactly me,
I'd really have to think
about whether that's gonna suit my needs.
You wanted character.
I did.
That's -- location number one, character number two.
That's what I said, right?
This apartment is the largest apartment you're gonna look at.
And what does that mean in terms of price?
NARRATOR: Challenged by a particular client,
Adrian moves away from the trendy Marais
and banks on space.
DANIEL: Wow!
Yes, it's a "wow."
Do any of you own a home in Paris?
You do, right?
NARRATOR: Years after Paris cast her alluring spell,
Abby is saying goodbye to her rental
and buying in to the city she loves.
I don't want to get in over my head.
I still want to have flexibility.
I think my biggest fear in buying in Paris is the cost,
particularly if I end up having to do
any renovations to the apartment.
You just never know for sure how much it's gonna cost you.
ABBY: That glass wall is absolutely hideous.
That would have to go.
So, what about --
you take down the glass block wall
and you put in some sort of French doors
or sliding glass doors.
ABBY: The only reason I'm moving
is to have something better.
It might not be bigger, but it needs to be better.
NARRATOR: But if she opts out of renovations,
she's left with a pricey property
and no budget left to make it her own.
ABBY: Oh, this is the kitchen.
You don't have any counter space.
I don't think that you realize that that is a full kitchen.
I might have a lot of work ahead of me.
[ Laughter ]
And I suppose you've talked to the bank.
You found out how much you can borrow.
They're pretty strict about it.
So I was told, before you do anything else, talk to the bank,
find out what your budget really is.
It's never too early for a housewarming party planning.
[ Laughter ]
NARRATOR: So far, Adrian has focused on central Paris
like Abby wants but has come up short.
There's no one perfect property,
but it's gonna be very interesting
to see what, in the end, really matters to Abby.
NARRATOR: So Adrian changes course
to see if more space could tip the scales.
But the distance from central Paris
will test Abby's priorities.
ADRIAN: We're in the 12th arrondissement.
You're in a great location here
because you're right at the Viaduc des Arts.
You know the promenade plantée?
ABBY: Ah, right!
This apartment is the largest apartment you're gonna look at.
How big is it?
445 square feet.
And what does that mean in terms of price?
It's a little over your budget. It's $610,000.
But the reason I'm showing you this apartment
is because it is sixth floor, elevator,
balcony, and views.
DANIEL: Wow!
Yes, it's a "wow." It's a "wow."
It's a nice neighborhood.
I know it's a bit of an up-and-coming neighborhood,
but it's still not central Paris.
I like to walk everywhere,
and even if I could eventually become comfortable
in this neighborhood, I don't think it's ideal.
This is our biggest apartment.
Wow.
It does feel spacious.
I don't love the paint color,
but that, obviously, we can change.
I like the high ceilings, I like the glass doors.
DANIEL: Oh, and they open onto a balcony?
This is fantastic!
Look at this.
You can see the promenade plantée.
You can see the clock tower.
I think the balcony apartment has it all.
You walk in, you're on the sixth floor,
you have this beautiful view of the rooftops --
one of the iconic landmarks of Paris.
I've been in Paris long enough to know
that you don't often get outdoor space in Paris, right?
You feel like you have space.
You don't feel cramped.
It is one benefit of being a little outside the center.
Exactly! You're catching on!
[ Laughs ]
So, here's the bedroom.
It's a good-sized bedroom.
With a lot of light.
You could fit your huge queen-size bed in here.
That's true.
And there's an exit here, there's a door here,
so you really do have a nice circular pattern.
Look at this gorgeous view in this big window!
It is a good view from the window.
But I do prefer the open kitchens, right?
I love to cook, I love to have people over.
You just can't actually
interact with your guests while you're cooking
if you have a little closed-in kitchen like this.
And you'd have to get rid of these tiles.
[ Laughs ]
You always have the best things to say, Daniel.
[ Laughter ]
All in all, it's a good space.
I don't know that I have all of the character
that an older, more central building might have.
ADRIAN: Character is smoke and mirrors.
You can add character.
I can't get that excited about it, I have to say.
There's something --
I certainly didn't walk in here and say right away,
"This is it."
You haven't said that about any apartment.
[ Laughter ]
I'm too picky.
I'm in a great apartment right now that I'm renting,
and I would prefer to stay in my rental
than move into a place I'm not 100% comfortable in.
You've already made a decision, haven't you?
NARRATOR: Her decision is not in the bag.
It definitely has potential.
Will she renovate...
Something's got to go, right?
...or can she adjust her idea of perfection?
So, what do I do?
So, Abby, it's decision time.
All of them have their pros and cons, right?
Exactly.
NARRATOR: In the exclusive Paris property market,
a $500,000 budget can't get Abby perfection,
and now she must decide what's most important to her.
So, what do I do?
House one is $525,000.
She loves the location.
ABBY: It's right in the heart of the Marais,
and yet it's a quiet street.
But it's small,
and Abby's unsure about tackling a total renovation.
I'm worried about how much money it's gonna cost me
to renovate this place.
At the top of her total budget, house two is $595,000.
It's in her preferred location.
The view is beautiful.
Wow.
NARRATOR: But its steep price and narrow layout
leave no room for personal touches.
There's not that much room to change anything.
Far from her ideal location,
house three blows past her total budget at $610,000.
It's the largest apartment she's seen.
You don't feel cramped.
NARRATOR: But it lacks the Parisian charm she desires.
Character is smoke and mirrors.
You can add character.
I think it's time to at least eliminate one.
I think, realistically,
there's one I can eliminate right off the bat.
The balcony apartment just doesn't have character.
Yeah.
So, that leaves the two in the Marais.
The courtyard apartment is on a busier street,
but it's courtyard side.
It's tempting to move into a place that is already set up.
All I'd have to do is move my furniture in.
No renovations.
But at the same time, there's no wiggle room.
The renovation apartment in the Marais
is only a two-floor walk-up.
And it has a lot of potential.
But at the same time, I run the risk
that the renovations will be more expensive
than I had planned.
I run the risk they could go longer.
But there's the possibility that it will be perfect.
You've already made the decision, haven't you?
I think I might be ready to take that risk.
I think I've decided to renovate.
[ Gasps ] Okay.
Are you ready for that?
I think I'm ready.
NARRATOR: With the ultimate goal
of putting her own stamp on a home,
Abby chooses house one.
I knew I was taking a chance with the renovations,
but I really think it's worth it.
Now I have exactly what I wanted.
Wonderful.
And I wouldn't have gotten that with any premade,
ready-to-go apartment.
[ Doorbell rings ]
Hi!
I'm good. How are you?
Good. So, here it is.
This is so beautiful!
It looks great.
Everything in this apartment is, as the French say, sur mesure,
or custom-made.
There's not a single thing that is left over
from the original apartment I bought.
This was where that hideous glass cube wall was I hated.
Remember? So we took that down.
We put in a nice wide door to the bedroom.
Do you want to see?
Yeah, let's see it.
400 square feet is not a big apartment,
so we had to be very creative with the space.
So it's all metal. It was hand-constructed.
Oh, great.
I did go over budget a bit.
I spent closer to $130,000,
but that also includes a lot of the custom-made furniture.
ABBY: So, there are these two huge drawers
underneath this side of the bed,
and then, on the other side of the bed...
It's fantastic to finally be a homeowner in Paris.
It's been a long journey, longer than I expected,
but I think it's definitely worth it.
DANIEL: I just can't get over these tiles.
They're gorgeous!
ABBY: I'm glad you like them. It was a risk.
You're right.
You took a risk on renovating,
you took a risk on buying this place,
and it's just turned out so beautifully.
Now it's time for me to finally enjoy it.
You have this beautiful home now,
just the way you always dreamed of.
Exactly.