What buyers want from a ski resort
Knight Frank’s first Ski Sentiment Survey reveals alpine purchasers are increasingly targeting year-round resorts
1 minute to read
Asked what they consider to be most important when deciding where to buy, 27% of respondents said they were seeking a resort offering a broad mix of ski and non-ski activities that they could make use of all year round.
Accessibility was the top consideration for 18% of respondents with 30% saying they wanted to be within a 90-minute drive of an airport.
![](//content.knightfrank.com/blog/2022/11/57c546be-3f88-4884-94ec-2890540f7624/ski-202330-home-near-airport.jpg)
A long ski season was the priority for 17% of buyers with 15% considering the après ski offer in terms of restaurants and bars the most important.
Country preferences
France is the most popular destination amongst respondents with 75% of existing owners having a home there, as well as being the preferred destination for half of all future buyers. Switzerland sits in second place, followed by other European destinations such as Austria and Italy.
![](//content.knightfrank.com/blog/2022/11/2a401001-cd98-4755-9d0e-7b485d24eb60/ski-202330-motivations.jpg)
Reasons for buying
Considering buyer motivations, 30% of purchasers are seeking a property with a dual purpose, one that acts as a second home and a rental investment. However, a growing proportion (26%) are looking for a second home or co-primary home solely for their own personal use.
![](//content.knightfrank.com/blog/2022/11/01901751-2732-4314-b030-7f79848a6474/ski-2023location-preferences.jpg)
Purpose
Asked what the primary use of their new ski home would be, 55% of respondents answered it would be used as a base for skiing and enjoying mountain life. During the pandemic several purchases were made by European expats seeking an Alpine base for their globally-dispersed family to convene. Athletes are also targeting the Alps as a base from which to train, either as cyclists or trail runners. Some purchase others are emerging as a source of long-term rental demand.
To learn more about our buyer sentiment survey, download the report here.