Recent snow dumps in the Alps have caused the usual ripple of excitement, as resorts gear up for the 2012-13 ski season.
Article written by The Overseas Guides Company
But it might be more than the snow conditions that excites skiers in Alpine resorts this year, when they see some of the deals available on property there.
Property prices in prime ski resorts have fallen by nearly 10 per cent since the peak of the market in 2008, according to a recent report by Knight Frank. “While this drop isn’t as drastic as price falls in other types of tourist resort, it’s proof that a ski property is a safer investment than many other types of property,” said Julian Walker, who runs ski property specialist skiingproperty.com.
“Skiing remains hugely popular and is an annual must for many people – all of whom need somewhere to stay. The nature of mountain resorts means there will always be limited supply of properties, and when you combine this with the premium rental rates ski properties command, it’s easy to see why ski homes retain value.”
Flaine, at 1,700 metres, is one French resort that boasts an excellent snow record, is easy to reach and has ski-in ski-out access to the Grand Massif ski area, with its 265 kilometres of slopes. An example of what’s currently available there is this 54-square-metre, two-bedroom apartment, priced from €225,352.
It’s part of a residence located at the top of the resort, next to a golf course and with direct access to the slopes. On-site facilities include a pool and spa centre, restaurant and bar. One, three, four and five-bedroom options are availble, with leaseback or freehold contracts.
For details of more properties for sale in France and other ski destinations around the world, visit the listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying a ski property is to use a currency exchange specialist when transferring your pounds into euros or other foreign currency. For more information on this, visit the Currency Zone or contact Smart Currency Exchange.
To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in France, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘France Property Buying Guide’
The views and comments herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Rightmove Overseas, Rightmove Group Ltd or Rightmove Plc