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Post by geordy on Mar 6, 2010 10:34:10 GMT -5
Oh Annette..what a wonderful way to start the weekend! We've had breakfast at that corner cafe across the way on a couple of trips! The first time the waitress went across Rue Monge to a bakery to get more baguettes and croissants. Last time that one was closed and she went across to "your" shop!! All that street life to watch and then the courtyard views when you are at the sink!! What fun.  Bet you can't wait 'til May!!! 2 fireplaces! Oh all the possibilities! Your smile signing those papers  tells it all!  PS: before you were posted I had just got around to google mapping it and the site was not cooperating...couldn't pinpoint your building I was getting #34 or 28! Then the computer got fussy.... Nick of time as they say! |
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keylimejet
Full Member
"When good Americans die, they go to Paris." Oscar Wilde
Posts: 140
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Post by keylimejet on Mar 6, 2010 10:50:50 GMT -5
I was just thinking about you earlier this morning, hoping you had gotten home okay and that everything had gone as planned. Then I logged back on and saw your smiling face and your beautiful new apartment! It is so perfect and I know you're going to be deliriously happy there. ;D
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Post by janetnj on Mar 6, 2010 10:51:07 GMT -5
Annette, what a great apartment. I agree with you - the casework is ok, but I'm sure there's something that would work even better.
Have fun with the next step of this adventure - remodeling!
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Post by Anne on Mar 6, 2010 11:23:26 GMT -5
Thanks for posting the pictures Annette ! The apartment certainly has a great potential, and there isn't much that needs to be done in the living room and bedroom. Don't know about the kitchen : the furniture is nice enough, you could keep it and just change the tiles on the wall (la crédence) and do something about the pipe of the extractor hood ? The floor tiles look so-so, but is it worth knocking the whole kitchen down in order to change the floor ? It's a bit of a shame that you cannot keep a separate WC, but then the current one is quite ugly and tiny indeed. Sorry, I get carried away playing the architect in an architect's apartment  ;D ! The notaire is so cute, he looks like a 15 years old boy who borrowed a tie and strict glasses in order to play the notaire  ! |
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Post by JustTravel on Mar 6, 2010 14:13:26 GMT -5
Congratulations, Annette!!!! Great looking apartment even before remodeling and wonderful neighborhood.
I am "sorta" envious. But a few years ago, we decided that we really do not want to buy and have not regretted that decision. We love Paris and happy just to stay in a vacation rental. We are returning in October to the same rental for the third time, five and half weeks this time.
Have fun shopping and decorating.
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Post by Jody on Mar 6, 2010 14:16:40 GMT -5
There is a wonderful French pottery shop near you. It's near one of the entrances to the Arenes, right as you come out of the metro. It's on a corner and you turn left up that street to get to the arena! I'll try to remember the name! The apt looks great and 2 fireplaces, you'll have to stay in winter !! www.latuilealoup.com/?rubrique1&lang=frThe memory is better than I thought!!! |
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Post by holger on Mar 6, 2010 17:26:32 GMT -5
;D
This is really such a beautiful apartment. I really like the layout and especially the proposed new bath.
We will be in Paris from 9/30 till 10/14 so hope to see you at the OPF get together and also to see the apartment.
Everything just really fell in place which is terrific. Are you going to rent the apartment out when you are not there? If so, you will have a long line of OPFers.
Warm wishes for the best of everything.
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Post by Laura NY (aoi33) on Mar 6, 2010 17:33:55 GMT -5
Oh Annette, It is going to be fabulous! What a marvelous time you are going to have putting it all together. Thank you for posting the pictures. I can't wait to see how it all comes together.
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keylimejet
Full Member
"When good Americans die, they go to Paris." Oscar Wilde
Posts: 140
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Post by keylimejet on Mar 6, 2010 20:56:41 GMT -5
I just wanted to thank you for allowing your OPF buddies to come along on your amazing adventure! What fun it's been! Your commentaries and photos made me feel like part of it all - an exalt for you!
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Post by mez on Mar 6, 2010 22:07:37 GMT -5
Fantastic news! I only read about your auction adventures yesterdays...I am running to far behind with all the OPF posts.  Congratulations to you both. The apartment looks fantastic. Having the patisserie across the road is a blessing and a course. |
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Post by sunshine817 on Mar 7, 2010 6:02:22 GMT -5
Annette, congratulations to both of you -- what a great flat! It's a real bonus that it's very liveable as it is -- it gives you the luxury of changing things at a slower pace, as nothing MUST be done for it to function quite well.
Now you will have the fun of dealing with French tradesmen -- bon courage!
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Post by Truffaut on Mar 7, 2010 8:08:44 GMT -5
Now you will have the fun of dealing with French tradesmen -- bon courage! We just contracted to have our bathroom repainted. Mind you, the bathroom is tiled. The only thing to be painted is the space from the tile to the ceiling, and the ceiling itself. We calculated that it's about 104 square feet. It's being done for the bargain price of 300 euros The told us they could start on Tuesday and would hope to have it finished by the weekend. (Paint an inch, smoke a cigarette, paint an inch, stand on the balcony and look at girls, paint an inch, have a glass of wine......) |
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Post by Katharine on Mar 7, 2010 8:23:30 GMT -5
What a fun project for you, Annette! Oh the possibilities! You be so happy and truly in your element. I will be sure to wander by iwhen I am there in June to get a good feel for your neighborhood.
How exciting! Let the fun begin. ;D
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Post by sunshine817 on Mar 7, 2010 9:18:18 GMT -5
We calculated that it's about 104 square feet. It's being done for the bargain price of 300 euros The told us they could start on Tuesday and would hope to have it finished by the weekend. (Paint an inch, smoke a cigarette, paint an inch, stand on the balcony and look at girls, paint an inch, have a glass of wine......) Oh yes -- Truffaut has the description down perfectly! While the timing absolutely leaves me boggled, at least I do understand the price -- I went to look at paint at the Leroy Merlin and nearly fell over when I saw the price of the paint. You could buy top-of-the-line paint for far less than the cheap stuff here. Our downstairs W/C is painted a hideous Pepto-Bismol pink -- I shudder to think how many coats of expensive paint it will take to cover it, even though the W/C is tiny (they even painted the ceiling with the pink!!!). Some of our friends have urged us not to paint it, with comments ranging from "It's a conversation piece" -- to the best: it's epic. I hate it, but everybody gets such a giggle out of it, I may just leave it as it is -- I've covered as much of the walls as I can with brightly-colored posters...it helps enormously, but it's still awful. |
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Post by sistereurope on Mar 7, 2010 9:26:44 GMT -5
Annette,
I love your apartment. Fireplaces!! A separate bedroom! Nice windows and wood floors! It's going to be spectacular. OOHHH, I am so excited for you!!!!!
And as for our Oct GTG, I propose that we just visit your place so that we all can ooh and ahh and gawk and wish we were you, and then we could all retire to Les Papilles (which is also conveniently in the 5th) for our housewarming party. That way you don't have to clean up! ;D
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Post by Anne on Mar 7, 2010 10:51:01 GMT -5
Truffaut, don't complain. At least you already managed to get the two first steps right :
- they came to look at the work to be done
- then they sent you a devis/estimate
Many craftsmen don't go as far as the completion of step #2.
As for steps #3 and #4, i.e. the dates when they start and finish the works, well, wait and see ;D .
We currently have some masonry works done in our garden for which we signed the devis and paid the down payment last April. They were supposed to do the works in October, then November. Oh and we also have signed a devis for roof works in ... Sept 08, but we gave up badgering the roofer on that one long ago.
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Post by Jody on Mar 7, 2010 12:32:06 GMT -5
I'm going to kiss my contractor! He starts and finishes and cleans up better than I can and on time!
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Post by holger on Mar 7, 2010 12:55:14 GMT -5
Annette,
Our two non-negotiables are met by your apartment. One is a walk in shower. The second is either a king bed or two separate beds. Both of these are related to being in our 70s and not so great sleeping patterns.
So when you are ready to rent let me know. We are set for this October and in 2011 will be spending some time in Denmark with husband's family. BUT I am hoping to squeeze in at least a week in Paris by finding an inexpensive round trip flight between Copenhagen and Paris. Although I also want to look at sleeper trains from Denmark to Paris. That is how we travelled way back in 1957! It is likely to be late June or sometime in July 2011 when we get to DK if we can get family to clarify who will be where and when.
Gitte,
I am crossing my fingers and toes which does make it hard to type and walk and am thinking good thoughts about your vacation situation.
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Post by sunshine817 on Mar 7, 2010 13:40:32 GMT -5
Gitte, Go to one of these websites: www.seloger.comwww.avendrealouer.frwww.fnaim.frThen you can enter all the variables you want, and it will give you a listing of the properties currently for sale in whatever area you choose to search. From there you can get a very accurate idea of the going price for properties in that area. |
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Post by GitteK on Mar 7, 2010 14:05:32 GMT -5
Sunshine dear - I deleted all my posts. Hope it makes everyone feel more comfortable. Sorry for trying to be funny. It appears I failed.  It will not happen again, not to worry. Have a nice continued evening. |
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tells it all! 
;D !
! 
It will not happen again, not to worry. 
hahahha