 Poster: A snowHead
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Any advice from people who have bought a ski apartment/chalet? We are looking to buy with a few friends but really dont know where to start. Any advice regarding type of accomadation, agencies, private sales, marketing for renta  l etc?
Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Things to look out for when buying :
- get your own notaire, pref one who speaks good english. They should cover all deed issues, co-proprietaire details, planning permission etc.
- you might want your notaire to exlpain the situation if/when you come to sell it - I'm not sure about whether the french equivalent of capital gains tax would affect you - in the french system it is quite high for selling any property (not just secondary residence etc)
- make sure you specify the inheritance, esp if you are co-owning with friends.
- if you can get a private sale, all well and good, as estate agent fees are high-ish.
- do not sign the compromis de vente before you are absolutely certain everything is ok, as you are tied in by a deposit from then on.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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If you buy in France, speaking the language tolerably well will make the whole project much, much easier
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Couldn't agree more poma. I would not have been able to do it without a good friend who is bilingual. I am about to embark on evening classes to progress my schoolboy french, as even though the market in France is well-developed regarding English buyers, the myriad communiques you recieve from various parties will blow you away if you haven't got the facility to translate.
Martski, the choice of property in France is much wider than Austria (can't speak for Switzerland - way over budget!), and if you're not a snob about resorts you can get real value for money. Most estate agents in resorts have an english speaker among them, but even a basic stab at the lingo will earn you a lot more cooperation.
Anything else you'd like to know specifically, feel free to ask 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Apart from anything else, the language thing is just good manners! And as I am constantly explaining to the children, good manners give good returns
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Thanks for the advice, looking for a satellite village of large domain due to price, not for investment just for use of the three generations of our family who will use it.
Language should be ok, speak and read ok and have a friend who is a notaire in northern france so have got someone to annoy the hell out of with incessant questions. Am actually a lawyer but I dont think that will help in the slightest dealing with French bureaucracy.
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Thanks for the advice, looking for a satellite village of large domain due to price, not for investment just for use of the three generations of our family who will use it.
Language should be ok, speak and read ok and have a friend who is a notaire in northern france so have got someone to annoy the hell out of with incessant questions. Am actually a lawyer but I dont think that will help in the slightest dealing with French bureaucracy.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Lawyers do everything in duplicate. 
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that is good laundry man! Though I will have to charge you for that!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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martski, we're in the process of buying at the moment. Check out the Chalets and Apartments thread here
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We've been in the process of buying a holiday business in Austria. Fantastic property with 5 self catering apartments, and best of all it's on the side of the piste for ski in ski out. Unfortunately, it's all fallen through after almost a year getting things sorted and we've now probably lost about £90k of our had earned cash. Obviously it's a huge blow to lose that kind of money but even worse our dream of emigrating to Austria will now have to be put on hold for a few more years whilst we try and earn some more money. To say we're pig sick would be putting it mildly. It sounds like you're buying in France but if you choose Austria we can give you plenty of advice on what not to do eg don't give the vendor half the money up front as a deposit. 
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Suzanne, that's terrible, I feel awful for you.
As for France, people need to be really sure they know what they're getting into, I've just been going through the sales contract for a place we're selling and it's riddled with errors, mostly it ought to be boiler plate contract and, incredibly, in most places discretionary content is there then it's wrong. This is my normal experience have done this a few times and done business in France. My guess is most English buying there simply haven't read and understood the contracts they've signed.
We've only done two property deals in Switzerland and so far, it's been fine.
However, for context, I don't think it's a whole lot better in the UK and I don't believe most people understand the detail of what they've done, in fact it's probably harder to understand in the UK anyway.
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You know it makes sense.
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Suzanne, really sorry to hear that - sounds like a terrible experience. Hope you manage to get your money back in some way.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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martrski, get a good lawyer who really understands the French legal system, I'd recommend Stephen Smith of Stephen Smith France Ltd, he's based in Ipswich and his website is www.stephensmithfranceltd.com, he has a free advice line and has written a number of books on buying and renting property in France. My experience of dealing with French notaries, with one notable exception thanks to Stephen, ranges from the merely incompetent to the almost criminally absymal.
Suzanne, that's terrible, hope you can get some recompence.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Personally I would try and rent for a season in the resort your thinking of buying in to make sure its really for you too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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martski, Probably not what you're looking for but my family have a large house in a small village outside of Val Thorens which we are looking to sell. It's in a village with no ski lifts, shops, restaurants (but 8kms to nearest ski lift at St Martin De Belleville) etc... but just thought I'd mention it in case it's the sort of thing you're looking for. PM me if you are.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes - saw that a bit later! Agree!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@grhc,welcome to snowHeads 
If I may offer some advice, forum regulars tend to frown on a first time poster resurrecting old threads in order to sell their wares, particularly if they do it in multiple threads.
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FAQ
) even so the amount of paperwork/bureaucracy is unbelievable 
and can be really frustrating
but think 