It’s skiing season! If you want to spend more than a week on the slopes, buying a ski property offers an exciting investment and many years of fun.

Ski property, or mountain property if you prefer, remains one of the most exciting overseas property investments one can make.

It combines a bit of everything – potential rental returns, capital growth, a healthy, sporty lifestyle, four seasons of holidays and a wonderful social life. All that plus sensational views.

Here we look at the appeal of ski property both as a financial and lifestyle investment.

Why buy a ski property?

Owning a ski property offers several specific benefits. The first is lifestyle. You have a personal retreat for family and friends, with the potential to visit year-round. Nothing quite says you’ve doing well in life as mentioning that you have a ski property.

Owning a ski property also saves the expense and hassle of holidays – with only the air-fare and ski passes to worry about. With an average ski holiday costing between £1,000 and £2,500 per person per week, that’s a large saving within just a few years.

But need a ski property cost you anything at all? The third reason to buy a ski property is its earning potential. Ski properties in prime locations more than hold their value – not least because there is only so much mountaintop to go around and limited supply equals capital growth. Ski properties also generate rental income during all four seasons, whereas seaside resorts tend to be limited to two, at best.

Financial investment in ski property

Recent analyses underscore the enduring appeal and investment potential of ski and mountain properties. According to Knight Frank’s Alpine Property Report 2025, ski property bucked the trend by rising in price by 3% in 2024.

The highest rises were in Courchevel 1850, where already high prices shot up by 9% last year to around €34,000 per square metre. However, they were closely followed by Kitzbühel rising 8.5%, and these have a lower price point of €21,000 per square metre.

Driving price rises, according to Savills, is a combination of factors that it summarises in its Ski Resilience Index – essentially, resilience against climate change. Those factors are season length, altitude, snowfall levels, snowfall reliability and temperature. The most resilient were spread around, with Italy, France, the USA, Chile, Switzerland and Austria all featuring in its top ten.

Olympic investments

Infrastructure spending is another key factor in the long-term investment success of a location, and the greatest investment is likely to be in those areas with Winter Olympics on the way.

In 2026 they will be in Italy, based around Milan and Cortina. New infrastructure investments include Mottolino Ski Resort in Livigno where upgrades including two new state-of-the-art lifts. Cortina d’Ampezzo is upgrading its facilities to not just meet modern standards but remain ahead of the game for years.

For 2030, The IOC rewarded France for the success if the 2024 summer games with the winter games too, mainly in the Savoie region of the Alps. You can expect major investment here too, and potentially rising prices.

Four season appeal

As well as resilience against global warming, there are several other factors that will impact your enjoying of your property. These include non-snow entertainments – both ‘apres ski’ and in other seasons – access and expense.

There is a growing trend of transforming Alpine regions into year-round destinations. The Financial Times reports that towns like Andermatt in Switzerland have undergone significant development over the past 15 years, attracting international residents and vacationers beyond the ski season. Moreover, a ski property makes a wonderful base from which to work from home as a digital nomad.

This evolution has been supported by relaxed building regulations and investments in facilities, making these areas appealing for extended stays.

French resorts seemed to be working harder at introducing year-round activities – not least to offset the lack of snow in their lower-altitude resorts. Savills highlight Megève: “The resort fell by five places in our resilience index this year, but offers a very wide range of activities with gastronomic festivals, equestrian events, as well as popular concerts throughout the summer months.”

When it comes to apres-ski, ratings are a little more subjective, but Savills rates North American resorts highly, including Vail, Aspen and Whistler Blackcomb.

While the most resilient resorts are often the most expensive, there are certainly cheaper areas. Savills compared the price of a hot chocolate on a piste-side hostelry and found they ranged from €4.20 in Kitzbühel (less than your local Starbucks) to €6.85 in Gstaad.

Key Financial Considerations

For all the reasons highlighted above, ski property tends to command higher prices. a small apartment in France’s Alpes d’Huez might cost around €250,000, while a luxury chalet in Courchevel will start at seven figures and maybe reach eight. That makes it even more essential to be proactive in organising the financial aspects of the purchase, especially currency exchange.

Currency risk

One of the most critical factors when buying property abroad is managing currency exchange. Exchange rate fluctuations can significantly impact the final cost of your property.

For example, buying ski property in France with the help of a specialist currency exchange service, like Smart Currency Exchange, ensures you get competitive rates and can fix the exchange rate to avoid unexpected costs. This is especially important for large transactions like deposits and final payments

Budgeting

The costs of a ski property can be higher, with snow and freezing temperatures testing the fabric of your mountain home. A planned programme of maintenance will keep problems at bay, and a Regular Payment Plan from Smart Currency, with a forward contract, will ensure you know exactly what you are paying each month.

The same is true of income derived from rentals – which can be at a locked in exchange rate so you exactly how much revenue you will derive in your home currency.

Conclusion

Buying a ski property abroad is a rewarding investment, offering both lifestyle benefits and financial opportunities.

By carefully considering the financial, legal, and cultural aspects, and seeking expert advice, you can make the process both enjoyable and successful. Whether you dream of a chalet in Chamonix or a cosy retreat in Cortina, now is the perfect time to turn your alpine dream into reality. And with the right currency exchange partner, you’ll ensure every step is as seamless as possible.