top 5 ski areas of europe for overseas property buyers
News Posted On: 01 September 2009
The British and Irish make up the largest buyers of overseas property buyers and the markets that they favour are therefore the most popular overseas property destinations. These are primarily sun-soaked beach destinations, owing to the cold British weather, but in recent years the market for ski-property is growing.
Obviously the French and Italian Alps have been the most popular places with buyers of ski-property -- not so much Switzerland because of buying laws -- but since the advent of budget airlines and the emerging market property investor, new ski property hot-spots have been springing up all around the world.
I have picked out three of the top ski resorts in the world based on the quality of the skiing and the bargain prices of property equalling to high value for money.
1: Bulgaria - Pamporovo
Bulgaria is often grouped with the Baltic States, which are so famous for cold weather that the word Baltic has replaced the word freezing to describe a really cold day in Scotland and other parts of the UK.
As such there are several popular ski resorts in Bulgaria, the two most popular in terms of international property buyers are Bansko and Pamporovo. In my opinion Bansko has become overdeveloped and so I have singled out Pamporovo for the purpose of this article.
You can currently buy an off plan 1 bedroom apartment in a five star resort development by the Pamporovo slopes for £19,000. Prices are around the same in Bansko and there are certainly plenty of apartments for sale.
The skiing season is from December to April and the winter is mild with 120 days of sunshine and reliable snowfall throughout the season.
2: Turkey
Turkey is not known for its skiing, in fact quite the opposite it is known for its glorious climate. Nevertheless, because it is such a mountainous and vast country, Turkey has a number of excellent ski resorts.
As with all property in Turkey, ski property in Turkey is very cheap. I have just found an excellent 2 bedroom villa in the mountains above Kemer for just £55,000.
3: Ukraine Slavsk
The Eagle Valley Mountain Resort won the best ski development award in the CNBC European Property Awards 2009, yet prices start from £38,000 (44,000 Euros) for a studio apartment. I have singled out Slavsk, because it is under-developed and has protected areas to protect against over-development, and singled out the Eagle Valley development because it is one of the few available to international buyers.
Again the ski season in Ukraine is throughout the winter ending in April. Slavsk also enjoys a beautiful summer giving the potential for all year round rentals.
4: Slovakia - High Tatras
The High Tatras is rapidly growing into one of the most popular and best ski holiday destinations in the world. A testament to the quality of skiing in the Tatra Mountains; the range has been selected as the destination for the 2011 winter Olympics. Yet you can buy a luxury studio apartment by the slopes for just £63,000.
Slovakia's ski season is the same as in Bulgaria.
5: Romania
Skiing is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Transylvania, unless you have seen a Dracula movie involving skiing, doubtful I know. None the less Transylvania is home to several world-class ski-resorts, all home to reliable snowfall and affordable property.
Brasov is one of the most popular resorts with foreign buyers and you can currently buy a 1 bedroom apartment near the slopes for under £60,000.
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