Viewing trips are fun – getting up close to gorgeous ski properties in France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and beyond is a step closer to owning a piece of alpine paradise, and your dream of your own mountain home.
Viewing trips also need preparation – you want to get the most out of your property inspections, as well as squeezing in a bit of time on the slopes. That’s where our essential pre-viewing trip tips come in.
Wonderful wishlists
Wishlists are a joy to build - they’re also the most important element of planning your viewing trip. Your wish list will govern the type of resort you choose, type of home, even the time of year you travel. If you’re looking for somewhere that will be a family holiday home for years to come, or somewhere for group holidays then get everyone involved. You won’t necessarily be able to guarantee all requests (unicorns on ice can be hard to come by even in the best resorts) but giving everyone a voice means the whole experience is a joint venture and everyone is invested in making it a success.
What sort of things go on a wishlist for buying a ski chalet in Europe?
There's a lot to think about when you're looking to buy a ski property. Here are some of the things you might include on your wishlist.
Space
Think about how many bedrooms you need, what size kitchen? Are you looking for somewhere to entertain, or a compact space that lets you focus firmly on your winter sports?
Atmosphere
Do you want somewhere with hotel type facilities like a pool or spa? Or somewhere with a quaint alpine feel?
Activities
Are you looking for somewhere that’s going to be great for summer holidays as well as winter ski trips? Do you need family activities and things for growing teenagers?
You'll think of much more once you get going and using something like our property search can help you coax your ideas to reality.
Which resorts will you visit?
If you’re thinking about buying a ski chalet, the chances are you’ve a good idea about which resorts you like, and what type of ski holiday suits you. Nothing is set in stone though, and it’s worth thinking about whether there may be resorts that hold more appeal, perhaps with a quieter feel, or a vibrant summer scene alongside the splendour of ski season.
There’s a lot of talk about backdoor resorts too, places like Les Menuires that share the prestigious 3 valleys ski fields, but without the price tag of resorts like Meribel. This is where your wish list is really handy in helping you pinpoint what’s important to you, and our resort guides help to give you the inside track on things like location, altitude and atmosphere.
Who will go with you to see your ski chalet?
Will you make your viewing trip part of your family holiday? Or would you rather go solo? Time and money impact this and you may feel you do not want to spend your family time travelling between properties, especially if you’ve a lot to see. Viewing trips can be surprisingly tiring and quickly become too much for young children or easily distracted teenagers.
Getting a good shortlist together is invaluable and using something like our property alert service will help you keep on top of what’s on the market so you can make the most of your visit.
Finances for buying your ski property
It’s important to have your budget and finances in place before you head out on your viewing trip – there’s nothing worse than finding the perfect place, having to delay and losing out because the wheels won’t turn fast enough. In the event that you find a property and want to place a deposit to secure it, you’ll need to be ready to send money abroad, and many people find using a currency exchange specialist, like Smart Currency Exchange is the most effective way to do this.
You’ll find our buyers guides invaluable too - they take you through the detail of the buying process for each country, as well as helping you understand what you need to do to secure your new mountain home.
Where will you stay while you're viewing ski properties for sale?
Doing good research before you go means you can place yourself in the most strategic spot to allow for easy travel between the various ski chalets and getting to and from the airport of major transport links. If you’ve spotted a ski apartment in Europe that seems pretty much perfect it’s worth staying as close as you can so you can get a real sense of the location and atmosphere. Using a rental company like Powder White means you can find the ideal place to get the most from your viewing trip.
Whether you're looking for ski chalets in Europe, ski property in Japan, ski apartments in the USA or beyond, Snow Only’s unique property portal brings together new builds and resales so you can get a sound insight into what’s available, start making plans for getting back to the slopes and get closer to fulfilling your ski property dreams.
Mar 22, 2024
