Algorithms Don’t Visit Apartments: Why You Need More Than a Property Portal to Buy in Paris from Abroad

Christine Bacoup-Tidas
Nov 13
3 min read

Colorful map illustration of Saint-Germain, Paris. Highlights include museums, cafes, shops, and landmarks. Notable text labels locations.

Online property portals like SeLoger, Bien’ici, or PAP have transformed how buyers explore the French real estate market. A few clicks reveal thousands of listings, each promising charm, light, and that irresistible Parisian cachet.

But behind the glossy photos and attractive descriptions lies another reality, one that algorithms can’t see, and that no portal can explain.

Street scene with people walking, trees lining the path, and historic brick building in background. Sunlight filters through green leaves.

1. Portals Are Showcases, Not the Market Itself

Property portals to buy in Paris are marketing tools, not neutral databases. They only display the listings of agencies that pay a subscription fee or choose to promote their properties. This means that what you see online represents only a small portion of what’s truly for sale and often not the best opportunities.

In fact, many of the most desirable apartments in Paris are sold off-market, through private networks and word of mouth between professionals. These transactions never make it to SeLoger or Bien’ici.

2. Outdated Listings and Artificial Visibility

Listings often remain visible for weeks after a property has already been sold or reserved, because agencies pay for exposure over time.

The result: buyers waste time contacting agents about properties that no longer exist.

Some listings are even reposted under different agencies or republished to appear “new”, creating confusion about what’s truly available.

In fact, some agencies republish listings of apartments that have already been sold or they publish fake listings often with very attractive prices as a « bait », to attract new clients!

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3. The Problem Behind the Photos

What property portals don’t show:

Building nuisances (noisy courtyards, poor insulation, bars below the apartment).
Upcoming building works or structural issues.
High copropriété charges and unpaid fees.
Absence of an elevator, poor maintenance, or legal disputes within the building.

Even the photos themselves can mislead: some are AI-generated or digitally enhanced to make spaces appear larger, brighter, or renovated.

Street in Paris with rows of buildings leading to the Eiffel Tower under a cloudy sky. Cars line the street, evoking a busy urban mood.

4. Inflated Prices and Hidden Negotiation

Property portals will not tell you how realistic the price is.

Some agencies inflate asking prices to win mandates from sellers.
Owners often overvalue their property due to emotional attachment.
There’s no standardized pricing mechanism like an MLS (Multiple Listing Service) as in the U.S.

Without context, buyers risk overpaying or missing the right property out of caution.

And of course, portals don’t negotiate for you. They’re simply a window display, not a partner acting in your interest.

Open Tomette Paris guide on a gray surface, features articles titled "Why buy a property in Paris?" and "Budget and Financing," with a Paris street photo. — The 60-pages Tomette Paris Guide to Buying Property in Paris for Foreign Buyers

5. How an Independent Buyer’s Agent Changes Everything

As an independent buyer’s agent, my role is to represent only the buyer, not the seller, not the seller's real estate agent, not the portal.

Here’s how my services make the difference:

Unbiased search across all sources: online, off-market, and private networks.
Analysis and verification of each property: building condition, financial health of the copropriété, real price data.
Negotiation based on market comparables and professional insight.
Guidance through every step: from financing preparation to renovation after closing to property management.

My goal is to make your purchase transparent, secure, and tailored to your needs, not to sell a listing, but to find your apartment.

6. From Algorithms to Authenticity

Property portals can be a helpful starting point, a way to discover what’s out there and refine your taste. But algorithms don’t visit apartments. In fact, numerous agencies decline an offer unless the offeror or a representative, such as a buyer's agent, has visited beforehand.

They don’t climb the stairs, listen to the noise from the street, check the plumbing, or sense the atmosphere of a neighborhood.

That’s what I do: combining experience, local knowledge, and independence to guide you beyond the online showcase into the real Paris property market.

Smiling person Christine Bacoup-Tidas of Tomette Paris wearing a striped jacket stands in a living room with bookshelves and a mirror. Warm and inviting atmosphere.

Christine Bacoup-Tidas, J.D.

Founder, Tomette Paris® - Independent Buyer’s Agent in Paris. Helping international clients find, evaluate, and secure their Parisian home with confidence.