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On the nursery slopes of ski property - 25 January 2007

In the week when much of south-eastern England was brought to a standstill by the falling of a panic-inducing 25mm of snow in one night, news that you can buy ski property in the French Alps for as little as £66,000 will calm the nerves of many people looking to buy in mountain areas.

Research conducted by Barclays has shown that people who search for property away from the best-known destinations and concentrate on areas with smaller, more compact resorts are able to find properties to suit smaller budgets. In fact, people who buy in the more fashionable resorts are likely to pay up to 130% more for the same property.

On top of this, people buying in the quieter and less-famous ski stations will have even more reason to be smug, with the likelihood that they will suffer less from overcrowding on the slopes and in the queues for the lifts.

The report gives the example of Les Deux Alpes in Isère, where a centrally-located one bedroom apartment could be bought for as little as €100,000 (£66,000). The resort is just 90 minutes from Grenoble, one of the liveliest cities in France with its all-year skiing and exciting nightlife. A comparable flat in uber-chic Chamonix, arguably the best all-round ski resort in Europe, will set you back a handsome €230,000 (£152,000). Put another way, for the price of a two-bedroom apartment in Chamonix, you can buy a five bedroom flat to accommodate ten people in Les Deux Alpes.

This shows the value in looking around for the best prices, rather than just heading to the most famous place, or the name you have heard of. With the wealth of opportunities that are currently presented to overseas property buyers, there is nothing that can replace getting on the ground yourself, and seeing what the property market has to offer. Spending some time, ideally in and out of the tourist season, in the area where you would like to buy will be invaluable. Not only will you get a real feeling for the area, the people and the non-tourist attractions, you could save a significant amount of money as well. This tactic will also help you to feel comfortable and at home before you have even bought your new home.

Barclays Bank offers full banking facilities and language support services for British buyers across France, along with money transfer, legal, medical and home insurance services at preferential rates for its customers. See www.barclays.co.uk/buyingabroad for more details.

 

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