Long-term rental in Saint-Martin: how to find a year-round home

Rents, neighbourhoods, application and timelines: what you need to know to rent a home year-round in the French part of Saint-Martin.

The Remoters editorial team

Published on

2 October 2024

Updated on

6 October 2026

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Finding a long-term rental in Saint-Martin, on the French side (97150), takes preparation. The supply of year-round homes is thin, affordable small units go quickly and part of the housing stock serves tourist accommodation. Expect €850 to €1,220 per month for a studio and €790 to €1,450 for a T2, based on listings recorded in 2025 on local platforms.

This guide covers the French part of the island, the Collectivité de Saint-Martin, and not Sint Maarten, the Dutch part. It gives you rent ranges, the neighbourhoods to search, the application to prepare, the move-in budget and realistic timelines for signing a lease.

A housing stock under pressure

The Collectivité had 31,500 inhabitants in 2022 according to Insee, 4,200 fewer than in 2012. You might expect a relaxed market. It is not: household size is falling, and Insee notes that pressure on the property market persists despite the population decline.

Three Insee figures for 2022 explain the scarcity of homes to rent year-round:

74% of homes are main residences, four points fewer than in 2012;
11% are second homes or occasional homes, a rising share that Insee links partly to short-term rental through online platforms;
15% are vacant, often because of damage from Hurricane Irma and renovation work never carried out.

The housing stock is also changing shape. Between 2012 and 2022, the number of main residences under 40 m² rose by 17%, while homes over 100 m² fell by 24%. Large family homes are therefore rarer than before.

On social housing, the IEDOM counts 1,701 homes in 2022, managed mainly by SEMSAMAR, SIG and SIKOA, a supply judged insufficient against demand. The Collectivité, responsible for housing since 2012, adopted a Local Housing Programme for 2025 to 2030 in October 2024, with a target of 1,800 new homes by 2030. These programmes will take time: for a move in the coming months, the private market remains the main route.

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How much a long-term rental costs in Saint-Martin

Rents vary with floor area, condition, location and amenities (pool, sea view, secure residence). Here are the ranges observed in 2025 in year-round rental listings:

Studio or T1 (25 to 40 m²): €850 to €1,220 per month;
T2 (40 to 60 m²): €790 to €1,450 per month;
T3 (60 to 90 m²): €950 to €2,780 per month;
T4 (75 to 100 m²): €1,050 to €2,000 per month;
Three-bedroom house or villa: €1,950 to €3,000 per month, more with a pool or sea view.

Furnished properties dominate the supply and rent for slightly more than unfurnished ones. Unfurnished homes, which are rarer, suit you better if you plan to stay several years and bring your own furniture. Water, electricity and internet are generally paid by you, on top of the rent.

To put these amounts in context, Insee puts the median gross monthly salary at €1,970 in Saint-Martin in 2022. A T2 at the top of the range therefore takes a large share of an average local income: landlords review applications accordingly.

Where to look on the French side

Listings are concentrated in a few areas. Each has its own profile of rents and properties:

Marigot: the main town, administrative and commercial centre, strong demand and a varied supply of apartments;
Concordia: residential and quiet, next to the south of Marigot, with many listings for T2 and T3 at affordable rents;
Hope Estate: residential and commercial area north-east of Marigot, close to Grand-Case airport, with new or renovated homes;
Sandy Ground: on the lagoon, village atmosphere, studios and apartments;
Bellevue: unfurnished T2 and T3 at moderate rents;
Galisbay: near the port, a few T4s for year-round rent;
Grand-Case: more upmarket supply, furnished T3s and villas;
Orient Bay and Anse Marcel: seaside areas, apartments and villas in residences, with the highest rents on the island.

If your budget is tight, aim first for Concordia, Bellevue or Marigot. Seaside areas like Orient Bay or Anse Marcel are also where seasonal rentals weigh most on the year-round supply.

Furnished or unfurnished: read the listing carefully

A long-term listing can hide a renewed seasonal lease or a rental limited to the low season. Before viewing, ask in writing for the length of the proposed lease, the possible move-in date, the furniture list and what the charges cover. A vague answer on the duration often signals a property that will go back to tourist rental when high season arrives.

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Preparing an application that gets accepted first time

Affordable properties find a tenant within days. Having a complete application before the first viewing often makes the difference. Gather:

a valid ID document;
your proof of income and your latest tax notice;
your employment contract or a job offer if you are arriving for a position;
references from your previous landlord.

Scan everything into a single file, ready to send as soon as a listing interests you. Add a short introduction: who you are, why you are moving, how long you plan to stay.

The move-in budget to plan for

On top of the first month's rent come the security deposit and, if you go through an agency, its fees. In practice, the deposit equals one month's rent excluding charges for an unfurnished home and can go up to two months for a furnished one. Agency fees observed range from half a month to one month's rent excluding charges. The inventory check is sometimes billed separately, between €66 and €225 including VAT depending on the agency in 2025.

For a studio or a T2 in Marigot or Concordia, plan for €1,700 to €3,500 at move-in. For a T3 or a villa, this amount can exceed €5,000. Add the costs of opening utility meters and the internet subscription.

Action Logement support, new on the island

Since the agreement signed on 13 February 2025 between the State, the Collectivité and Action Logement, several schemes are available in Saint-Martin for the first time:

Visale, a guarantee that covers the landlord against unpaid rent and makes it easier for young people, employees and people in reintegration to find housing;
the Avance Loca-Pass, which finances the security deposit when you move in or helps with a one-off payment difficulty;
Mobili-Pass, which covers part of the costs linked to a change of job or workplace.

Check your eligibility before you search: an application backed by the Visale guarantee reassures a hesitant landlord.

How long it takes to sign

Expect three to eight weeks on average between the start of your search and signing the lease:

studios and T2s in Marigot, Concordia or Hope Estate: often under four weeks, because properties go quickly and you need to decide early;
T3s and T4s: four to eight weeks, as the supply is more limited;
villas and houses: from a few weeks to several months depending on the budget.

The Collectivité has been responsible for housing since 2012 and some rules may differ from those of mainland France: have every clause of the lease explained to you (duration, notice period, rent revision, return of the deposit) before signing, and insist on a written inventory at move-in.

If you are searching from abroad or short of time, a Remoters home finder based in Saint-Martin searches for you, views properties, puts together your application and reviews the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.