Oct 10, 2022 / BUYING PROCESS

How much ski property can you get for your money?

House in the snow

As Europe emerges from the turbulence of the last few years, the hoped for resurgence of interest in ski property is coming to fruition.

Combine this renewed interest with a fresh crop of new build properties which increases the overall price in resort, and the ski property market is seeing a real uptick of interest, as well as an increase in value. People are looking for property that will offer a welcome mountain retreat, and be a sound investment. Incentives such as the VAT reclaim system in France mean that investing in ski property is becoming more and more appealing.

How much ski property can you get for your money?

This article offers a whistle stop tour of key French ski resorts - we’ll look at the variation between resorts, as well as how much difference there is between a brand new ski property and an older one needing renovation.

These principles can be applied across many other countries, and offer a great starting point for you to understand how far your budget will go, and what other factors to consider before making your purchase.

The table below gives a flavour of this variation, and shows the importance of looking at all options before deciding on a location.

Resort

Type of property

Location

New build (inc.taxes)

Older renovated property

Older unrenovated property

Courchevel 1850

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

NC

€11,000-€13,000

€8,000-€10,000

Premium

NC

€12,000-€17,000

€9,000-€14,000

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€15,000-€22,000

€14,000-€19,000

€10,000-€15,000

Premium

€20,000-€30,000

€14,000-19,000

€10,000-15,000

Chalet

Standard

€21,000-€35,000

€20,000-€25,000

€18,000-€23,000

Premium

€30,000-€40,000

€25,000-€30,000

€20,000-€25,000

Courchevel Moriond

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€12,000-€10,000

€7,000-€9,000

€6,000-€8,000

Premium

€13,000-€11,000

€8,000-€10,500

€7,500-€9,500

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€15,000-€12,500

€10,000-€12,000

€9,000-€11,000

Premium

€16,000-€14,000

€12,000-€14,500

€10,000-€12,000

Chalet

Standard

€19,000-€15,000

€9,500-€13,500

€8,500-€12,500

Premium

€15,000-€20,000

€14,500-€18,000

€10,500-€14,500

Courchevel Village

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€12,000-€10,000

€7,000-€9,000

€6,000-€8,000

Premium

€13,000-€11,000

€8,000-€10,500

€7,500-€9,500

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€15,000-€12,500

€10,000-€12,000

€9,000-€11,000

Premium

€16,000-€14,000

€12,000-€14,500

€10,000-€12,000

Chalet

Standard

€19,000-€15,000

€9,500-€13,500

€8,500-€12,500

Premium

€15,000-€20,000

€14,500-€18,800

€10,500-€14,500

CourchevelLe Praz

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€10,500-€12,000

€8,500-€11,000

€6,500-€8,000

Premium

€11,000-€12,500

€9,000-€11,500

€8,500-€9,500

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€11,000-€11,500

€9,000-€11,000

€5,500-€7,000

Premium

€12,500- €14,500

€9,500- €11,500

€8,700-€9,800

Chalet

Standard

€9,000-€12,000

€8,000-€11,000

€7,000-€9,000

Premium

€11,500-€14,500

€10,000-€12,000

€8,000- €11,000

Méribel

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€14000- € 15000

€10,000-€12,500

€6,000-€10,000

Premium

€16500-€17000

€13,000-€16,000

€11,000-€14,000

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€14,000 €17,000

€12,000 €14,500

€9,000 €11,500

Premium

€17,000 €23,500

€15,000 €18,000

€15,000 €18,000

Chalet

Standard

€13,000 €16,000

€12,000 €15,000

€9,000 €12,000

Premium

€22,000 €28,000

€17,000 €20,000

€14,000 €17,000

Saint-Martin

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€4,570 €6,120

€6,000 €7,700

€3,500 €6,000

Premium

€10,420 €11,600

€8,500 €11,300

€5,000 €7,000

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€7,500 €9,700

€4,000 €9,500

€5,600 €7,700

Premium

€13,000 €15,500

€10,500 €13,175

€6,000 €8,000

Chalet

Standard

€10,700 €14,000

€9,000 €11,600

€9,500 €11,100

Premium

€14,000 €16,100

€10,800 €12,200

€9,170 €12,200

Val Thorens

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

-

€8,500 €9,500

€7,500 €8,500

Premium

-

€9,500 €11,000

€8,500 €9,500

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

-

€9,500 €13,000

€9,000 €11,000

Premium

-

€10,500 €14,000

€9,500 €12,000

Chalet

Standard

-

-

-

Premium

-

-

-

Val d’Isere

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

NC

€11,000 €14,000

€8,000 €11,000

Premium

NC

€15,000 €22,000

€12,000 €16,000

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€17,000 €20,000

€17,000 €20,000

€9,000 €12,000

Premium

€20,000 €30,000

€18,000 €24,000

€13,000 €18,000

Chalet

Standard

€18,000 €20,000

€14,000 €17,000

€11,000 €13,000

Premium

€20,000 €32,000

€18,000 €24,000

€14,000 €17,000

Tignes

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€11,000 €14,000

€7,000 €9,000

€4,000 €7,000

Premium

€12,000 €15,000

€8,000 €11,000

€7,000 €9,000

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€12,000 €15,000

€8,000 €11,000

€6,000 €9,000

Premium

€15,000 €18,000

€11,000 €14,000

€8,000 €11,000

Chalet

Standard

€15,000 €20,000

€10,000 €15,000

€7,000 €9,000

Premium

€17,000 €23,000

€15,000 €20,000

€8,000 €12,000

Megeve

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€7,000 €9,000

€6,500 €8,000

€5,500 €7,000

Premium

€9,000 €12,000

€10,000 €13,000

€7,000 €9,000

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€8,000 €9,500

€8,000 €10,000

€6,000 €8,500

Premium

€14,000 €18,000

€12,000 €15,000

€9,000 €12,000

Chalet

Standard

€9,000 €13,000

€10,000 €13,000

€7,500 €10,000

Premium

€15,000 €18,000

€13,500 €17,000

€10,000 €13,000

Saint-Gervais

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€4,000 €5,500

€2,800 €3,200

€2,700 €3,000

Premium

€5,400 €6,200

€3,400 €3,800

€2,800 €3,000

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€4,500 €6,200

€3,700 €4,000

€3,200 €3,500

Premium

€6,000 €6,500

€4,200 €4,400

€3,600 €4,000

Chalet

Standard

€8,200 €8,700

€8,000 €5,800

€4,500 €5,500

Premium

€8,500 €9,000

€5,800 €6,000

€6,500 €7,500

Alpe d’Huez

Apartment< 3 bedrooms

Standard

€7,000 €9,000

€6,000 €7,500

€5,000 €6,500

Premium

€9,500 €12,000

€7,500 €8,200

€6,000 €7,500

Apartment > 3 bedrooms

Standard

€8,000 €10,000

€6,500 €7,800

€6,000 €7,500

Premium

€10,000 €13,000

€7,800 €8,500

€7,000 €8,000

Chalet

Standard

-

-

-

Premium

€11,500 €13,000

€9,000 €10,700

€8,500 €9,500

Source:Cimalpes Panorama 2022

Real life examples of how much ski property you can get for your money. Prices are per metre squared.

If we look at the table above, we can see that a Meribel new build apartment with less than three bedrooms will cost around €16,500, so an apartment of 100 square metres will cost €1,650,000. If this is within your budget - happy days, you can get on with finding the ideal new build in Meribel.

If your budget is less than this, you may think that Meribel is simply out of your reach - but a glance along the figures shows that there are other options. An older property still in a premium location, the same size as a new build, could be yours for €1,300,000 while an older property, in the same sought after spot but in need of a little work comes in at €1,100,000

Think about what you really need in a ski property

Another factor to consider is whether you need a standard or premium property. As the table shows, this can have a significant impact on the final price. The difference between standard and premium will vary from resort to resort, but as a guide you can expect a premium property to include features such as hot tubs or ski rooms either as part of a hotel style development, or as a result of previous renovation.

Location within the resort will also have an impact - premium properties, like this three bedroom apartment in Alpe d’Huez will be either ski-in/ski-out or very close to lifts and other amenities, standard properties may be a little further away, meaning you and your guests may need to use the resort shuttle buses to begin your journey to the slopes. When you’re considering the impact of these elements, it’s important to balance the impact on your own personal use and the possible impact on the rental value of your ski property.

Think about what you really need from the location

Just like everywhere else, location has a big impact on the price of a resort. Unlike everywhere else, the impact on day to day enjoyment of the mountains is not necessarily reliant on being in a big name resort. Looking at the difference between Saint Gervais and Meribel, we can see a Saint Gervais new build apartment with three bedrooms is available for less than half the amount of a similar property in Meribel.

Whilst this is a little like comparing apples with oranges, there is a strong case for considering less obvious resorts as part of your property search. Saint-Gervais has excellent skiing in the Evasion and Les Houches ski areas, as well as a new thermal spa, lively village and a reputation for fine food. Investment-wise, this area has seen prices grow by 6% over the last few years, and spreading the net a little wider can have positive results.

Ski resorts come in all shapes and sizes and choosing somewhere with less immediate cachet can be a great choice for some investors.

Rental appeal and less obvious costs

Looking from an investors point of view it’s essential to consider how much appeal your ski property will have to your rental market. There’s little point saving money if your property is in an awkward location - unless you know of future development and investment.

Likewise, if your property is a fixer-upper in a premium area, it’s vital to consider whether you have enough funds to renovate to the standard that will be expected by patrons of that particular location.

Practical factors

It’s also important to consider practical factors, just as you would for buying a primary residence. Aspects like proximity to an airport, or international rail station will impact the final costs of any trip. This is something that will impact your own personal use, as well as whether people choose to rent your property or another in a more convenient spot. It’s essential to balance this with the savings made by choosing an alternative location.

Ultimately, if you’re looking for a place to enjoy quality time with family and friends, or as a retreat from the hectic day-to-day you’ll have different priorities than if you’re looking for somewhere that has maximum rental appeal. Factors like length of stay, potential local government incentives, and simply whether you love the place will also impact on your final choice.

Figures are vital, but are really only part of the story when it comes to choosing the ideal ski property.

Property alert service

SnowOnly is a ski property portal. This means we have access to a huge range of property, from luxury new build in premium resorts, to renovation opportunities in hidden gem locations.

You can tailor your search by size, price and location and our property alert service means you can stay ahead of the market and never miss out on getting the very best ski property for your money.