Boroughs & Burbs 115 || ”We’ll Always Have Paris”

Watch on YouTube: We’ll Always Have Paris | Ep. 115
Episode page: Boroughs & Burbs 115 – We’ll Always Have Paris

Episode Overview

As Oscar Wilde quipped, “When good Americans die, they go to Paris.” But today, Americans aren’t waiting for the afterlife—they’re investing now. In this episode, John Engel and Roberto Cabrera are joined by:

• Alison Ashby — Managing Director at Junot Fine Properties, a Knight Frank affiliate, fluent in French and German, and a specialist in international buyers

• Roddy Aris — Partner at Knight Frank, overseeing Paris and the French Alpine market, from the 3 Valleys to Chamonix

Together, they unpack the realities of the French property market and why Paris continues to enchant investors, expats, and lifestyle buyers alike.

Key Themes 

1. Size Matters
   Despite its global allure, the French real estate market is smaller and less liquid than many expect. That scale has implications for both opportunity and stability.

2. An Opaque Industry
   With no central MLS, limited public listings, and ads without addresses, Paris real estate requires insider knowledge. Alison and Roddy stress why choosing the right broker is critical.

3. Financing Challenges
   France offers historically low rates (around 4%), but lending criteria can be stringent for Americans. Buyers need patience, strong documentation, and often local expertise to close.

4. French Castles & Châteaux
   Demand for historic castles has dipped by about 8%, even as broader French property values rise by 6% annually. It’s a niche market, increasingly driven by passion buyers.

5. New Construction
   Unlike London or New York, Paris produces little new development. One example: the transformation of a Renault garage into luxury housing, illustrating adaptive reuse.

6. The Romance of Paris
   Beyond numbers, the discussion keeps returning to Paris’s cultural gravity: its architecture, lifestyle, and enduring magnetism for international buyers.

Links & Social

Guests

• Alison Ashby — Junot Fine Properties • LinkedIn • Email: Alison.Ashby@knightfrank.com

• Roddy Aris — Knight Frank Profile • LinkedIn • Email: Roddy.Aris@knightfrank.com

Hosts

• John Engel — IG: @jengel199 • LinkedIn

• Roberto Cabrera — IG: @rcabrera1 • LinkedIn

Related International Episodes (verified)

• Navigating the French Riviera | Ep. 111

• Luxurious St. Barths | Ep. 131

• Exploring Portugal | Ep. 144

• Dubai Real Estate | Ep. 161

• Is Panama Really for Sale? | Ep. 170

Keywords

#Paris #FrenchRealEstate #JunotFineProperties #KnightFrank #luxuryrealestate #chateaux #internationalbuyers #EuropeProperty #investinparis #boroughsandburbs