With the ski season just a couple of months away, a leading developer in the French Alps has reported a surge in demand for properties from families and young professionals.

Developer MGM, which is currently developing projects in the resorts of Tignes and Flaine, recently reported that sales to British buyers in the eight months to August matched those for the whole of last year, “and the surge in sales which tends to follow the first snowfalls of the winter is still to come”, added the firm’s London-based sales agent Richard Deans.

More Brits are recognising the French Alps as a year-round destination, with lots of outdoor sports available once the snow has melted for the year, which translates to higher occupancy levels for anyone who lets their property.

Recognising this trend, Mr Deans said: “It’s not just skiers who are showing a keen interest… Increasingly investors are realising that properties in good locations, like some of Europe’s top ski resorts, can offer better returns than the uncertainties of the stock market.

MGM has recently introduced an innovative new scheme enabling investors in leaseback properties in résidences de tourisme to receive, in addition to a guaranteed annual rental income, extra income from lettings achieved in place of the four weeks of personal use which skiers generally prefer.

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