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The Alpine Property Blog Selling properties in the Alps since 1999 Menu Home An introduction to Alpine Prope Property related info Subjects Alpine Property Market Report April 2024 Leave a reply Winter Season It’s April, at the end of the winter season 23/24, it is snowing outside and the forecast for the next few weeks is for the temperature to remain in single figures. In fact last night was the coldest April night ever recorded in some parts of France. What a contrast to this past winter season! It will be remembered as warmer and wetter than the historical average. For much of the season the snow depths above 1500m were normal. So at Avoriaz/Flaine the conditions were generally very good. And on the ski areas around Chamonix they had more snow than usual. This contrasted with difficult conditions when skiing back into the villages. The people that run businesses in this area worry about the weather in the same way a farmer does. We worry that people on holiday will be disappointed, we have quizzed many people and I know others did too, and the face to face feedback has been universally good. That contrasts with a small number of people trolling on social media, but then, I guess that is what you get on social media isn’t it? We asked a number of people looking in the area, why they are buying, are they not worried about climate change”. The response is always the same, guaranteed skiing is not the main driver for a purchase. There are so many ways to enjoy these mountains. I am discussing the conditions, because they always influence the interest we observe for second homes. Overall, this season mirrored the preceding one of 22/23, rendering it average—akin to pre-pandemic years. This equilibrium extended to both buyers and sellers. Mortgages and affordability Last year, the market experienced a cooling off due to mortgage accessibility challenges. Fortunately, this hurdle has since eased, with rates now dipping below 4% for select buyers. For those relocating from abroad, mortgage options exist to safeguard against potential rate drops, such as variable/tracker mortgages or those without redemption penalties. Exploring such products may necessitate consulting a broker rather than relying solely on high street banks. Saying that, the property market in the ski areas has been supported by people that don’t really need a mortgage to buy the property they want. The buyers around here are investing their money in property which is a safe asset”, the downside for people that live in the area is that the affordability of property ends up out of reach. This is in contrast to the rest of France where most people will require a mortgage for their homes, this difficulty in obtaining a mortgage has meant prices in much of the rest of France are reducing, in time this should make affordability easier. In general over the last year, prices across France are down 10%. Sales are down 30% which is a big issue if you are an estate agent. Plenty are closing down. PACA (the area around Nice) has bucked that trend, as we have in the Haute Savoie. Price Trends I’ve had a look at the price trends across the ski areas we cover. We now have access to ALL the sales data across France and to real time data for what is for sale.In general over the last 2 years we have seen price rises of up to 30%, with an average of 18%. * I don’t think we have enough data to trust these ** Same for Les Carroz, thanks to a problem with Insee and the Code Postal in that area Our Commitment to 1% for the Planet In previous market reports, I’ve emphasised our profound appreciation for our mountain environment, our commitment to sustainable transportation, and our cautious stance on unrestrained growth. Despite often feeling powerless to enact change and pointing fingers at local and central governments, we’ve taken tangible action in recent years. We’ve aligned our actions with our values by joining 1% for the Planet, allocating 1% of our turnover (not just profit) to local accredited environmental organisations. Even during lean times, we will uphold this commitment. In the past 18 months alone, we’ve contributed over €40,000 to these causes. Notably, Montagne Verte, a group based in the Portes du Soleil, has been a primary beneficiary, spearheading initiatives to mitigate our local environmental impact. I strongly encourage you to learn more about their work. Additionally, we proudly support Association un Rêve d’Abeilles, which educates schools and youth organisations on the vital role of pollinators, alongside Ecotrivelo and Inspire, both based in Chamonix. You can read more about all these initiatives here https://blog.alpine-property.com/2024/04/04/one-percent-for-the-planet/ St Jean d’Aulps is featured in one of the fastest growing categories in my analysis. The video below shows you why. The Chamonix valley has shown strong and sustained growth over the last couple of years. Take a look at this property in Vallorcine. Previous reports: November 2023 – https://blog.alpine-property.com/2023/11/07/alpine-property-market-report-november-2023/ June 2023 – https://blog.alpine-property.com/2023/06/15/alpine-property-market-report-june-2023/ This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged alpine property , Alpine Property Market Report , french alps , haute savoie , market report on 2024/04/23 by Gareth Jefferies . 1% for the Planet 2 Replies Total donated by Alpine Property so far 41 940€ We give 1% of our turnover to local groups dedicated to supporting our local environment . That’s 1% of everything, not just profit. We pay this out even if we make a loss. So if you work with us, 1% of the commission we charge you goes to supporting local environmental organisations. These donations are audited by the French 1% for the Planet organisation. We started this in 2022, our first year has just been audited. Donations in 2022 Montagne Verte 12 100 Association un Rêve d’Abeilles 7 600 Ecotrivelo 3 100 Inspire 640 1% for the planet 1 200 Total 24 640 First tranche of donations 2023, there is more to come Montagne Verte 8 500 Association un Rêve d’Abeilles 5 400 Ecotrivelo 2 200 1% for the planet 1 200 Total 17 300 So far we have supported 5 organisations. Montagne Verte Montagne Verte is a non-profit association funded by the community that serves with a simple mission; develop solutions for the local region to reduce its environmental impact. They envision a valley in which mountains, people and biodiversity thrive. A united community building a carbon neutral, sustainable future for all. They aim to inform, inspire, encourage and integrate with the community ; educate and support businesses to become more sustainable. The mountain is our playground, our home and our reason for living, they help people act to respect and preserve it. More information about their work is here https://montagneverte.org/en/our-sustainable-work/ https://montagneverte.org/en/our-sustainable-work/ Working with local mayors to encourage eco policies for the future, including organising an educational trip to Zermatt Running a local second hand shop Looking into improving cycling infrastructure Running the bio-waste collection scheme Lobbying for improved train connections to the Alps Helping local businesses & residents to reduce their carbon footprint Encouraging local businesses to give discounts to people that arrive by train through the AlpinExpress pass Organising weekly food boxes using local producers Association un Rêve d’Abeilles Un Rêve d’Abeilles is dedicated to protecting pollinators (not just bees!). They run educational initiatives with schools, youth organisations (MJC’s), and other non-profits (associations). Through their projects, they create new habitats for bees while simultaneously raising awareness among these diverse audiences. Their efforts involve organising intergenerational events that cater to people from various backgrounds, providing opportunities for bees to thrive in new...