Alpine property rentals

This winter the northern French Alps have been enjoying some of the best ski conditions of the past decade and with low temperatures and yet more heavy snowfall it seems that spring is still a long way off. Ski property owners have been able capitalise on the unprecedented number of tourists that have been drawn to the Haute-Savoie region and rental property occupancy levels have soared.

Christmas week and New Year were almost 100% booked in rental and hotel accommodation in the ski resorts of the area and February half-term also brought record numbers of visitors to the region. Rumours that British tourists were seeking holiday destinations outside of the euro zone appeared unfounded as many UK families decided they couldn't forgo their treasured ski holiday and resort numbers swelled to maximum capacity. The next major holiday weekend is Easter on April 12th and there should be plentiful snow for skiers planning a late-season break this year.

The ski resorts will start to wind up the winter season towards the end of April (although resorts such as Argentiere in the Chamonix Valley operate into May) and after a short break of a few weeks and some serious increases in temperature the Haute-Savoie opens up again for the busy summer season. With many dual-season resorts in the region the summer represents another excellent opportunity for alpine property rentals and property owners really can make the most of their investment. Ski resorts such as Chamonix, Morzine, Samoens, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Megeve and La Clusaz all operate highly successful summer seasons, with a multitude of outdoor pursuits to enjoy, such as hiking, climbing, rafting, canyoning, paragliding, golf, horse-riding, mountain-biking and hot air ballooning to name just a few. Annecy and Lake Annecy attract vast numbers of both international and French visitors in the summer and there is wide range of water sports available on the lake as well as numerous swimming beaches.

The French Alps is one of the few destinations in Europe which does offer property owners the opportunity for a year-round rental income, enabling you to capitalise on your investment whilst enjoying some fabulous holidays yourself. Depending on the size of your mortgage and the type of ski property you have bought it may just be possible to cover your running costs for the year by letting your property out to holidaymakers. An alpine property could be let for as many as 24 weeks a year - 14 weeks in the winter season and 10 weeks across the summer season and the rest of the year. Of course the success of your property rentals will depend on how you choose to market it to potential clients. As a general rule of thumb, a property in the French Alps will make an average of 5% return in rental income - more in the case of smaller apartments and slightly less in the case of the larger chalets.

The French Alps continue to be one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in Europe and it seems that the appeal of the mountains has not waned despite recent economic woes. To become a property owner in this beautiful part of the world why not speak to one of the Ascendant team today? You can reach us on 0844 555 32 74 or +33 (0)4 50 10 44 23.