By Nicolas Borge, founder of Valeur Immo Paris · Updated 13 October 2026 · Price source: DVF database, sales up to 31 December 2025
Selling an apartment in the Marais is not like a standard sale. The buildings are old, the co-ownerships (condominiums) vary enormously, and two apartments on the same street can sell at very different prices. This guide follows the steps in order, from the starting price to the signing at the notary’s office, with the real figures for the area.
1. Know what your apartment is really worth
In 2025, an apartment sold at a median €12,550/m² in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, across 1,021 sales: €12,085/m² in the 3rd and €12,920/m² in the 4th. This median is a benchmark, not a sale price. A quarter of apartments sold below €11,070/m², another quarter above €14,114/m². Condition, floor, quiet, energy rating (DPE) and the building explain that gap.
The market is also read neighbourhood by neighbourhood. In 2025, the median was €12,725/m² around Saint-Paul, Place des Vosges and the Arsenal, €12,674/m² at Hôtel de Ville and Saint-Merri, €12,606/m² in the Haut-Marais and €10,249/m² on the Bastille (11th) side. The detail is in our Marais price barometer (in French).
Size matters too: in 2025, the median was €12,171/m² under 25 m², and €13,296/m² between 60 and 90 m². Small units make up half of the sales in the Marais.
To get your bearings, you can get a first opinion online in 3 minutes with our valuation tool. It takes into account location, surface area, floor, the condition of the property and of the building, recent sales, current listings and the value for an investor. The valuation with a visit, handed over in writing within 48 hours, then allows us to set the listing price.
2. Choose the listing price
The asking price sets the pace of the sale. On our sales, we see three cases:
- about 6 weeks between signing the mandate and the accepted offer, when the property is priced at what the market validates right away;
- about 9 weeks, when it is priced slightly above its value, with an assumed negotiation margin;
- about 4 months, sometimes more, when it is priced high to test the market.
A property priced too high attracts few visits, stays online, then sells below its value after price cuts that worry buyers. The detail is in our article how long does it take to sell an apartment in Paris (in French).
3. The energy rating (DPE): what changes for a seller
Since 1 January 2025, a G-rated home can no longer be put on a new lease. F-rated homes will follow on 1 January 2028, then E-rated on 1 January 2034. These rules weigh on investor buyers, who are numerous in the Marais. On our four G-rated sales, the gap with the mandate price ranges from 0 to 16%, and three properties out of four found a buyer between 7 and 11 weeks after the mandate was signed.
The DPE calculation changed on 1 January 2026: the electricity conversion coefficient went from 2.3 to 1.9. A DPE issued since 1 July 2021 remains valid for 10 years and can be updated free of charge. Everything is detailed in our article on selling an F- or G-rated apartment in Paris (in French).
4. Prepare the sale file
A complete file avoids delays and reassures the buyer. The seller of a unit in a co-ownership must notably provide:
- the title deed and the latest property tax bill;
- the measurement of the unit, or “Carrez” certificate (legal living area);
- the technical diagnostics file: DPE, risk statement, asbestos, termites and pests, gas and electricity if the installations are more than 15 years old, lead where applicable;
- the co-ownership rules and the descriptive division statement;
- the minutes of the general meetings of the last three years;
- the amount of current charges and of charges outside the forecast budget for the last two financial years;
- the building’s maintenance log and, if there is one, the unit’s share of the works fund.
If these documents are not annexed to the preliminary contract, the buyer’s cooling-off period only starts once they have been provided. The validity periods of each diagnostic are on our property diagnostics page (in French). Ask your building manager (syndic) for the co-ownership documents right away: it is often the item that takes the longest.
5. Present the property
In the Marais, what the buyer is looking for shows in the photos: the light, the quiet, the volumes, the view over the courtyard or the rooftops. Professional photos and, depending on the property, light home staging (both pages in French) make the difference from the moment the listing goes online. The peak of calls comes within 48 to 72 hours of the listing being published: better to have everything ready on the day it goes live.
6. Viewings, offer and negotiation
Buyers show up, but they compare and negotiate. An offer is read beyond the price: the financing plan, the conditions precedent and the timelines count just as much. We screen visitors, hand you each offer in writing with our analysis and help you decide. You remain free to accept, refuse or counter-offer.
7. Preliminary contract, cooling-off period and deed of sale
Once the price is agreed, a preliminary contract is signed (promesse or compromis de vente). The buyer then has a 10-day cooling-off period. The notary then checks the file, clears any possible third-party rights and prepares the authentic deed. The signing at the notary’s office marks the transfer of ownership and the payment of the price.
8. Fees and taxes
Our fee schedule is public on the fees page. Transaction fees are paid by the buyer.
On the tax side, the sale of your main residence is exempt from capital gains tax. For another property, a capital gain may be taxed, with allowances that depend on how long you have owned it. The notary declares the capital gain and pays the tax at the time of the sale. The rules change: we advise you to discuss it with your notary or tax adviser before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
How much is my apartment worth in the Marais?
In 2025, the median was €12,550/m² in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, but it varies widely depending on condition, floor, light and the building. Only a visit makes it possible to set a listing price.
Which documents are needed to sell?
The title deed, the diagnostics, the Carrez certificate, the co-ownership rules, the last three general-meeting minutes, the charges for the last two financial years and the maintenance log. The full list is in chapter 4.
Can I sell an apartment rated F or G?
Yes. A G-rated home can no longer be let since 1 January 2025, which weighs on the price. Our four G-rated sales were made with a gap of 0 to 16% from the mandate price.
What is the buyer’s cooling-off period?
10 days from delivery of the complete preliminary contract, annexes included.
Who pays the fees?
Our transaction fees are paid by the buyer. The schedule is published on our fees page.
Should I sell before buying?
It depends on your financing and your timeline. We discuss it at the first meeting, and we can also direct you to financing partners.
Thinking of selling in the Marais? Get a first opinion online in 3 minutes, then a precise valuation after a visit: value my apartment.