Top Ten for ski property

Piste Properties

BuyAssociation.co.uk Property Editor Paul Collins looks for the best properties on the piste, with five classic destinations and five to look out for.

Introduction

Ski property is not often the first thing that buyers think about when they are looking for property overseas. For many people the dream of buying abroad is more about sun and sea than it is about snow and ski, but in the modern world, there is much to be said for buying in the mountains, and you don’t need to strap on your salopettes to enjoy it to the full.

Of course, buying a property in a ski resort will have advantages for renting out during the season, and your income through these months could be impressive. Moreover, resorts are now coming round to the idea of staying open all through the year, and most ski stations in developed areas have a full range of outdoor activities for the summer months. With the rise of independent travel, and the growing popularity of high-adrenaline sports such as paragliding, mountain biking and rock climbing alongside the more traditional walking, the number of people using mountain resorts throughout the summer is growing.

For less-adventurous visitors, the weather in the mountains in the summer is often hot and sunny, and there are lakes and rivers with some of the cleanest and freshest water in the world in which to swim. Add to this the clean air, and for the most part the absence of any over development, buying property in a ski resort becomes more and more attractive.

Five Established Resorts

France

Buying ski property in France is likely to be near the top of the list for many people. Access is incredibly easy, through plenty of regional airports and low-cost airlines; France’s magnificent TGV system; or during the winter season travel directly by Eurostar from the new terminal at St Pancras to the towns of Moutier, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, giving you access to some of the best resorts in the area. Property prices in the Alps reflect the quality of the slopes and the historical importance of the resorts, but there are opportunities to be had in the less well-known stations. Don’t overlook the possibility of the Pyrenees more rugged scenery and modern resorts with access to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts.

Bulgaria

Ski properties in Bulgaria have come a long way. From a few small towns with a couple of lifts and runs in average repair, the ski resorts of Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo have overtaken the Black Sea coast as the most popular place to buy in Bulgaria. This improvement in the facilities even led to a challenge for the nomination for the 2014 Winter Olympics, and although it eventually lost out to Russia, many of the infrastructure upgrades proposed will take place in any case. The skiing is great for beginners and families, and as Pamporovo is the most southerly ski resort in Europe, good weather for the summer should be no problem.

Canada

When people think of buying property in Canada, they are often buying into the whole concept of an outdoors, family lifestyle as a whole. This is reflected in much of the property that is offered to the international market, with golf/ski developments (depending on the season) common. Canada also offers a wide range of supplementary winter sports choices, from snowmobiling to snowshoeing, and is one of the few places in the world where there is still plenty enough space to get good and lost in the countryside and enjoy the clean air. Properties in Canadian resorts can be grander than in Europe, but the space you get and the standard of finish justifies the prices charged.

Italy

While the main focus of buying property in Italy has shifted from Tuscan villas to the towns of Le Marche and new developments on the south coast, there is a thriving and worthwhile ski culture that offers properties with direct access to the slopes in some of the most chic resorts in Europe. The resorts of Sestriere, Bardonecchia, Cortina and Val Gardena are well-known, and snow in both the Alps and the Dolomites has been reliable in recent years, and apartments and small chalets are the order of the day in property. Less new development is taking place here, but with the popularity of ski properties growing, that may change in the coming years.

USA

The Rocky Mountains run from Canada in the north along the western flank of the US, and provide some of the best skiing in the world. Resorts like Whistler, Beaver Creek, Vail and Pebble Creek are famed for their clean and fresh powder snow, but have only been in the consciousness of the UK skier for the past decade or so. Property opportunities in the ski resorts are twofold: outright ownership of a condo near the slopes and lifts, or investing in a suite in a condo-hotel and leasing it back to the hotel group. This could give you enough personal use each year to make sure you get your powder fix, while acting as a tidy investment. Not the cheapest of areas for ski properties, but the continued popularity of the resorts with both American and the international market is almost assured.

Five for the future

Slovakia

In the early days following the division of Czechoslovakia, it seemed as if all of the attention went to the Czech Republic and both travel and property sectors grew quickly, but property in Slovakia has now built itself up to become a destination in its own right, and ski resorts in the High Tatra Mountains have been attracting tourists from neighbouring countries for many years. The growth of low-cost airlines has opened the region up to the rest of Europe now, and property developments have followed this expansion in the market. Many Slovakians visit the High Tatras four or five times a year, and so there are established activities throughout the year, and with ski apartments available for under £80,000, the opportunity is tempting.

Montenegro

The smallest of the republics formed after the disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Montenegro is famous for the huge Bay of Kotor which attracts tourists and homebuyers alike throughout the summer season, but up in the north east of the country, the Durmitor National Park is perfect for winter sports and the white-water rafting, hiking and mountain-biking that characterizes summer mountain sports. While this is not a well-known destination as yet, as low-cost airlines plan to fly into the country in the near future, expect interest in the region to escalate.

Turkey

Yes, you did read that right, skiing in Turkey. While the country has long been a popular summer holiday destination with British and European tourists, the development of new kinds of properties and developments has led to plans for ski properties in the near future. There are a number of high mountain ranges in Turkey, and on most of them, the forested slopes get in the region of three metres of snow in the winter months. Golf courses in the same regions will provide some of the summer activities, while some of the ski stations, such as Saklikent in Antalya, are only a short drive from the coast, meaning that in the spring you can ski one day, and go to the beach the next!

Ukraine

One of the last remaining unexplored ‘emerging’ markets in Eastern Europe, Ukraine has emerged from the Soviet Union with a new government, a free economy and growing wealth among the middle classes. This has resulted in more property development than has been seen in many years, and in the Carpathian Mountains in the west of the country, Slavsk is seeing significant growth. New property developments are available off-plan, with a focus not only on skiing and summer mountain sports, but also the spa facilities in the unspoilt surroundings of the Carpathians. Already popular with the local population, Slavsk is destined to attract more visitors from both the east and the west in the coming years.

Andorra

Already popular as a ski destination, the tiny principality of Andorra lies in the middle of the Pyrenees, and is beginning to come to the attention of the overseas property buying public. Not only does it offer access to some of the most rugged mountains for both skiing, walking and mountain biking, but it is also a convenient tax haven for those looking to take up residence to protect their assets. And, unlike the more famous tax havens of Monaco or the Caribbean, property prices are reasonable enough for most people to afford, with studios starting from under £100,000.

Conclusion

With these destinations in mind, the future for ski properties across the world is bright, with more summer activities being introduced. Not only are established resorts gaining more developments and better connections to major cities, but new resorts are being developed all of the time, and there is huge potential for the market to expand further. Australia and New Zealand property have great ski opportunities, while South Africa, Morocco and Argentina should soon start to open up their own ski stations to the wider market.