Mortgage rates hitting historic lows in January mean that fantastic home loan deals are currently available in France, making ski properties more affordable to new buyers and giving existing owners the chance to lower their monthly mortgage repayments. A fixed rate of just 3.55 per cent for a 20-year term...
Posted on 08 February 2013
Quotas limiting the number of non-resident foreigners, including Brits, who can own property in parts of Switzerland are keeping holiday homes there highly sought after in 2013, one of the reasons the value of Swiss real estate has remained comparatively stable throughout the economic crisis. A strong currency and buoyant...
Posted on 01 February 2013
Skiers travelling independently to the French Alps, typically those staying in privately rented accommodation or home-owners visiting their apartment or chalet, should take special care when renting a car from the airport this season, as this year’s heavy snowfall has made driving in and around resorts especially treacherous. And it’s...
Posted on 11 January 2013
Buyers of property in the French Alps should be alert to how the fluctuating value of Sterling could affect their buying power during 2013 and, when necessary, take measures to minimise their exposure to exchange rates. Most British people who will buy a French ski home this year will need...
Posted on 08 January 2013
Reaching a property in the French Alps from the UK has got even easier this season, thanks to a raft of new flights launched by a selection of airlines. Grenoble-Isère Airport alone saw the launch of six new services from the UK in the second half of December 2012, including...
Posted on 04 January 2013
A recent change to French law means that any property in the country owned through a trust, including homes in the Alps, must be registered with the French tax authorities by the end of 2012. In addition to that, expats in France must also declare any interest they might have in...
Posted on 20 December 2012
Buying French ski property with a mortgage has become an especially attractive option in the last few months, thanks to banks adjusting their rates downwards and changing their product lines. Mortgage rates have hit - and remained at - historic lows in France during 2012, which when combined with the...
Posted on 14 December 2012
The first high-speed ski train of the 2012-13 season pulls out of London’s St Pancras for the French Alps on 21st December, offering British skiers and ski property owners an alternative way to reach a host of exciting ski resorts. The increasingly popular rail service, which arrives in the town...
Posted on 11 December 2012
The latest information shows that now is a golden opportunity to buy Alpine ski property. The latest Knight Frank prime ski property index for Q2 2012 shows that prices of properties in the top French and Swiss resorts fell sharply in the year ending June 2012, with many showing flat...
Posted on 07 December 2012
Most people, when asked to name Canadian ski resorts would come up with the traditional and better-known destinations of Whistler, Banff and Lake Louise, but the smaller ski resort of Fernie in British Columbia is gradually making a name for itself. Fernie is actually a historic mining town located in...
Posted on 06 December 2012