C'est Ma Vie

We have been living in a hotel for a week now, without any success of getting an apartment in Paris. It is so far from the ways of Manila, and I guess it’s normal since a lot of people want to live in Paris so much. Right now, we are in the suburbs of Paris and for 47 euros a night, we are surviving in a budget hotel. It’s cheap, for Paris standards. If you stay inside Paris, it will cost us 80 – 90 euros per night. Life is a bitch.

It’s not easy. In Manila, apartment hunting is on a first-come first-served basis. All you have to do is show the money, give 2 months deposit and 1 month advanced rent. Here in Paris, you have to call real estate agents and owners, set up an appointment to view the apartment, prepare the gazillion required documents, show up for the viewing, and then wait for a phone call. If you don’t get a phone call within 2 days, you are out. It means it’s time to look for another. Isn’t that just familiar? Feels like I just graduated from college and I am on a job hunt.

Anyhoo, be prepared to present the most personal documents you have such as:

a. Proof of Income: Last 3 payslips; most recent tax return; attestation d’employeur that states your start date in the company, your salary, bonuses and allowances. You also should not be on a trial period.

b. Guarantor: You got to have a strong guarantor if you want to strengthen your chances of being “the one”. And then again, you have to show the same required documents from your guarantor such as proof of income, a letter of declaration of your guarantor, copies of everything that can help you such a livret de famille (if you are a student and relying on your parents’ income), etc.

c. Don’t forget to photocopy your IDs – national identity card, passport, carte de sejour.

d. Personal bank account number

The profile with the strongest financial proof will be accepted. Goodluck!